When to Plant Vegetable Seeds in Arizona

Start seedlings indoors during Arizona winters.

Temperatures in Arizona and the desert Southwest are warmer and drier than most of the country, so vegetable gardening must follow a specialized planting schedule. Fortunately, the warm weather allows for two extended growing seasons.

Time Frame

The spring gardening season begins in mid-February. Plant asparagus, strawberries,

radishes, cabbage, lettuce and potatoes at the beginning of the season, and plant tomatoes, melons, beans, squash and peppers as temperatures increase in March and April. The fall season begins in September. Plant broccoli, cauliflower, celery, peas, leaf lettuce and garlic through November.

Process

Start spring vegetable seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the date you plan to transplant outdoors. For example, begin tomatoes near a sunny window in December, so you can transplant in March. This will give you a jump on the season and potentially allow for multiple harvests. Fall vegetable seeds can be planted directly in the garden, but plant deep since temperatures are warmer and moisture evaporates quickly from the first few inches of soil.

Considerations

Start seedlings in peat pellets or biodegradable seedling trays. Since these can be planted directly in the garden, young plants will not experience "transplant shock" that is common when seedlings are removed from a plastic pot and planted in a garden.

References

• Gardening in Arizona: Phoenix Gardening Calendar
• University of Arizona Cooperative Extension: Vegetable Garden - Seed for the Garden