When to plant in El Paso, TX
USDA Zone 8bHere are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for El Paso, Texas — all computed from El Paso's nearest NOAA weather station.
A generous ~263-day season lets El Paso gardeners direct-sow more and still ripen long-maturity crops like melons and winter squash. In zone 8b, El Paso supports a wide range of perennials year-round; the frost dates above are what set your annual vegetable timing.
The average last spring frost in El Paso is now 15 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
EL PASO INTL AP · 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 El Paso’s own odds, recorded at EL PASO INTL AP.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 5 | Mar 18 | Feb 28 | Oct 28 | Nov 10 | Nov 23 |
| 32°F | Mar 19 | Mar 2 | Feb 12 | Nov 6 | Nov 20 | Dec 2 |
| 28°F | Mar 7 | Feb 16 | Jan 25 | Nov 15 | Dec 1 | Dec 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 El Paso, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 25 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.
El Paso planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in El Paso, TX?
El Paso's average last spring frost falls near March 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 El Paso, TX?
In El Paso, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around November 20 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.
What hardiness zone is El Paso in?
El Paso is in USDA hardiness zone 8b. In zone 8b, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.
How long is the growing season in El Paso?
El Paso has about 263 frost-free days — a long growing season — between the average last spring frost (March 2) and first fall frost (November 20).
When should I plant tomatoes in El Paso?
For El Paso, sow tomatoes indoors about January 5–January 19 and move the seedlings out around March 9, after the last spring frost.
Never miss a window in El Paso
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to El Paso’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Fort Bliss · 5 km
- Sunland Park · 16 km
- Chaparral · 22 km
- Socorro · 28 km
- Horizon City · 29 km
- San Elizario · 34 km
- Las Cruces · 63 km
- Alamogordo · 123 km
Frost dates recorded at EL PASO INTL AP, 7 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 El Paso, TX — Frost Dates & Zone 8b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00023044. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/texas/el-paso.