Santa Fe, New Mexico frost dates
Frost risk by date
| Chance of frost | Spring: frost after | Fall: frost before |
|---|---|---|
| 90% | April 22 | October 25 |
| 70% | April 29 | October 19 |
| 50% | May 4 | October 15 |
| 30% | May 9 | October 10 |
| 10% | May 17 | October 4 |
Read the spring column like this: there is a 10% chance of a 32°F freeze after May 17. These are NOAA probabilities for the Santa Fe Co Muni Airport weather station (USW00023049, elevation 1934 m), 1991–2020.
Santa Fe vegetable planting calendar
Dates count from the 50% last-frost date (May 4). For tomatoes, peppers and other frost-tender crops, waiting until the 10% date (May 17) is the cautious choice.
| Crop | Start seeds indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|
| Beans | Apr 13 | May 11 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Broccoli | Feb 23 | Apr 6 |
| Brussels sprouts | Feb 23 | Apr 6 |
| Cabbage | Feb 16 | Mar 30 |
| Cauliflower | Mar 9 | Apr 20 |
| Sweet corn | Apr 6 | May 4 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Cucumbers | Apr 20 | May 11 |
| Kale | Feb 16 | Mar 30 |
| Leeks | Jan 19 | Mar 30 |
| Lettuce | Mar 16 | Apr 20 |
| Melons | Apr 27 | May 18 |
| Onions | Jan 12 | Mar 23 (from seed; sets and transplants go out at the same time) |
| Peas | Mar 9 | Apr 6 (usually sown directly in the garden) |
| Peppers | Mar 23 | May 18 |
| Squash | Apr 27 | May 18 |
| Tomatoes | Mar 9 | May 4 |
Offsets from Oregon State University Extension's seed-starting table. "Plant out" means transplant, or sow directly for crops usually grown from seed.
Fall frost and season extension
The first fall freeze usually arrives around October 15. There's a 1-in-10 chance it comes before October 4. Harvest tender crops such as basil, tomatoes, peppers and squash before then, or cover them on cold nights. Cool-season crops like kale, cabbage and Brussels sprouts handle light frost, and often taste sweeter after it. A hard freeze (28°F) typically comes around October 24.
Nearby cities
| City | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NM | Apr 6 | Nov 3 | ~80 km |
| Pueblo, CO | Apr 30 | Oct 9 | ~330 km |
| Colorado Springs, CO | May 3 | Oct 8 | ~376 km |
| Amarillo, TX | Apr 13 | Oct 27 | ~398 km |
| El Paso, TX | Mar 2 | Nov 20 | ~423 km |
| Lubbock, TX | Apr 4 | Nov 2 | ~443 km |