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When to plant in Los Alamos, NM

USDA Zone 7b

Here are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for Los Alamos, New Mexico — all computed from Los Alamos's nearest NOAA weather station.

Zone 7b means many perennials and even some tender shrubs overwinter in Los Alamos, while your frost dates still decide when annuals go out.

Station · LOS ALAMOS · 4.3 km
Last spring frost
May 2
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 12
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
163 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Los AlamosA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Los Alamos: last spring frost around May 2, first fall frost around October 12, about 163 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

LOS ALAMOS · 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 Los Alamos’s own odds, recorded at LOS ALAMOS.

Frost-probability curves for Los AlamosProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around May 2 and the first fall frost around October 12, giving about 163 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°FMay 31May 16Apr 30Sep 19Oct 4Oct 17
32°FMay 17May 2Apr 19Oct 1Oct 12Oct 25
28°FMay 4Apr 20Apr 6Oct 9Oct 23Nov 6

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

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowopen now
Rutabaga
July 6July 20
Fall sowin 1 days
Broccoli
July 20August 3
Fall sowin 1 days
Cabbage
July 20August 3
Fall sowin 1 days
Carrot
July 20August 3
Fall sowin 1 days
Cauliflower
July 20August 3
Fall sowin 1 days
Napa Cabbage
July 20August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Beet
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Collards
August 3August 31
Fall sowin 15 days
Endive
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Escarole
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Fennel (Bulb)
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Kale
August 3August 31
Fall sowin 15 days
Kohlrabi
August 3August 31
Fall sowin 15 days
Peas
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Radicchio
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Swiss Chard
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Turnip
August 3August 31

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

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

Nearby weather stations

3 within 24 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.

LOS ALAMOS
Primary
4 km · 2263 m elevation
SPRING
May 2
FALL
Oct 12
LOS ALAMOS 13 W
21 km · 2657 m elevation
SPRING
Jun 10
FALL
Sep 13
ESPANOLA
24 km · 1713 m elevation
SPRING
May 11
FALL
Oct 6

Los Alamos planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Los Alamos, NM?

Los Alamos's average last spring frost falls near May 2 — 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 Los Alamos, NM?

The first fall frost in Los Alamos typically arrives around October 12 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is Los Alamos in?

Los Alamos is in USDA hardiness zone 7b. In zone 7b, winters are moderate — most common vegetables grow well in season.

How long is the growing season in Los Alamos?

There are roughly 163 frost-free days in Los Alamos (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around May 2 to the first fall frost near October 12.

When should I plant tomatoes in Los Alamos?

In Los Alamos, start tomato seeds indoors around March 7–March 21, then transplant seedlings outdoors around May 9 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Los Alamos

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at LOS ALAMOS, 4 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 Los Alamos, NM — Frost Dates & Zone 7b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00295084. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/new-mexico/los-alamos.
When to Plant in Los Alamos, NM — Frost Dates & Zone 7b — BlissGarden