When to plant in Bernalillo, NM
Planting dates worked out from Bernalillo's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Last spring frost
- Early · riskyApr 149 years in 10 still get a later frost
- TypicalMay 1about half of years get a later frost
- Safe to plant outMay 181 year in 10 gets a later frost
Hardy crops like peas and spinach are timed from the typical date. Wait for the safe date before planting out tomatoes, peppers and squash.
First fall frost
- EarlyOct 21 year in 10 has frost by then
- TypicalOct 13about half of years have had frost
- LateOct 249 years in 10 have had frost by then
A typical year has 158 frost-free days. Plan for tender crops to be ripe by the early date.
Station used: Corrales · 6.9 km away · station 1532 m, town 1540 m. How we match towns to stations
This season
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | May 18 – Jun 1 | Jul 12 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | May 18 – Jun 1 | Jul 17 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 27 – Mar 6 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | May 13 |
| Peas | — | Mar 20 – Apr 17 | May 14 |
| Bush beans | — | May 11 – Jun 1 | Jun 30 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 10 – May 22 | Jun 9 |
| Beet | — | Apr 3 – May 15 | May 23 |
| Potato | — | Apr 10 – May 1 | Jun 19 |
| Kale | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | May 16 |
| Broccoli | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | Jun 2 |
| Cucumber | Apr 20 – Apr 27 | May 18 – Jun 1 | Jul 7 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 20 – Apr 27 | May 18 – Jun 1 | Jul 2 |
| Winter squash | Apr 20 – Apr 27 | May 18 – Jun 1 | Aug 6 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 11 – Jun 1 | Jul 10 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | Jul 2 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 29 – Oct 27 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 20 – Apr 17 | Apr 27 |
| Basil | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | May 18 – Jun 1 | Jul 14 |
Bernalillo's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1985 | May 14 |
| 1986 | May 13 |
| 1987 | May 27 |
| 1988 | May 9 |
| 1989 | Apr 28 |
| 1990 | Apr 13 |
| 1991 | May 16 |
| 1992 | Apr 21 |
| 1994 | May 8 |
| 1995 | May 9 |
| 1996 | May 27 |
| 1997 | Apr 26 |
| 1998 | May 16 |
| 1999 | May 7 |
| 2011 | May 20 |
| 2012 | Apr 16 |
| 2013 | Apr 24 |
| 2014 | May 14 |
| 2017 | Apr 5 |
| 2018 | Apr 17 |
| 2019 | Apr 14 |
| 2020 | Apr 15 |
| 2022 | Apr 14 |
| 2023 | Apr 16 |
| 2024 | Apr 10 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1986 | 151 |
| 1987 | 144 |
| 1988 | 167 |
| 1989 | 172 |
| 1990 | 178 |
| 1991 | 139 |
| 1992 | 169 |
| 1994 | 154 |
| 1995 | 148 |
| 1996 | 123 |
| 1997 | 169 |
| 1998 | 142 |
| 1999 | 144 |
| 2011 | 150 |
| 2012 | 185 |
| 2013 | 163 |
| 2014 | 151 |
| 2017 | 198 |
| 2018 | 198 |
| 2019 | 179 |
| 2020 | 189 |
| 2022 | 193 |
| 2023 | 195 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1986 | 18.9 °C |
| 1987 | 18.3 °C |
| 1988 | 18.7 °C |
| 1989 | 19.5 °C |
| 1990 | 19.3 °C |
| 1991 | 18.6 °C |
| 1992 | 18.6 °C |
| 1994 | 20.1 °C |
| 2009 | 19.3 °C |
| 2011 | 19.4 °C |
| 2012 | 20.0 °C |
| 2013 | 19.4 °C |
| 2015 | 19.9 °C |
| 2017 | 20.5 °C |
| 2018 | 21.0 °C |
| 2019 | 19.9 °C |
| 2020 | 20.7 °C |
| 2022 | 21.4 °C |
| 2023 | 20.6 °C |
| 2024 | 21.0 °C |
What this means for you: This station's record is too short to show a reliable trend yet.
Source: daily records from Corrales (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.