Amarillo, Texas: planting zone & frost dates
Amarillo is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 0 to 5°F (-17.8 to -15.0°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 20 and the first fall frost around Oct 22.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 29 | Oct 14 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 20 | Oct 22 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 13 | Oct 27 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station AMARILLO, TX (USW00023047), 7.4 mi (11.9 km) from the city center and 75 ft lower than the city center (-23 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 27 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Amarillo
All 14 ZIP codes covering Amarillo are in zone 7a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Amarillo
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 20, first frost Oct 22). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 27 – May 11 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | May 4 – May 18 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | Mar 23 – May 4 | Aug 13 – Sep 10 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 27 – Jun 1 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 27 – May 25 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 23 – Mar 30 | Apr 27 – May 11 | Apr 27 – May 18 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Cucumber | Mar 23 – Mar 30 | May 4 – May 11 | Apr 27 – May 18 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 30 – May 4 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Onion | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | May 4 – May 18 | May 4 – May 25 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 9 – Apr 6 | Aug 27 – Sep 24 |
| Kale | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | Aug 13 – Sep 10 |
| Broccoli | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | — | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Eggplant | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | May 4 – May 18 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | — | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 16 – May 4 | Sep 10 – Oct 8 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 30 – May 11 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
Nearby cities in Texas
- Lubbock — zone 7b, last frost Apr 12, first frost Oct 28
- Midland — zone 8b, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 3
- Odessa — zone 8b, last frost Mar 27, first frost Nov 8
- Abilene — zone 8a, last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 5
- Wichita Falls — zone 8a, last frost Apr 2, first frost Nov 4
- San Angelo — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 4
More: all Texas cities · other zone 7a cities: Louisville, KY, Wichita, KS, Cleveland, OH, Lexington, KY, St. Louis, MO, Boise, ID, Providence, RI, Paterson, NJ
Amarillo gardening questions
When is the last frost in Amarillo, TX?
Plan around Apr 20. At NOAA's Amarillo, TX station, 7.4 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Apr 13, and after Apr 29 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Apr 2. The 90% and 10% dates are 31 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Amarillo, TX?
Start seeds indoors Feb 23 – Mar 9 and set transplants outside Apr 27 – May 11, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 185 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Amarillo?
About 195 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 176 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 217 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 14 and a 30% chance by Oct 22. That is the shortest of the 55 Texas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Amarillo?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 22): transplant broccoli Jul 30 – Aug 13; sow kale Aug 13 – Sep 10; sow lettuce Aug 13 – Sep 10; sow radishes Sep 10 – Oct 8. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 5. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Amarillo's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Amarillo is zone 7a on both the 2012 and the 2023 USDA maps (PRISM/OSU ZIP listings). About 42% of U.S. ZIP codes kept their half-zone in 2023. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Amarillo compare with Lubbock, TX?
Amarillo is zone 7a and Lubbock is zone 7b. The typical last spring frost in Amarillo (Apr 20) comes about 8 days later than in Lubbock, TX (Apr 12), 113 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 22 versus Oct 28. Amarillo sits about 428 ft higher, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.