USDA hardiness zone lookup
Albuquerque, NM — USDA Zone 7b
Albuquerque, New Mexico · 193-day growing season
Frost dates and growing season in Albuquerque
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 7b |
|---|---|
| Average last spring frost | April 17 |
| Average first fall frost | October 27 |
| Growing season length | ~193 days |
| Temperature range (F) | 0 to 10°F |
| Temperature range (C) | -18 to -12°C |
All of Albuquerque's mapped ZIP codes fall in the same hardiness band, Zone 7b.
These are 50%-probability averages modeled from Albuquerque's USDA hardiness zone and regional climate normals — not a single-station reading. In a typical year the last spring frost will have passed by April 17, but a colder-than-average year can run 1-2 weeks later. Plant tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) once both soil and night temperatures are consistently warm — a thermometer beats the calendar.
Growing season in Albuquerque
Albuquerque, New Mexico sits in USDA Zone 7b, with roughly 193 frost-free days between an average last spring frost around April 17 and a first fall frost around October 27. That is a long season — succession-sow through summer and run a full fall crop; heat-sensitive greens still need spring/autumn timing. Albuquerque lies near 35.1°N; higher-latitude gardens get longer midsummer days but a tighter shoulder season at this zone. As a large metro, the built-up core typically runs up to half a zone warmer than outlying suburbs through the urban heat-island effect — sheltered city gardens often push tender crops a little earlier than the average suggests.
What grows in Albuquerque
Albuquerque falls in USDA Zone 7b, so the same hardiness constraints apply as the full Zone 7 guide. Vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees rated to Zone 7b (or hardier) will overwinter here in a typical year.
- Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant
- Okra
- Sweet potatoes
- Squash, melons
- Beans (lima + pole)
- Figs
- Pomegranates (in protected spots)
- Apples, peaches, plums, pears
- Blueberries (rabbiteye + highbush)
- Asparagus, rhubarb
What to plant in Albuquerque this week
Albuquerque is in high summer — most spring plantings are in. Keep an eye on watering and start planning your fall crop. Cool-season seedlings (broccoli, cabbage, lettuce) can be started indoors for a fall transplant.
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 7
- When to plant peppers in zone 7
- When to plant bush beans in zone 7
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 7
- When to plant basil in zone 7
Full planting calendar for Albuquerque
Crop-by-crop sowing, transplant, and harvest dates calibrated to zone 7 averages:
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 7
- When to plant peppers in zone 7
- When to plant basil in zone 7
- When to plant garlic in zone 7
- When to plant lettuce in zone 7
- When to plant bush beans in zone 7
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 7
- When to plant summer squash in zone 7
- When to plant peas in zone 7
- When to plant carrots in zone 7
ZIP codes in Albuquerque
Drill down to the precise frost window and planting calendar for a specific ZIP in Albuquerque:
- 87102 — Albuquerque (Zone 7b)
- 87108 — Albuquerque (Southeast) (Zone 7b)
- 87110 — Albuquerque (Northeast) (Zone 7b)
- 87114 — Albuquerque (Northwest) (Zone 7a)
Local microclimate notes
Zone tables give you the average — but Albuquerquegardens vary. South-facing walls and paved areas can run a full half-zone warmer than the published rating. Low-lying spots, frost pockets, and shaded north sides can run colder. If you've gardened here a few seasons, your own frost record — the last time you actually got frost damage — beats any national average.
Source and methodology
Hardiness zone from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 revision). Frost-date and growing-season figures are modeled from Albuquerque's USDA hardiness zone and regional NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals — zone-level estimates, not a per-station record, so treat them as planning guidance and confirm against your own local frost history. Crop recommendations draw on US Cooperative Extension references, curated by the Growli editorial team. Last reviewed June 2026.
Other cities in New Mexico
- Alamogordo, NM — USDA Zone 8a
- Clovis, NM — USDA Zone 7a
- Farmington, NM — USDA Zone 6b
- Hobbs, NM — USDA Zone 7b
- Las Cruces, NM — USDA Zone 8a
- Rio Rancho, NM — USDA Zone 7a
- Roswell, NM — USDA Zone 7b
- Santa Fe, NM — USDA Zone 6b
- All of New Mexico by zone