When to plant lavender in Albuquerque, New Mexico

April 6 – April 20

Transplant outdoors · typical Albuquerque year

Climate basis: NOAA station Albuquerque INTL AP, NM (USW00023050), 3 mi (5 km) from downtown Albuquerque (ZCTA 87102 centroid), elevation 5310 ft, on the 1991–2020 climate normals. Transplant lavender outdoors from approximately the dates above, anchored to the median last spring 32°F freeze (April 6). One year in ten still freezes after April 23.

Last spring freezeApril 61-in-10 after Apr 23
First fall freezeNovember 31-in-10 before Oct 21
Frost-free season208 daysmedian at 32°F
Hard freeze, 28°Mar 17Nov 15kills even hardy greens
USDA zone7b5 to 10°F winter low not frost timing

The Albuquerque year

Transplant outdoorsApr 6 – Apr 20
  • indoors under lights
  • in the garden
  • frost-free season
  • 1-in-10 years still freeze to Apr 23
Lavender in Albuquerque · freeze context from Albuquerque INTL AP, NM, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Transplant outdoors

Apr 6 – Apr 20

Utah State University Extension instructs transplanting after the last spring frost, a point rule encoded per policy as a 14-day span opening at the last-frost date; no reconciliation was needed because this is the entry's only source. Anchored to the median last spring freeze (Apr 6). Utah State University Extension

Start seeds indoors

Not calculated

The cited extension guides do not time an indoor seed-starting window for this crop.

Direct-sow outdoors

Not calculated

Utah State University Extension advises against direct seeding, stating that the germination rate is low and that seeding to transplanting takes between 100 and 200 days.

Fall planting

Not calculated

No source-backed fall planting rule exists for this crop in the registry, so no fall window is calculated.

These windows describe typical years (1991–2020 climate normals), not this year's forecast. Freezes happen outside them — especially in frost pockets, valleys, and urban edges. Watch the forecast before committing tender plants.

This week, not a typical year:
Crop rule sources (1)

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