Queen Creek, Arizona: planting zone & frost dates
Queen Creek 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 12 and the first fall frost around Dec 3.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 27 | Nov 23 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Feb 12 | Dec 3 |
| Median (50%) | Feb 1 | Dec 11 |
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 CHANDLER HEIGHTS, AZ (USC00021514), 4.6 mi (7.4 km) from the city center and 3 ft higher than the city center (+1 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 14 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Queen Creek
All 3 ZIP codes covering Queen Creek are in zone 9b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Queen Creek
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Feb 12, first frost Dec 3). 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 18 – Jan 1 | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | — | — |
| Pepper | Dec 4 – Dec 18 | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Jan 1 – Jan 15 | Jan 29 – Feb 19 | Jan 15 – Feb 26 | Sep 24 – Oct 22 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 19 – Mar 26 | Sep 10 – Sep 24 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 19 – Mar 19 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 15 – Jan 22 | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | Sep 10 – Sep 24 |
| Cucumber | Jan 15 – Jan 22 | Feb 26 – Mar 5 | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | Sep 10 – Sep 24 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 22 – Feb 26 | Sep 10 – Sep 24 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Jan 15 – Jan 29 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | — | — |
| Basil | Jan 1 – Jan 15 | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Feb 26 – Mar 19 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 1 – Jan 29 | Oct 8 – Nov 5 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | Sep 24 – Oct 22 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Jan 29 – Feb 19 | — | Sep 10 – Sep 24 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 1 – Jan 22 | Sep 24 – Oct 8 |
| Eggplant | Dec 4 – Dec 18 | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Jan 15 – Jan 29 | — | Sep 10 – Sep 24 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 8 – Feb 26 | Oct 22 – Nov 19 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 22 – Mar 5 | Sep 24 – Oct 8 |
Nearby cities in Arizona
- Gilbert — zone 9b, last frost Feb 12, first frost Dec 3
- Mesa — zone 9b, last frost Feb 12, first frost Dec 2
- Chandler — zone 9b, last frost Feb 24, first frost Nov 29
- Tempe — zone 9b, last frost Feb 24, first frost Nov 29
- Maricopa — zone 9a, last frost Mar 3, first frost Nov 18
- Scottsdale — zone 10a, last frost Feb 13, first frost Dec 11
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
Queen Creek gardening questions
When is the last frost in Queen Creek, AZ?
Plan around Feb 12. At NOAA's Chandler Heights, AZ station, 4.6 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 1, and after Feb 27 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 8. 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 Queen Creek, AZ?
Start seeds indoors Dec 18 – Jan 1 and set transplants outside Feb 19 – Mar 5, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 294 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 Queen Creek?
About 315 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 281 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 347 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 23 and a 30% chance by Dec 3. That ranks 8th longest of 16 Arizona cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Queen Creek?
Count back from the first fall frost (Dec 3): transplant broccoli Sep 10 – Sep 24; sow kale Sep 24 – Oct 22; sow lettuce Sep 24 – Oct 22; sow radishes Oct 22 – Nov 19. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 26. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Queen Creek's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Queen Creek 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 Queen Creek compare with Mesa, AZ?
Both are in zone 9b. The typical last spring frost in Queen Creek (Feb 12) comes about the same time as in Mesa, AZ (Feb 12), 13 miles away, and the first fall frost is Dec 3 versus Dec 2. The two cities use different NOAA stations.