When to Plant in Arizona: Vegetable & Flower Planting Calendar

Arizona spans USDA hardiness zones 5b–10a on the 2023 USDA map (by ZIP code, via PRISM). For the 395 of its 417 ZIP codes where frost comes in most years, the nearest NOAA station’s median last spring frost (32°F, 1991–2020) is Feb 23 (middle 80% of ZIP codes: Jan 8 – May 16) and the median first fall frost is Nov 28 (Oct 10 – Dec 24). Use this guide to time seed-starting, transplanting and fall planting.

Where these dates come from: every date range is counted from the median (50% probability) 32°F last spring and first fall frost dates in NOAA’s 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals for the area shown. The rule under each date, such as “4–6 weeks before last frost,” shows how it was counted. These are averages: in about half of years a frost still comes after the spring date, and elevation, nearby water and microclimate can shift your yard by a week or more. For dates for your exact location, enter your ZIP code in the planner.

How we count planting dates: the weeks before or after frost for each crop come from university extension planting guides: UNH Extension, When to Plant Your Vegetable Garden; Rutgers FS787, Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors; Virginia Tech 426-331, Home Garden Vegetable Planting Guide; University of Maryland Extension, Vegetable Planting Calendar; and University of Idaho CIS 1209 (marigolds and zinnias). Bulb windows approximate Rutgers’ rule to plant when soil falls below 60°F (FS1220), and garlic follows SDSU, Illinois and Virginia Tech. Temperature notes: UMD (potatoes), UMN (sweet corn), UC ANR (peppers, hardening off), UMN (eggplant), Colorado State (tomatoes) and SDSU (hardening off).

Frost is rare in part of Arizona: for 22 of its 417 ZIP codes (5%), the nearest NOAA station records 32°F in fewer than half of years, so there is no reliable frost date to count from. For those ZIP codes: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension planting dates for all ZIP codes starting 850, 852 or 853 (the Phoenix area) (below); other frost-rare ZIP codes: your local Cooperative Extension office.

Arizona frost dates by zone area

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal freeze-date probabilities (32°F, 50% probability). Station-level medians; your yard may differ.

How this table is built: each Arizona ZIP code is matched to its nearest NOAA 1991–2020 freeze-data station (within 60 miles) and grouped by its 2023 USDA hardiness zone; dates are medians across the ZIP codes in each group. Zone groups with fewer than 5% of ZIP codes (1 ZIP codes) are left out of the columns. Some nearest stations are across the state line (Blythe, CA, Glenwood, NM, Laughlin, NV, Parker Resrvoir, CA). For your own ZIP, use the planner.

Arizona vegetable planting calendar

Planting dates for each zone area of Arizona, counted from that area’s median frost dates (shown under each column). Rows run in calendar order. For your exact dates, enter your ZIP.

Phoenix-area gardeners (ZIP codes starting 850, 852 or 853): use the University of Arizona planting dates below instead of this frost-based table. The low-desert planting calendar differs from frost-based timing (for example, AZ1005 lists tomato transplants Feb 15 – Mar 15 and Jul 15 – Aug 1).

Planting dates for the Phoenix-area low desert (Maricopa County)

For all ZIP codes starting 850, 852 or 853 (the Phoenix area), the planner uses this University of Arizona Cooperative Extension table instead of frost dates, because it is written for local conditions (including ZIP codes with occasional frost).

Source: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, AZ1005, Vegetable Planting Calendar for Maricopa County (rev. 2018). Days to harvest: AZ1005 “Time to Harvest” column. Harvest windows add those days to the planting dates and vary with variety and weather. Not in this table: Marigolds, Zinnias, Tulips, Daffodils.

Other frost-rare Arizona ZIP codes are not covered by this table; check with your local Cooperative Extension office (University of Arizona Cooperative Extension local offices).

Arizona USDA zone guides: Zone 5 planting guide Zone 6 planting guide Zone 7 planting guide Zone 8 planting guide Zone 9 planting guide Zone 10 planting guide

How we count planting dates: the weeks before or after frost for each crop come from university extension planting guides: UNH Extension, When to Plant Your Vegetable Garden; Rutgers FS787, Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors; Virginia Tech 426-331, Home Garden Vegetable Planting Guide; University of Maryland Extension, Vegetable Planting Calendar; and University of Idaho CIS 1209 (marigolds and zinnias). Bulb windows approximate Rutgers’ rule to plant when soil falls below 60°F (FS1220), and garlic follows SDSU, Illinois and Virginia Tech. Temperature notes: UMD (potatoes), UMN (sweet corn), UC ANR (peppers, hardening off), UMN (eggplant), Colorado State (tomatoes) and SDSU (hardening off).

Tips for Arizona gardeners

• Watch soil temperature, not just the calendar — warm-season crops stall in cold soil. An inexpensive soil thermometer helps.
• Harden off transplants over 7–10 days before planting out (UC ANR, SDSU).
• Ask your local Cooperative Extension office about varieties and timing for your county; find it in the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension local offices or the USDA NIFA land-grant university directory.
• Keep weeds down early — see our weed identification guide.

Other state planting calendars

Alabama Alaska Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming All states