Fall in zone 9bPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 85374 (Surprise, AZ)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Youngtown, AZ (6 miles away).
- Average last spring frostJan 2050% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostDec 1550% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)331 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone9b25 to 30°F avg. coldest night
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Frost and freeze alerts from the NWS forecast for 85374, the spring soil-temperature heads-up for pre-emergent, and a short weekly yard-timing email.
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
4-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 85374 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
No soil reading near this ZIP. Typical extension timing for your region: spring late January to February; fall September to October.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: Arid Southwest (low desert). Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Bermudagrass (warm-season): Spring: Several weeks after the lawn is fully green (April–May) (about Mar 7 here, using green-up about 3–4 weeks after your average last frost); Summer: Every 4–6 weeks through mid-August (heaviest feeder of the group); Late: Light, low-nitrogen/high-potassium feeding about 4 weeks before first frost, or skip. Avoid: Heavy late-fall nitrogen (linked to spring dead spot).
- Perennial ryegrass (cool-season): Early fall: September; Late fall: October–November; Overseeded Bermuda: Light feeding once the winter rye is established, if needed. Avoid: Summer feeding.
Plant now
- Lettuce: fall sowing Oct 6–Nov 3
- Kale: fall transplant Sep 22–Oct 20
- Collards: fall transplant Sep 22–Oct 20
- Kohlrabi: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Swiss chard: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Beet: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Turnip: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Green onion / scallion: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Strawberry (plants): fall transplant Oct 6–Nov 3
Coming up in the next 3 weeks
- Lettuce: fall transplant Oct 20–Nov 10
- Spinach: fall sowing Oct 20–Nov 10
- Brussels sprouts: start seeds indoors Oct 28–Nov 11
- Bok choy / Asian greens: fall sowing Oct 20–Nov 3
- Arugula: fall sowing Oct 20–Nov 17
- Mustard greens: fall sowing Oct 20–Nov 3
- Radish: fall sowing Nov 3–17
- Onion (bulbing): start seeds indoors Oct 28–Nov 11
- Leek: start seeds indoors Oct 28–Nov 11
- Garlic: fall sowing Nov 3–Dec 1
- Shallot: fall sowing Nov 3–Dec 1
- Celery: start seeds indoors Oct 28–Nov 11
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Dec 23 (prior Dec) |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Jan 20 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Feb 18 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Nov 28 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Dec 15 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Jan 7 (next year) |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Feb 14 | Dec 2 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Jan 20 | Dec 15 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Jan 3 | Dec 29 |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 85374
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Jan 20) and first fall frost (Dec 15). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Nov 25–Dec 9 | Jan 27–Feb 10 (transplant) | Aug 18–Sep 15 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Nov 11–25 | Feb 3–17 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 15 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Nov 11–25 | Feb 3–17 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 15 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Nov 25–Dec 9 | Jan 27–Feb 10 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Nov 25–Dec 9 | Dec 30–Jan 20 (transplant) Dec 23–Feb 3 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 10 (transplant) Oct 6–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Dec 9–30 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 10 (sowing) |
| Kale | Nov 25–Dec 9 | Dec 23–Jan 6 (transplant) Dec 23–Jan 6 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 20 (transplant) Sep 8–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Collards | Nov 25–Dec 9 | Dec 23–Jan 20 (transplant) Dec 23–Jan 20 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 20 (transplant) Sep 8–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Nov 11–25 | Dec 23–Jan 6 (transplant) | Sep 8–Oct 6 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Nov 11–25 | Dec 23–Jan 6 (transplant) | Sep 8–Oct 6 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Nov 11–25 | Jan 6–20 (transplant) | Sep 8–Oct 6 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Oct 28–Nov 11 | Dec 23–Jan 6 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 15 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Nov 25–Dec 9 | Dec 23–Jan 6 (transplant) Dec 23–Jan 6 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Dec 23–Jan 6 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Dec 23–Jan 20 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 17 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Dec 23–Jan 13 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Dec 9–23 | Jan 6–27 (transplant) Jan 6–Feb 3 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Dec 23–Jan 20 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Dec 30–Jan 27 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Dec 16–Jan 27 (sow outdoors) | Nov 3–17 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Dec 23–Jan 13 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Dec 30–Jan 20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Nov 25–Dec 23 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Oct 28–Nov 11 | Dec 9–23 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Dec 9–Jan 6 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Leek | Oct 28–Nov 11 | Dec 23–Jan 6 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 3–Dec 1 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Dec 9–23 (transplant) | Nov 3–Dec 1 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Dec 23–Jan 6 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 8 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Feb 10–24 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jan 27–Feb 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Jan 27–Feb 10 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Jan 27–Feb 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Feb 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Feb 10–Mar 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Dec 23–30 | Jan 27–Feb 10 (transplant) Jan 27–Feb 10 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Dec 23–30 | Jan 27–Feb 10 (transplant) Jan 27–Feb 10 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Dec 23–30 | Jan 27–Feb 10 (transplant) Jan 27–Feb 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Jan 27–Feb 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Dec 23–30 | Feb 3–17 (transplant) Feb 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Dec 23–30 | Feb 3–17 (transplant) Feb 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Dec 9–23 | Feb 3–17 (transplant) Feb 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Oct 28–Nov 11 | Jan 27–Feb 3 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Dec 9–23 | Jan 27–Feb 10 (transplant) Jan 27–Feb 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Jan 6–Feb 3 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Nov 11–25 | Jan 6–20 (transplant) Dec 30–Jan 20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Jan 20–Feb 3 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Jan 20–Feb 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Dec 23–Jan 6 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Dec 23–Jan 6 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Dec 23–Jan 6 (transplant) | Oct 6–Nov 3 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Youngtown, AZ (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00029634), elevation 1,135 ft, 6.4 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: S (standard, 24+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Litchfield Park, AZ | 10 mi | Jan 7 | Dec 24 |
| Wittmann 1SE, AZ | 12 mi | Feb 5 | Dec 11 |
| Phoenix Deer Valley Muni AP, AZ | 18 mi | Jan 8 | Dec 25 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 29 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 85374
When is the last frost in 85374?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 85374 is January 20. For a more cautious planting date, use February 18, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 85374?
The average first fall freeze is December 15. In 1 year in 10 it comes by November 28.
What hardiness zone is 85374?
ZIP 85374 is in USDA zone 9b (25 to 30°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 85374 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
85375 Sun City West 85379 Surprise 85388 Surprise 85378 Surprise 85387 Surprise 85335 El Mirage 85373 Sun City 85355 Citrus Park
Other ZIP codes in Maricopa County
85003 85004 85006 85007 85008 85009 85012 85013 85014 85015 85016 85017 85018 85019 85020 85021 85022 85023 85024 85026 85027 85028 85029 85031 All Maricopa County frost dates · Arizona frost dates
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- Freeze alerts
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Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.