Desert Basics · Essential Reading · Phoenix / East Valley, AZ
Phoenix's growing calendar is completely different from what you'll find in a national seed catalog. We have two distinct growing seasons — a cool season (fall/winter) and a warm season (spring) — with a brutal summer that shuts almost everything down. Understanding this calendar is the foundation of successful Phoenix gardening.
Plant now: Transplant tomatoes (mid-to-late January — see when to plant tomatoes in Phoenix for exact dates), peppers (late January), broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, chard. Direct sow carrots, beets, radishes, onion sets.
In the garden: Cool-season crops from fall are actively growing. Protect from occasional frost.
Plant now: Tomato and pepper transplants (primary window). Cucumbers, squash, beans (direct sow mid-to-late February). Basil (late February once nights warm). Melon seeds (late February).
In the garden: Leafy greens starting to slow as days lengthen. Harvest broccoli and cauliflower heads before they bolt. Tomato season begins.
Plant now: Cucumbers, squash, beans (still a good window). Melon seeds. Basil and warm-season herbs. Eggplant transplants.
In the garden: Spring garden in full swing. Leafy greens bolting — harvest aggressively or pull. Tomatoes flowering.
Plant now: Very limited — late bean and cucumber plantings are the last viable options. Focus on harvesting, not planting.
In the garden: Peak tomato harvest. Peppers, eggplant, and squash producing heavily. Monitor water closely as heat builds rapidly.
Plant now: Almost nothing — begin transitioning out of spring crops. Heat-tolerant crops like okra, Armenian cucumber, sweet potato slips can go in.
In the garden: Tomato season ending as daytime highs push 95°F+. Pull tomatoes when production stops. Peppers and eggplant continue. Begin prepping for summer rest or heat-tolerant crops.
The most challenging period. Most vegetables won't thrive in triple-digit heat. Options: okra, sweet potatoes, Armenian cucumber, Malabar spinach, long beans, and heat-adapted yard-long beans. Most gardeners rest their beds or grow cover crops through the worst weeks. Use this time to amend soil for fall planting.
Plant now: This is fall planting season! Leafy greens (lettuce, kale, spinach, arugula, chard). Broccoli and cauliflower transplants. Cilantro, parsley, dill. Snap peas and snow peas (early to mid-September).
In the garden: Begin transitioning beds from summer. Amend with compost. Start the fall garden as temperatures moderate.
Plant now: Snap peas, snow peas, shelling peas. Carrots, beets, radishes (direct sow). Lettuce and leafy greens. Broccoli and cauliflower transplants. Herbs.
In the garden: Fall garden in full growth. Temperatures perfect for growing. Most pleasant month to garden in Phoenix.
Plant now: Garlic (plant cloves for May-June harvest). Continued leafy green plantings. Fava beans. Onion sets.
In the garden: Cool-season garden thriving. Monitor for occasional frost — cover plants if temps below 32°F are forecast (rare in East Valley).
Plant now: Light plantings of cold-hardy greens (kale, chard, spinach). Mostly a maintenance month.
In the garden: Harvest broccoli, cauliflower, leafy greens. Root vegetables filling out. Cool and beautiful — enjoy the garden.
Most Phoenix gardening happens in two windows: January–May (spring season) and September–February (fall/winter season). Everything else is either preparation, rest, or heat-tolerant specialty crops. Work with these windows, not against them, and your garden will thrive.