Las Vegas, Nevada: planting zone & frost dates
Las Vegas is in USDA plant hardiness zone 9a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 20 to 25°F (-6.7 to -3.9°C). The typical last spring frost is around Feb 4 and the first fall frost around Dec 4.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 19 | Nov 24 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Feb 4 | Dec 4 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 24 | Dec 10 |
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 LAS VEGAS AIR TERMINAL, NV (USW00053123), 4.1 mi (6.6 km) from the city center and 148 ft lower than the city center (-45 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 19 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Las Vegas
Las Vegas spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 21 ZIP codes): 9a (48%), 8b (28%), 9b (25%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Las Vegas
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Feb 4, first frost Dec 4). 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 10 – Dec 24 | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | — | — |
| Pepper | Nov 26 – Dec 10 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 24 – Jan 7 | Jan 21 – Feb 11 | Jan 7 – Feb 18 | Sep 25 – Oct 23 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 11 – Mar 18 | Sep 11 – Sep 25 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 11 – Mar 11 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 7 – Jan 14 | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Sep 11 – Sep 25 |
| Cucumber | Jan 7 – Jan 14 | Feb 18 – Feb 25 | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Sep 11 – Sep 25 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 14 – Feb 18 | Sep 11 – Sep 25 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 12 – Nov 26 | Jan 7 – Jan 21 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 7 – Jan 28 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 24 – Jan 7 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Feb 18 – Mar 11 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 24 – Jan 21 | Oct 9 – Nov 6 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 10 – Dec 24 | Jan 7 – Jan 28 | Jan 7 – Jan 28 | Sep 25 – Oct 23 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 10 – Dec 24 | Jan 21 – Feb 11 | — | Sep 11 – Sep 25 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 24 – Jan 14 | Sep 25 – Oct 9 |
| Eggplant | Nov 26 – Dec 10 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 10 – Dec 24 | Jan 7 – Jan 21 | — | Sep 11 – Sep 25 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 31 – Feb 18 | Oct 23 – Nov 20 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 7 – Jan 28 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 14 – Feb 25 | Sep 25 – Oct 9 |
Nearby cities in Nevada
- North Las Vegas — zone 9b, last frost Feb 11, first frost Dec 1
- Henderson — zone 9b, last frost Feb 14, first frost Nov 28
- Sparks — zone 7a, last frost May 8, first frost Oct 5
- Reno — zone 7b, last frost May 6, first frost Oct 21
More: all Nevada cities · other zone 9a cities: San Antonio, TX, Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Portland, OR, Tucson, AZ, Baton Rouge, LA, Tallahassee, FL, Mobile, AL
Las Vegas gardening questions
When is the last frost in Las Vegas, NV?
Plan around Feb 4. At NOAA's Las Vegas Air Terminal, NV station, 4.1 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 Jan 24, and after Feb 19 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 2. Springs here are erratic: 54 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 Las Vegas, NV?
Start seeds indoors Dec 10 – Dec 24 and set transplants outside Feb 11 – Feb 25, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 303 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 Las Vegas?
About 323 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 289 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 351 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 24 and a 30% chance by Dec 4. That is the longest of the 5 Nevada cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Las Vegas?
Count back from the first fall frost (Dec 4): transplant broccoli Sep 11 – Sep 25; sow kale Sep 25 – Oct 23; sow lettuce Sep 25 – Oct 23; sow radishes Oct 23 – Nov 20. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 25. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Las Vegas's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Las Vegas is zone 9a 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.
Is all of Las Vegas in zone 9a?
No. Zone 9a covers about 48% of the city's land; the rest is in 8b (28%), 9b (25%), measured across the city's 21 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.