When to plant in Portales, NM
USDA Zone 7aPortales, New Mexico frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.
In zone 7a, Portales supports a wide range of perennials year-round; the frost dates above are what set your annual vegetable timing.
Frost probability
PORTALES · 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 Portales’s own odds, recorded at PORTALES.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | May 6 | Apr 25 | Apr 11 | Oct 4 | Oct 17 | Oct 29 |
| 32°F | Apr 30 | Apr 15 | Mar 30 | Oct 12 | Oct 26 | Nov 7 |
| 28°F | Apr 21 | Apr 2 | Mar 15 | Oct 22 | Nov 4 | Nov 17 |
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 Portales, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 31 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.
Portales planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Portales, NM?
Portales's average last spring frost falls near April 15 — 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 Portales, NM?
The first fall frost in Portales typically arrives around October 26 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.
What hardiness zone is Portales in?
Portales is in USDA hardiness zone 7a. In zone 7a, winters are moderate — most common vegetables grow well in season.
How long is the growing season in Portales?
Portales has about 194 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (April 15) and first fall frost (October 26).
When should I plant tomatoes in Portales?
For Portales, sow tomatoes indoors about February 18–March 4 and move the seedlings out around April 22, after the last spring frost.
Never miss a window in Portales
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Portales’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reachFrost dates recorded at PORTALES, 0 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 Portales, NM — Frost Dates & Zone 7a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00297008. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/new-mexico/portales.