Fall in zone 7bPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 87101 (Albuquerque, NM)
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, Albuquerque Intl AP, NM (4 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 650% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 350% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)208 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone7b5 to 10°F avg. coldest night
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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
61°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 58°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Los Lunas PMC (23 mi), Sevilleta (51 mi), Socorro 20 N (53 mi).
4-inch depth
61°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 60°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Los Lunas PMC (23 mi), Sevilleta (51 mi), Socorro 20 N (53 mi).
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 87101 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 61°F at 4 inches (estimated soil temperature, not a station reading). Fall pre-emergent (annual bluegrass, winter weeds): window open as soil cools through the 70s and 60s.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: Mountain West and High Plains. Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Kentucky bluegrass (cool-season): Early fall: Around Labor Day (late August–September); Late fall: Late October–November, before the ground freezes; Late spring: Optional around Memorial Day. Avoid: Early-spring and midsummer feeding (pushes top growth, favors crabgrass).
Plant now
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 3: skip heavy pruning in the 6–8 weeks before it, because new growth may not harden off in time.
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) | Mar 17 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 6 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Apr 23 |
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) | Oct 21 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 3 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 16 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Apr 19 | Oct 25 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 6 | Nov 3 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Mar 17 | Nov 15 |
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 87101
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 6) and first fall frost (Nov 3). 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 | Feb 9–23 | Apr 13–27 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Jan 26–Feb 9 | Apr 20–May 4 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Jan 26–Feb 9 | Apr 20–May 4 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Feb 9–23 | Apr 13–27 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 9–23 | Mar 16–Apr 6 (transplant) Mar 9–Apr 20 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–29 (transplant) Aug 25–Sep 22 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Feb 23–Mar 16 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–29 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 9–23 | Mar 9–23 (transplant) Mar 9–23 (sow outdoors) | Aug 11–Sep 8 (transplant) Jul 28–Aug 25 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 9–23 | Mar 9–Apr 6 (transplant) Mar 9–Apr 6 (sow outdoors) | Aug 11–Sep 8 (transplant) Jul 28–Aug 25 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Jan 26–Feb 9 | Mar 9–23 (transplant) | Jul 28–Aug 25 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Jan 26–Feb 9 | Mar 9–23 (transplant) | Jul 28–Aug 25 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Jan 26–Feb 9 | Mar 23–Apr 6 (transplant) | Jul 28–Aug 25 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 12–26 | Mar 9–23 (transplant) | Jul 14–Aug 4 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 9–23 | Mar 9–23 (transplant) Mar 9–23 (sow outdoors) | Aug 25–Sep 8 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 9–23 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 9–Apr 6 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 9–30 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Feb 23–Mar 9 | Mar 23–Apr 13 (transplant) Mar 23–Apr 20 (sow outdoors) | Aug 25–Sep 8 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 9–Apr 6 (sow outdoors) | Aug 25–Sep 8 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 16–Apr 13 (sow outdoors) | Aug 11–25 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 2–Apr 13 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 9–30 (sow outdoors) | Aug 25–Sep 8 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 16–Apr 6 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 9–Mar 9 (sow outdoors) | Aug 11–25 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 12–26 | Feb 23–Mar 9 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Feb 23–Mar 23 (sow outdoors) | Aug 25–Sep 8 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 12–26 | Mar 9–23 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 22–Oct 20 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Feb 23–Mar 9 (transplant) | Sep 22–Oct 20 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 9–23 (transplant) | Jul 14–28 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Apr 27–May 11 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Apr 20–May 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Apr 27–May 18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 9–16 | Apr 13–27 (transplant) Apr 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 9–16 | Apr 13–27 (transplant) Apr 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Mar 9–16 | Apr 13–27 (transplant) Apr 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 9–16 | Apr 20–May 4 (transplant) Apr 20–May 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 9–16 | Apr 20–May 4 (transplant) Apr 20–May 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Feb 23–Mar 9 | Apr 20–May 4 (transplant) Apr 20–May 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 12–26 | Apr 13–20 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Feb 23–Mar 9 | Apr 13–27 (transplant) Apr 13–27 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Mar 23–Apr 20 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Jan 26–Feb 9 | Mar 23–Apr 6 (transplant) Mar 16–Apr 6 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 6–20 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 6–20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 9–23 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 9–23 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 9–23 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 22 (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: Albuquerque Intl AP, NM (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USW00023050), elevation 5,310 ft, 4.1 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: S (standard, 24+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Grande Nature Ctr, NM | 3 mi | Apr 23 | Oct 20 |
| Petroglyph Natl Mon, NM | 5 mi | Apr 15 | Oct 27 |
| Albuquerque Valley, NM | 6 mi | Apr 18 | Oct 24 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 17 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 87101
When is the last frost in 87101?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 87101 is April 6. For a more cautious planting date, use April 23, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 87101?
The average first fall freeze is November 3. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 21.
What hardiness zone is 87101?
ZIP 87101 is in USDA zone 7b (5 to 10°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 87101 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
87102 Albuquerque 87104 Albuquerque 87107 Albuquerque 87110 Albuquerque 87108 Albuquerque 87109 Albuquerque 87116 Kirtland AFB 87106 Albuquerque
Other ZIP codes in Bernalillo County
87008 87022 87059 87068 87102 87104 87105 87106 87107 87108 87109 87110 87111 87112 87113 87114 87116 87117 87120 87121 87122 87123 87151 All Bernalillo County frost dates · New Mexico frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- 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.