Fall in zone 7aPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 88346 (Ruidoso Downs, 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, Ruidoso, NM (7 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMay 1150% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 550% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)147 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone7a0 to 5°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 88346 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 mid-April to mid-May.
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
No vegetable planting windows are open this week.
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) | Apr 30 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | May 11 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 22 |
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) | Sep 24 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 5 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Oct 20 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | May 23 | Sep 26 |
| 32°F (freeze) | May 11 | Oct 5 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 30 | Oct 17 |
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 88346
Dates count from your average last spring frost (May 11) and first fall frost (Oct 5). 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 | Mar 16–30 | May 18–Jun 1 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Mar 2–16 | May 25–Jun 8 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Mar 2–16 | May 25–Jun 8 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Mar 16–30 | May 18–Jun 1 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Mar 16–30 | Apr 20–May 11 (transplant) Apr 13–May 25 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–31 (transplant) Jul 27–Aug 24 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 30–Apr 20 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–31 (sowing) |
| Kale | Mar 16–30 | Apr 13–27 (transplant) Apr 13–27 (sow outdoors) | Jul 13–Aug 10 (transplant) Jun 29–Jul 27 (sowing) |
| Collards | Mar 16–30 | Apr 13–May 11 (transplant) Apr 13–May 11 (sow outdoors) | Jul 13–Aug 10 (transplant) Jun 29–Jul 27 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Mar 2–16 | Apr 13–27 (transplant) | Jun 29–Jul 27 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Mar 2–16 | Apr 13–27 (transplant) | Jun 29–Jul 27 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Mar 2–16 | Apr 27–May 11 (transplant) | Jun 29–Jul 27 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Feb 16–Mar 2 | Apr 13–27 (transplant) | Jun 15–Jul 6 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Mar 16–30 | Apr 13–27 (transplant) Apr 13–27 (sow outdoors) | Jul 27–Aug 10 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Apr 13–27 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–24 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Apr 13–May 11 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–Sep 7 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Apr 13–May 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–24 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 30–Apr 13 | Apr 27–May 18 (transplant) Apr 27–May 25 (sow outdoors) | Jul 27–Aug 10 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Apr 13–May 11 (sow outdoors) | Jul 27–Aug 10 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Apr 20–May 18 (sow outdoors) | Jul 13–27 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Apr 6–May 18 (sow outdoors) | Aug 24–Sep 7 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Apr 13–May 4 (sow outdoors) | Jul 27–Aug 10 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Apr 20–May 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Mar 16–Apr 13 (sow outdoors) | Jul 13–27 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Feb 16–Mar 2 | Mar 30–Apr 13 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 30–Apr 27 (sow outdoors) | Jul 27–Aug 10 (sowing) |
| Leek | Feb 16–Mar 2 | Apr 13–27 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 24–Sep 21 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 30–Apr 13 (transplant) | Aug 24–Sep 21 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Apr 13–27 (transplant) | Jun 15–29 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Jun 1–15 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 18–Jun 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | May 18–Jun 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | May 18–Jun 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | May 25–Jun 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Jun 1–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Apr 13–20 | May 18–Jun 1 (transplant) May 18–Jun 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Apr 13–20 | May 18–Jun 1 (transplant) May 18–Jun 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Apr 13–20 | May 18–Jun 1 (transplant) May 18–Jun 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | May 18–Jun 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Apr 13–20 | May 25–Jun 8 (transplant) May 25–Jun 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Apr 13–20 | May 25–Jun 8 (transplant) May 25–Jun 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 30–Apr 13 | May 25–Jun 8 (transplant) May 25–Jun 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Feb 16–Mar 2 | May 18–25 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 30–Apr 13 | May 18–Jun 1 (transplant) May 18–Jun 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 27–May 25 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–24 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Mar 2–16 | Apr 27–May 11 (transplant) Apr 20–May 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | May 11–25 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–24 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | May 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Apr 13–27 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Apr 13–27 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Apr 13–27 (transplant) | Jul 27–Aug 24 (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: Ruidoso, NM (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00297649), elevation 6,930 ft, 7.1 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capitan, NM | 13 mi | May 3 | Oct 12 |
| Picacho, NM | 23 mi | Apr 19 | Oct 25 |
| Carrizozo 1SW, NM | 28 mi | Apr 27 | Oct 20 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 23 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 88346
When is the last frost in 88346?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 88346 is May 11. For a more cautious planting date, use May 22, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 88346?
The average first fall freeze is October 5. In 1 year in 10 it comes by September 24.
What hardiness zone is 88346?
ZIP 88346 is in USDA zone 7a (0 to 5°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 88346 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
88324 88355 Ruidoso 88345 Ruidoso 88312 88348 88323 88340 Mescalero 88336
Other ZIP codes in Lincoln County
88301 88312 88316 88318 88323 88324 88336 88338 88341 88343 88345 88348 88351 88355 All Lincoln County frost dates · New Mexico 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.