Sandy, Utah: planting zone & frost dates
Sandy is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 5 to 10°F (-15.0 to -12.2°C). The typical last spring frost is around May 8 and the first fall frost around Oct 16.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | May 30 | Oct 6 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | May 8 | Oct 16 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 29 | Oct 22 |
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 COTTONWOOD WEIR, UT (USC00421759), 4.8 mi (7.7 km) from the city center and 200 ft higher than the city center (+61 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 26 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Sandy
Sandy spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 5 ZIP codes): 7b (62%), 6b (38%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Sandy
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost May 8, first frost Oct 16). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | May 15 – May 29 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | May 22 – Jun 5 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Apr 24 – May 15 | Apr 10 – May 22 | Aug 7 – Sep 4 |
| Green Beans | — | — | May 15 – Jun 19 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | May 15 – Jun 12 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Apr 10 – Apr 17 | May 15 – May 29 | May 15 – Jun 5 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Cucumber | Apr 10 – Apr 17 | May 22 – May 29 | May 15 – Jun 5 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Carrot | — | — | Apr 17 – May 22 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Onion | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Apr 10 – May 1 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | May 22 – Jun 5 | May 22 – Jun 12 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 27 – Apr 24 | Aug 21 – Sep 18 |
| Kale | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Apr 10 – May 1 | Apr 10 – May 1 | Aug 7 – Sep 4 |
| Broccoli | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Apr 24 – May 15 | — | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
| Eggplant | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | May 22 – Jun 5 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | — | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Radish | — | — | Apr 3 – May 22 | Sep 4 – Oct 2 |
| Strawberry | — | Apr 10 – May 1 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Apr 17 – May 29 | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
Nearby cities in Utah
- South Jordan — zone 7a, last frost Apr 25, first frost Oct 16
- West Jordan — zone 7b, last frost Apr 25, first frost Oct 16
- Lehi — zone 7a, last frost May 8, first frost Oct 2
- West Valley City — zone 7b, last frost Apr 16, first frost Oct 25
- Salt Lake City — zone 7b, last frost Apr 16, first frost Oct 25
- Orem — zone 7a, last frost Apr 26, first frost Oct 13
More: all Utah cities · other zone 7b cities: New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA, Oklahoma City, OK, Nashville, TN, Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Albuquerque, NM, Tulsa, OK
Sandy gardening questions
When is the last frost in Sandy, UT?
Plan around May 8. At NOAA's Cottonwood Weir, UT station, 4.8 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 29, and after May 30 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Apr 12. Springs here are erratic: 50 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 Sandy, UT?
Start seeds indoors Mar 13 – Mar 27 and set transplants outside May 15 – May 29, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 161 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 Sandy?
About 174 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 143 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 200 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 6 and a 30% chance by Oct 16. That ranks 10th longest of 11 Utah cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Sandy?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 16): transplant broccoli Jul 24 – Aug 7; sow kale Aug 7 – Sep 4; sow lettuce Aug 7 – Sep 4; sow radishes Sep 4 – Oct 2. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 1. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Sandy's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Sandy was zone 7a on the 2012 map and is zone 7b on the 2023 map — half a zone warmer, like about 56% of U.S. ZIP codes. The shift comes from a newer 1991–2020 averaging period plus more weather stations and better mapping; it does not mean last frost comes earlier. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
Is all of Sandy in zone 7b?
No. Zone 7b covers about 62% of the city's land; the rest is in 6b (38%), measured across the city's 5 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.