Regional guide

Maricopa County Low-Desert Vegetable Garden

UA az1005 Maricopa County calendar for low-desert heat, spring/fall seasons, S/T/X rows, pest timing, and soil temperatures.

Climate signals

• The source is a verified Peer Reviewed handout, Publication Date: September 2018, Publication Number: az1005.
• Maricopa County is the source scope, and the publication is a detailed garden planting calendar for selected fruits and vegetables in Maricopa County, Arizona.
• High temperatures, both day and night for extended periods, low humidity, and high solar intensity can put tremendous stress on plants.
• Some plants may not survive freezing temperatures if there is a hard winter frost.
• UA says extreme soil temperatures affect seed germination and stand establishment, and to use a soil thermometer to check for optimal soil temperatures in a range of 65 to 85 F for many commonly grown vegetables.
• Maricopa County has two optimal growing and planting seasons: one in the spring and the other in the fall.

Planning notes

• Calendar legend: S = seeds, T = transplants, and X = sets of cloves.
• For pest timing, delay fall planting until whitefly populations decline with cooler temperatures and delay spring planting until soils become warm and dry to reduce fungal and bacterial disease.
• Beans, Snap row is 60-90 days; March 15, April 1, April 15, July 15, Aug. 1, Aug. 15, and Sept. 1 are all marked S.
• Broccoli row is T=90-100 S=120-130 days; Jan. 1 is T/S, Jan. 15 is T, Aug. 15 is S, Sept. 1 is S, Sept. 15 is T/S, and Dec. 15 is T/S.
• Carrots row is 60-100 days; Jan. 1-April 15 and Aug. 1-Dec. 15 are marked S.
• Peppers row is 90-120 days; Feb. 15, March 1, March 15, July 1, and July 15 are marked T.
• Tomatoes row is 50-120 days; Feb. 15, March 1, March 15, July 15, and Aug. 1 are marked T.
• Radishes row is 30-60 days; Jan. 1-April 15 and Sept. 1-Dec. 15 are marked S.
• Onions, Bulb row is Sets=4-5 months S=7-8 months; Jan. 1 is X, Jan. 15 is X, Feb. 1 is X, Oct. 1 is S, Oct. 15 is S, Nov. 1 is S, Nov. 15 is S, Dec. 1 is X, and Dec. 15 is X.
• Use these priority catalog links as crop-row examples, not UA cultivar recommendations.

Catalog crop examples

These catalog entries match crops covered by the regional timing source; variety-specific details remain tied to each seed entry's own source.

• Green Globe Artichoke Vegetable · Warm · 120 days
• Genovese Basil Herb · Warm · 68 days
• Provider Bush Bean Vegetable · Warm · 50 days
• Detroit Dark Red Beet Vegetable · Cool · 58 days
• White Stem Bok Choy Vegetable · Cool · 45 days
• Waltham 29 Broccoli Vegetable · Cool · 74 days
• Long Island Improved Brussels Sprouts Vegetable · Cool · 100 days
• Golden Acre Cabbage Vegetable · Cool · 64 days
• Danvers 126 Carrot Vegetable · Shoulder · 70 days
• Snowball Y Cauliflower Vegetable · Cool · 70 days
• Tall Utah Celery Vegetable · Cool · 110 days
• Bright Lights Swiss Chard Vegetable · Shoulder · 55 days
• Georgia Southern Collards Vegetable · Cool · 65 days
• Golden Bantam Sweet Corn Vegetable · Warm · 80 days
• Marketmore 76 Cucumber Vegetable · Warm · 58 days
• Black Beauty Eggplant Vegetable · Warm · 80 days
• Green Curled Endive Vegetable · Cool · 85 days
• Lacinato Kale Vegetable · Cool · 60 days
• Early White Vienna Kohlrabi Vegetable · Cool · 55 days
• American Flag Leek Vegetable · Cool · 120 days
• Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce Vegetable · Cool · 45 days
• Hale's Best Jumbo Melon Vegetable · Warm · 85 days
• Southern Giant Curled Mustard Vegetable · Cool · 45 days
• Evergreen Bunching Onion Vegetable · Shoulder · 65 days
• Clemson Spineless Okra Vegetable · Warm · 56 days
• Hollow Crown Parsnip Vegetable · Cool · 120 days
• Sugar Snap Pea Vegetable · Cool · 62 days
• California Wonder Pepper Vegetable · Warm · 72 days
• Small Sugar Pumpkin Vegetable · Warm · 100 days
• French Breakfast Radish Vegetable · Cool · 28 days
• American Purple Top Rutabaga Vegetable · Cool · 90 days
• Bloomsdale Spinach Vegetable · Cool · 42 days
• Waltham Butternut Squash Vegetable · Warm · 95 days
• Roma Tomato Vegetable · Warm · 76 days
• Purple Top White Globe Turnip Vegetable · Cool · 55 days
• Sugar Baby Watermelon Vegetable · Warm · 80 days

Related regional guides

• Arizona Elevation-Band Vegetable Garden UA Cooperative Extension guide for Arizona vegetable timing by elevation, heat, cold, frost dates, and crop adaptation.
• Yuma County Planting and Harvesting Calendar UA az1615 Yuma County calendar for cool/warm seasons, alkaline/saline soils, pest pressure, crop rows, depths, and harvest windows.
• Pima County Vegetable Planting and Harvesting Guide UA Pima County half-month vegetable table with sow, transplant, harvest, do-not-plant markers, crop rows, and local timing examples.

Source: UA Extension vegetable planting calendar for Maricopa County