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When to plant in El Mirage, AZ

USDA Zone 9b

El Mirage, Arizona frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.

With about 329 frost-free days, El Mirage supports back-to-back plantings; stagger sowings every few weeks to keep beds productive spring through fall. In zone 9b, frost is a minor factor for El Mirage — most perennials thrive, and annual vegetables can go out early and stay late.

Station · YOUNGTOWN · 2.4 km
Last spring frost
January 20
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
December 15
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
329 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for El MirageA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for El Mirage: last spring frost around January 20, first fall frost around December 15, about 329 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

The average last spring frost in El Mirage is now 7 days later than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →

Frost probability

YOUNGTOWN · 1991–2020

The 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 El Mirage’s own odds, recorded at YOUNGTOWN.

Frost-probability curves for El MirageProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around January 20 and the first fall frost around December 15, giving about 329 frost-free days.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FMar 4Feb 14Jan 21Nov 17Dec 2Dec 18
32°FFeb 18Jan 20Dec 23Nov 28Dec 15Jan 7
28°FFeb 1Jan 3Dec 13Dec 10Dec 29Jan 22

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19

Nothing new to sow or transplant outdoors in the next few weeks — a seasonal lull. Check the full-year calendar below for the next window.

Add the next planting windows to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in El Mirage, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 25 km · complete 32°F normals

When 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.

YOUNGTOWN
Primary
2 km · 346 m elevation
SPRING
Jan 20
FALL
Dec 15
LITCHFIELD PARK
11 km · 317 m elevation
SPRING
Jan 7
FALL
Dec 24
PHOENIX DEER VALLEY MUNI AP
25 km · 444 m elevation
SPRING
Jan 8
FALL
Dec 25

El Mirage planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in El Mirage, AZ?

El Mirage's average last spring frost falls near January 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 El Mirage, AZ?

The first fall frost in El Mirage typically arrives around December 15 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is El Mirage in?

El Mirage is in USDA hardiness zone 9b. In zone 9b, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.

How long is the growing season in El Mirage?

El Mirage has about 329 frost-free days — a long growing season — between the average last spring frost (January 20) and first fall frost (December 15).

When should I plant tomatoes in El Mirage?

For El Mirage, sow tomatoes indoors about November 25–December 9 and move the seedlings out around January 27, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in El Mirage

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to El Mirage’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at YOUNGTOWN, 2 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in El Mirage, AZ — Frost Dates & Zone 9b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00029634. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/arizona/el-mirage.
When to Plant in El Mirage, AZ — Frost Dates & Zone 9b — BlissGarden