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