When to plant in El Valle de Arroyo Seco, NM
Planting dates worked out from El Valle de Arroyo Seco's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 24
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 12
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 4
1 year in 10 by Sep 25
Frost-free days
146
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Alcalde · 14.4 km away · station 1731 m, town 1746 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 29 – Apr 12 | May 24 – Jun 7 | Jul 18 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 15 – Mar 29 | May 24 – Jun 7 | Jul 23 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 10 – Mar 17 | Apr 14 – Apr 28 | May 24 |
| Peas | — | Mar 31 – Apr 28 | May 25 |
| Bush beans | — | May 17 – Jun 7 | Jul 6 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 21 – Jun 2 | Jun 20 |
| Beet | — | Apr 14 – May 26 | Jun 3 |
| Potato | — | Apr 21 – May 12 | Jun 30 |
| Kale | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | Apr 14 – Apr 28 | May 27 |
| Broccoli | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | Apr 14 – May 5 | Jun 13 |
| Cucumber | Apr 26 – May 3 | May 24 – Jun 7 | Jul 13 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 26 – May 3 | May 24 – Jun 7 | Jul 8 |
| Winter squash | Apr 26 – May 3 | May 24 – Jun 7 | Aug 12 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 17 – Jun 7 | Jul 16 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 14 – May 5 | Jul 13 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 20 – Oct 18 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 31 – Apr 28 | May 8 |
| Basil | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | May 24 – Jun 7 | Jul 20 |
El Valle de Arroyo Seco'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 |
|---|---|
| 1954 | May 4 |
| 1955 | May 11 |
| 1957 | May 16 |
| 1958 | Apr 28 |
| 1959 | May 9 |
| 1960 | May 25 |
| 1961 | May 6 |
| 1962 | May 17 |
| 1963 | May 13 |
| 1964 | May 10 |
| 1965 | May 11 |
| 1966 | May 13 |
| 1967 | May 15 |
| 1968 | May 16 |
| 1969 | May 8 |
| 1970 | May 9 |
| 1972 | May 28 |
| 1973 | May 3 |
| 1974 | May 22 |
| 1975 | May 24 |
| 1976 | May 23 |
| 1977 | Apr 15 |
| 1978 | May 18 |
| 1979 | May 13 |
| 1980 | Apr 27 |
| 1981 | May 23 |
| 1982 | May 8 |
| 1985 | May 15 |
| 1986 | May 12 |
| 1987 | Apr 27 |
| 1988 | May 9 |
| 1989 | May 1 |
| 1990 | May 19 |
| 1991 | May 8 |
| 1992 | Apr 24 |
| 1996 | May 2 |
| 1997 | May 3 |
| 1998 | May 16 |
| 2003 | May 11 |
| 2004 | May 14 |
| 2005 | May 13 |
| 2006 | Apr 30 |
| 2007 | Jun 8 |
| 2009 | Apr 30 |
| 2010 | May 12 |
| 2011 | May 4 |
| 2012 | May 28 |
| 2013 | May 4 |
| 2014 | May 16 |
| 2015 | May 11 |
| 2016 | May 12 |
| 2017 | May 21 |
| 2018 | May 5 |
| 2019 | May 24 |
| 2020 | May 22 |
| 2021 | May 24 |
| 2022 | May 13 |
| 2023 | May 9 |
| 2024 | May 7 |
| 2025 | May 28 |
| 2026 | May 8 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1954 | 163 |
| 1955 | 141 |
| 1957 | 144 |
| 1958 | 170 |
| 1959 | 136 |
| 1960 | 133 |
| 1961 | 147 |
| 1962 | 115 |
| 1963 | 145 |
| 1964 | 145 |
| 1965 | 132 |
| 1966 | 152 |
| 1967 | 149 |
| 1968 | 123 |
| 1969 | 151 |
| 1970 | 141 |
| 1972 | 148 |
| 1973 | 161 |
| 1974 | 129 |
| 1975 | 127 |
| 1976 | 124 |
| 1977 | 176 |
| 1978 | 139 |
| 1979 | 145 |
| 1985 | 131 |
| 1986 | 141 |
| 1987 | 162 |
| 1988 | 163 |
| 1989 | 169 |
| 1990 | 142 |
| 1991 | 148 |
| 1992 | 155 |
| 2004 | 153 |
| 2005 | 151 |
| 2006 | 141 |
| 2009 | 154 |
| 2010 | 151 |
| 2012 | 132 |
| 2013 | 147 |
| 2014 | 140 |
| 2015 | 155 |
| 2016 | 145 |
| 2017 | 138 |
| 2018 | 145 |
| 2019 | 121 |
| 2020 | 129 |
| 2022 | 152 |
| 2023 | 154 |
| 2024 | 168 |
| 2025 | 143 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1954 | 18.1 °C |
| 1955 | 16.9 °C |
| 1957 | 16.2 °C |
| 1958 | 17.3 °C |
| 1959 | 17.5 °C |
| 1960 | 17.6 °C |
| 1961 | 17.7 °C |
| 1962 | 17.5 °C |
| 1963 | 18.1 °C |
| 1964 | 17.6 °C |
| 1965 | 17.2 °C |
| 1966 | 17.5 °C |
| 1967 | 17.8 °C |
| 1968 | 16.7 °C |
| 1969 | 18.2 °C |
| 1970 | 17.5 °C |
| 1972 | 17.3 °C |
| 1973 | 16.8 °C |
| 1974 | 17.5 °C |
| 1975 | 16.5 °C |
| 1976 | 17.3 °C |
| 1977 | 18.6 °C |
| 1978 | 17.8 °C |
| 1979 | 17.4 °C |
| 1985 | 18.2 °C |
| 1986 | 17.4 °C |
| 1987 | 17.8 °C |
| 1988 | 18.1 °C |
| 1989 | 19.2 °C |
| 1990 | 17.8 °C |
| 1991 | 17.4 °C |
| 1992 | 16.8 °C |
| 1998 | 17.8 °C |
| 2003 | 17.8 °C |
| 2004 | 16.9 °C |
| 2005 | 17.5 °C |
| 2006 | 17.6 °C |
| 2007 | 18.0 °C |
| 2009 | 16.9 °C |
| 2010 | 17.3 °C |
| 2011 | 17.6 °C |
| 2012 | 18.6 °C |
| 2013 | 17.8 °C |
| 2014 | 17.4 °C |
| 2015 | 17.3 °C |
| 2016 | 17.2 °C |
| 2017 | 17.7 °C |
| 2018 | 18.6 °C |
| 2019 | 17.3 °C |
| 2020 | 18.0 °C |
| 2022 | 18.8 °C |
| 2023 | 17.8 °C |
| 2024 | 18.1 °C |
| 2025 | 17.6 °C |
| 2026 | 19.6 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1954, El Valle de Arroyo Seco's last spring frost has stayed at about the same time of year. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Alcalde (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.