When to plant in Las Cruces, NM
USDA Zone 8bLas Cruces, New Mexico frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.
A generous ~246-day season lets Las Cruces gardeners direct-sow more and still ripen long-maturity crops like melons and winter squash. Zone 8b means many perennials and even some tender shrubs overwinter in Las Cruces, while your frost dates still decide when annuals go out.
The average last spring frost in Las Cruces is now 11 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
STATE UNIV · 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 Las Cruces’s own odds, recorded at STATE UNIV.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 19 | Apr 1 | Mar 12 | Oct 21 | Nov 4 | Nov 15 |
| 32°F | Apr 2 | Mar 12 | Feb 23 | Oct 30 | Nov 13 | Nov 24 |
| 28°F | Mar 15 | Feb 26 | Feb 4 | Nov 9 | Nov 24 | Dec 8 |
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 Las Cruces, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 33 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.
Las Cruces planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Las Cruces, NM?
Plan for the last spring frost in Las Cruces around March 12 (the date it has a 50% chance of a 32°F freeze). Anything frost-sensitive should go out after it.
When is the first fall frost in Las Cruces, NM?
In Las Cruces, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around November 13 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.
What hardiness zone is Las Cruces in?
Las Cruces is in USDA hardiness zone 8b. In zone 8b, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.
How long is the growing season in Las Cruces?
There are roughly 246 frost-free days in Las Cruces (a long growing season), running from the average last frost around March 12 to the first fall frost near November 13.
When should I plant tomatoes in Las Cruces?
In Las Cruces, start tomato seeds indoors around January 15–January 29, then transplant seedlings outdoors around March 19 once the danger of frost has passed.
Never miss a window in Las Cruces
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Las Cruces’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Chaparral · 48 km
- Sunland Park · 59 km
- El Paso · 63 km
- Fort Bliss · 67 km
- Deming · 91 km
- Horizon City · 91 km
- Socorro · 91 km
- San Elizario · 97 km
Frost dates recorded at STATE UNIV, 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 Las Cruces, NM — Frost Dates & Zone 8b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00298535. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/new-mexico/las-cruces.