When to plant in Catalina Foothills, AZ
USDA Zone 9aHere are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for Catalina Foothills, Arizona — all computed from Catalina Foothills's nearest NOAA weather station.
Catalina Foothills enjoys a long ~280-day frost-free season — you can succession-sow, fit in a second crop, and grow long-season heat-lovers with room to spare. Zone 9a is warm enough that Catalina Foothills can grow subtropical perennials, and the short (or absent) frost period barely limits the annual calendar.
The average last spring frost in Catalina Foothills is now 6 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
TUCSON CAMP AVE EXP · 1991–2020The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Catalina Foothills’s own odds, recorded at TUCSON CAMP AVE EXP.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 5 | Mar 12 | Feb 19 | Nov 1 | Nov 16 | Dec 1 |
| 32°F | Mar 11 | Feb 20 | Jan 30 | Nov 10 | Nov 27 | Dec 12 |
| 28°F | Feb 24 | Jan 30 | Dec 29 | Nov 23 | Dec 10 | Jan 2 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Catalina Foothills, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 10 km · complete 32°F normalsWhen stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.
Catalina Foothills planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Catalina Foothills, AZ?
Catalina Foothills's average last spring frost falls near February 20 — the 50% mark at 32°F in the 1991–2020 normals. Hold tender transplants until the risk has passed, then plant out.
When is the first fall frost in Catalina Foothills, AZ?
The first fall frost in Catalina Foothills typically arrives around November 27 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.
What hardiness zone is Catalina Foothills in?
Catalina Foothills is in USDA hardiness zone 9a. In zone 9a, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.
How long is the growing season in Catalina Foothills?
There are roughly 280 frost-free days in Catalina Foothills (a long growing season), running from the average last frost around February 20 to the first fall frost near November 27.
When should I plant tomatoes in Catalina Foothills?
In Catalina Foothills, start tomato seeds indoors around December 26–January 9, then transplant seedlings outdoors around February 27 once the danger of frost has passed.
Never miss a window in Catalina Foothills
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Catalina Foothills’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Flowing Wells · 12 km
- Casas Adobes · 13 km
- Tanque Verde · 14 km
- Oro Valley · 16 km
- Tucson · 17 km
- Tucson Mountains · 18 km
- Drexel Heights · 23 km
- Tucson Estates · 27 km
Frost dates recorded at TUCSON CAMP AVE EXP, 6 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Catalina Foothills, AZ — Frost Dates & Zone 9a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00028796. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/arizona/catalina-foothills.