Fall in zone 9bPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 85263 (Rio Verde, 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, Punkin Ctr, AZ (15 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMar 750% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 2050% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)255 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone9b25 to 30°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
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 85263 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 Apr 22 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
- Arugula: fall sowing Sep 25–Oct 23
- Radish: fall sowing Oct 9–23
- Garlic: fall sowing Oct 9–Nov 6
- Shallot: fall sowing Oct 9–Nov 6
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 20: 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) | Feb 13 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Mar 7 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Mar 27 |
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 3 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 20 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Dec 3 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Mar 27 | Nov 10 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 7 | Nov 20 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Feb 15 | Dec 1 |
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 85263
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Mar 7) and first fall frost (Nov 20). 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 | Jan 10–24 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | Jul 24–Aug 21 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Dec 27–Jan 10 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | Jul 31–Aug 21 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Dec 27–Jan 10 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | Jul 31–Aug 21 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Jan 10–24 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Jan 10–24 | Feb 14–Mar 7 (transplant) Feb 7–Mar 21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 25–Oct 16 (transplant) Sep 11–Oct 9 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Jan 24–Feb 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 25–Oct 16 (sowing) |
| Kale | Jan 10–24 | Feb 7–21 (transplant) Feb 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Aug 28–Sep 25 (transplant) Aug 14–Sep 11 (sowing) |
| Collards | Jan 10–24 | Feb 7–Mar 7 (transplant) Feb 7–Mar 7 (sow outdoors) | Aug 28–Sep 25 (transplant) Aug 14–Sep 11 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Dec 27–Jan 10 | Feb 7–21 (transplant) | Aug 14–Sep 11 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Dec 27–Jan 10 | Feb 7–21 (transplant) | Aug 14–Sep 11 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Dec 27–Jan 10 | Feb 21–Mar 7 (transplant) | Aug 14–Sep 11 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Dec 13–27 | Feb 7–21 (transplant) | Jul 31–Aug 21 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Jan 10–24 | Feb 7–21 (transplant) Feb 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 11–25 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Feb 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 25–Oct 9 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Feb 7–Mar 7 (sow outdoors) | Sep 25–Oct 23 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Feb 7–28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 25–Oct 9 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Feb 21–Mar 14 (transplant) Feb 21–Mar 21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 11–25 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Feb 7–Mar 7 (sow outdoors) | Sep 11–25 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Feb 14–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | Aug 28–Sep 11 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Jan 31–Mar 14 (sow outdoors) | Oct 9–23 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Feb 7–28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 11–25 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Feb 14–Mar 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Jan 10–Feb 7 (sow outdoors) | Aug 28–Sep 11 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Dec 13–27 | Jan 24–Feb 7 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Jan 24–Feb 21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 11–25 (sowing) |
| Leek | Dec 13–27 | Feb 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 9–Nov 6 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Jan 24–Feb 7 (transplant) | Oct 9–Nov 6 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Feb 7–21 (transplant) | Jul 31–Aug 14 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | Aug 28–Sep 11 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Mar 28–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Feb 7–14 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | Aug 28–Sep 11 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Feb 7–14 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | Aug 28–Sep 11 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Feb 7–14 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Feb 7–14 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Feb 7–14 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Dec 13–27 | Mar 14–21 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) Mar 14–28 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Feb 21–Mar 21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 25–Oct 9 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Dec 27–Jan 10 | Feb 21–Mar 7 (transplant) Feb 14–Mar 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | Sep 25–Oct 9 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Mar 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Feb 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Feb 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Feb 7–21 (transplant) | Sep 11–Oct 9 (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: Punkin Ctr, AZ (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00026840), elevation 2,325 ft, 15.5 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carefree, AZ | 21 mi | Feb 4 | Dec 16 |
| Pinnacle Peak, AZ | 22 mi | Jan 27 | Dec 21 |
| Payson, AZ | 24 mi | Apr 29 | Oct 24 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 95 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 85263
When is the last frost in 85263?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 85263 is March 7. For a more cautious planting date, use March 27, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 85263?
The average first fall freeze is November 20. In 1 year in 10 it comes by November 3.
What hardiness zone is 85263?
ZIP 85263 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 85263 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
85262 Scottsdale 85264 85553 Tonto Basin 85377 Carefree 85331 Cave Creek 85541 Star Valley 85255 Scottsdale 85266 Scottsdale
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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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.