Want to know what to plant each month in Tucson?
I've come up with some comprehensive planting guides based on my observations and wisdom from Tucson Organic Gardeners and Community Gardens of Tucson.
Notably these guides include cover crop planting dates, something which I had trouble finding for the area when I first started growing in Tucson.
Understanding Tucson's Climate
The climate in Tucson is a Hot Desert climate (Köppen BWh), with mild winters and sweltering summers. Annual rainfall of 10-12" per year is split evenly between a summer monsoon season with heavy flash flooding and storms, and a winter season with gentler rains.
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Notably, Tucson's summer monsoon season allows more flora to thrive in this region than in most low deserts. This is how it supports such large stands of saguaros and also why it's a great place for year-round gardening.
How Tucson's Climate Affects Gardening
The summer monsoon mentioned above brings an opportunity for planting heat-loving crops like melons, cowpeas, sweet potatoes, okra, winter squash, and amaranth. These are generally planted with the rains, and for winter squash this may be the second sowing of the year.
Cooler winters without much freezing and sunny days makes for great leafy green / brassica / pea / root season all winter long in Tucson.
Spring and Autumn often share warm season crops, like tomatoes, cucumbers, and basil.
While Tucson yields an amazing, if often overlooked year-round climate for gardening, it's important to note that the seasons here move FAST. with 5 distinct planting seasons one often has to be prepared with starts ahead of time in order to get harvests in before it gets too hot or cold.
Temperature swings throughout the year can be extreme, and I see both 15F and 115F within 6 months of each other.
Why Use a Planting Guide?
Tips for Successful Tucson Planting
Tucson Monthly Planting Guides
Check out these Tucson monthly planting guides for crops and timing:
Final Thoughts...
These guides are always growing and evolving, and are incomplete. If you have suggestions for additions or changes I'd love to hear about it in the comments below.
Happy growing, fellow Tucson gardener!
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