In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Tucson planting calendar
Bars show when each crop can go in and when a planting from that window is ready. The blue band is the frost season, from the average first autumn frost to the average last spring frost. Hover or tap a crop for details.
Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday
Swipe sideways to see the whole year →
Dates by crop
| Crop | Sow indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Jan 5 – Feb 9, Jul 5 – Aug 9 | Mar 2 – Apr 14, Aug 30 – Sep 23 plant out | May 10 – Jul 29, Oct 18 – Dec 8 |
| Pepper | Jan 11 – Feb 15, Jun 21 – Jul 25 | Mar 22 – Apr 17, Aug 30 – Sep 19 plant out | May 23 – Aug 4, Oct 22 – Dec 8 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Jan 20 – Feb 11, Jun 5 – Jul 10 | Mar 31 – Apr 8, Aug 14 – Sep 16 plant out | Jun 1 – Jul 17, Oct 9 – Dec 8 |
| Cucumber | Feb 12 – Mar 11 | Mar 12 – Apr 22, Aug 30 – Oct 3 sow | May 4 – Jul 11, Oct 8 – Dec 8 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Feb 2 – Mar 1 | Mar 2 – May 1, Aug 21 – Oct 7 sow | Apr 25 – Jul 30, Sep 25 – Dec 8 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Feb 2 – Mar 1 | Mar 2 – Apr 3, Aug 3 – Sep 3 sow | May 30 – Jul 14, Oct 12 – Dec 8 |
| Watermelon | Mar 3 – Mar 30 | Mar 31 – Sep 14 sow | Jun 4 – Dec 8 |
| Sweet corn | – | Feb 12 – Apr 14, Aug 5 – Sep 17 sow | May 10 – Jul 1, Sep 30 – Dec 8 |
| Green beans | – | Mar 2 – Apr 15, Sep 3 – Oct 3 sow | Apr 29 – Jun 28, Oct 12 – Dec 8 |
| Peas | – | Dec 25 – Jan 29 sow | Mar 12 – Apr 29 |
| Lettuce | Dec 4 – Jan 1 | Jan 8 – Feb 24, Oct 17 – Oct 29 sow | Mar 8 – May 5, Nov 28 – Dec 19 |
| Spinach | – | Nov 3 – Feb 18 sow | Dec 21 – Apr 27 |
| Kale | Aug 31 – Oct 5 | Oct 12 – Mar 21 sow | Dec 1 – Jul 13 |
| Cabbage | Aug 24 – Sep 11, Nov 20 – Dec 25 | Jan 8 – Feb 23, Oct 12 – Oct 16 plant out | Mar 29 – May 22, Dec 21 – Dec 30 |
| Broccoli | Nov 27 – Jan 1 | Jan 15 – Mar 3 plant out | Mar 25 – May 21 |
| Carrots | – | Oct 12 – Mar 26 sow | Dec 14 – Jul 11 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Jan 15 – Apr 1, Oct 12 – Oct 27 sow | Mar 21 – Jun 26, Dec 1 – Dec 30 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 1 – Mar 13, Oct 25 – Nov 19 sow | Feb 8 – Apr 18, Nov 17 – Dec 23 |
| Onions | Oct 30 – Dec 4 | Jan 8 – Mar 17 plant out | Apr 16 – Jun 27 |
| Garlic | Garlic needs about six weeks below 10 °C to form bulbs; winters here are too mild for most varieties. | ||
| Potatoes | – | Jan 22 – Mar 14 sow | Apr 20 – Jul 5 |
| Swiss chard | – | Jan 22 – Apr 4, Oct 2 – Oct 31 sow | Mar 21 – Sep 3, Nov 13 – Dec 30 |
| Basil | Feb 8 – Mar 8, Jun 22 – Jul 20 | Mar 22 – Jun 8, Aug 3 – Oct 21 plant out | Apr 21 – Dec 8 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Jan 15 – Mar 4, Oct 25 – Nov 8 sow | Mar 3 – May 4, Nov 29 – Dec 23 |
| Parsley | Nov 20 – Dec 25 | Jan 15 – Mar 22, Oct 12 – Oct 21 sow | Dec 21 – Jan 8, Apr 2 – Sep 5 |
Dates are for a typical year and the middle of the window is the safest. Sow a little at a time across a window rather than all at once. Cold snaps, heat waves, frost pockets and city warmth all shift the real dates; watch the forecast.
Frost dates in Tucson
- Average last spring frost
- February 5
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- March 2
- Average first autumn frost
- December 9
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- November 21
- Frost-free growing season
- 306 days
“Average” is the date with an even chance of a later (spring) or earlier (autumn) frost: a night at or below 0 °C (32 °F) at screen height. Tender crops go out a week or two after the spring date, which brings the risk down to about one year in ten.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Tucson Intl Ap (10 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 9b from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -4°C26°F
- Warmest month
- June, highs 39°C102°F
- Coldest month
- December, lows 4°C40°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 24 of 25
The zone follows the USDA scheme: bands of the average lowest temperature of the year, 10 °F wide, split into a and b halves. Worked out from the coldest night of each year 1991–2020 at the NOAA station. It tells you which perennials survive winter, not when to sow.
Temperature and rain by month
Average highAverage lowRainFreezing point
| Month | High | Low | Mean | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20°C68°F | 5°C40°F | 12°C54°F | 22 mm0.9 in |
| February | 22°C71°F | 6°C43°F | 14°C57°F | 21 mm0.8 in |
| March | 25°C77°F | 9°C48°F | 17°C62°F | 14 mm0.6 in |
| April | 29°C84°F | 12°C53°F | 20°C69°F | 6 mm0.2 in |
| May | 34°C93°F | 17°C62°F | 25°C77°F | 3 mm0.1 in |
| June | 39°C102°F | 22°C71°F | 30°C86°F | 9 mm0.3 in |
| July | 38°C101°F | 25°C76°F | 32°C89°F | 50 mm2.0 in |
| August | 38°C100°F | 24°C75°F | 31°C88°F | 42 mm1.7 in |
| September | 36°C96°F | 21°C70°F | 29°C83°F | 36 mm1.4 in |
| October | 31°C88°F | 15°C59°F | 23°C73°F | 18 mm0.7 in |
| November | 24°C76°F | 8°C47°F | 16°C62°F | 13 mm0.5 in |
| December | 20°C67°F | 4°C40°F | 12°C54°F | 22 mm0.9 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).