Chandler, Arizona: planting zone & frost dates
Chandler is in USDA plant hardiness zone 9b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 25 to 30°F (-3.9 to -1.1°C). The typical last spring frost is around Feb 24 and the first fall frost around Nov 29.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 9 | Nov 18 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Feb 24 | Nov 29 |
| Median (50%) | Feb 13 | Dec 5 |
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 TEMPE ASU, AZ (USC00028499), 10.7 mi (17.2 km) from the city center and 39 ft lower than the city center (-12 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 24 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Chandler
All 6 ZIP codes covering Chandler are in zone 9b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Chandler
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Feb 24, first frost Nov 29). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | — | — |
| Pepper | Dec 16 – Dec 30 | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Jan 13 – Jan 27 | Feb 10 – Mar 3 | Jan 27 – Mar 10 | Sep 20 – Oct 18 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 3 – Apr 7 | Sep 6 – Sep 20 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 3 – Mar 31 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 27 – Feb 3 | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | Mar 3 – Mar 24 | Sep 6 – Sep 20 |
| Cucumber | Jan 27 – Feb 3 | Mar 10 – Mar 17 | Mar 3 – Mar 24 | Sep 6 – Sep 20 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Feb 3 – Mar 10 | Sep 6 – Sep 20 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 2 – Dec 16 | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 27 – Feb 17 | — | — |
| Basil | Jan 13 – Jan 27 | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | Mar 10 – Mar 31 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 13 – Feb 10 | Oct 4 – Nov 1 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | Jan 27 – Feb 17 | Jan 27 – Feb 17 | Sep 20 – Oct 18 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | Feb 10 – Mar 3 | — | Sep 6 – Sep 20 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 13 – Feb 3 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
| Eggplant | Dec 16 – Dec 30 | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | — | Sep 6 – Sep 20 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 20 – Mar 10 | Oct 18 – Nov 15 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 27 – Feb 17 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Feb 3 – Mar 17 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
Nearby cities in Arizona
- Gilbert — zone 9b, last frost Feb 12, first frost Dec 3
- Tempe — zone 9b, last frost Feb 24, first frost Nov 29
- Mesa — zone 9b, last frost Feb 12, first frost Dec 2
- Queen Creek — zone 9b, last frost Feb 12, first frost Dec 3
- Maricopa — zone 9a, last frost Mar 3, first frost Nov 18
- Phoenix — zone 9b, last frost Jan 23, first frost Dec 15
More: all Arizona cities · other zone 9b cities: Houston, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Jacksonville, FL, San Jose, CA, Fresno, CA, Sacramento, CA, Mesa, AZ, Bakersfield, CA
Chandler gardening questions
When is the last frost in Chandler, AZ?
Plan around Feb 24. At NOAA's Tempe ASU, AZ station, 10.7 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 Feb 13, and after Mar 9 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 16. Springs here are erratic: 56 days separate the 90% and 10% dates, versus a median of 36 days for cities on this site, so watch the forecast rather than the calendar.
When should I plant tomatoes in Chandler, AZ?
Start seeds indoors Dec 30 – Jan 13 and set transplants outside Mar 3 – Mar 17, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 278 frost-free days, frost is not the main limit — fruit set drops when nights stay above about 75°F, so early plantings tend to do best. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Chandler?
About 298 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 266 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 331 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 18 and a 30% chance by Nov 29. That ranks 13th longest of 16 Arizona cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Chandler?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 29): transplant broccoli Sep 6 – Sep 20; sow kale Sep 20 – Oct 18; sow lettuce Sep 20 – Oct 18; sow radishes Oct 18 – Nov 15. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 19. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Chandler's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Chandler is zone 9b 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 Chandler compare with Gilbert, AZ?
Both are in zone 9b. The typical last spring frost in Chandler (Feb 24) comes about 12 days later than in Gilbert, AZ (Feb 12), 7 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 29 versus Dec 3. The two cities use different NOAA stations.