Now
37°C · Clear
Today
37° / 23°
Soil 6 cm
32°C
First frost
~88 days (Dec 5)
Gardening in Las Vegas
AI field guide · refreshed weeklyLas Vegas Gardening: Early Fall Planting & Cool-Season Setup
Zone 9b means your first fall frost arrives around December 5—giving you 88 days of warm growing ahead. Soil is still hot at 32°C (90°F), perfect for germination, but nighttime cooling is finally starting. You're 201 days past your last spring frost (Feb 19), so spring-planted annuals are done; now pivot to cool-season crops that thrive in your mild winters.
Sow outdoors now
Lettuce & leafy greens (buttercrunch, oak leaf, arugula)
Direct-sow now; they'll germinate fast in 32°C soil and mature through winter. Succession-sow every 2–3 weeks through October for continuous harvest.
Spinach (Space or Bloomsdale)
Sow directly; germinates in 7–10 days at this soil temp. Thrives in your cool winters and bolts late.
Radish (Cherry Belle, French Breakfast)
Ready in 25–30 days; sow now and again in 3 weeks. Excellent for breaking up soil and quick wins.
Peas (snap & snow: Sugar Snap, Oregon Sugar Pod)
Sow directly; germinate slowly in warm soil but establish before winter. Plant along a trellis to save space.
Brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale seedlings)
If you're starting from transplants (not seed), plant out now so they establish roots before winter dormancy.
Start indoors now
Broccoli, cabbage & cauliflower (Calabrese, Napa, Romanesco)
Start seed indoors now for transplants in 4–5 weeks; they need time to size up before cold slows growth. Harden off in late September.
Onions (from seed: Walla Walla, Texas 1015)
Start now for transplants in 6–8 weeks; set out in November for winter growth and spring harvest.
Cilantro & parsley
Start indoors to get a head start; direct sowing works too but indoor starts give you harvestable plants by November.
Harvest now
Summer squash & zucchini (if still producing)
Pick daily; plants are winding down but will produce through mid-September if watered deeply.
Peppers & eggplant
Still producing; harvest ripe fruit to encourage more blooms before frost in December.
Herbs (basil, oregano, thyme)
Cut heavily now; basil will die at first frost, so dry or freeze what you can.
Tasks this week
- Water deeply 2–3 times this week—soil is still hot and dry, and new seedlings need consistent moisture. Mulch heavily (5 cm / 2 in) to keep roots cool.
- Clean up spent summer plants (tomatoes, beans) to reduce pest habitat and improve air flow.
- Amend beds with compost or aged manure before planting cool-season crops; your soil is likely depleted.
- Set up shade cloth (30–50%) over new seedlings until nighttime temps drop below 25°C (77°F)—strong sun and heat still stress young plants.
- Scout for spider mites and whitefly on remaining summer crops; spray with neem oil in early morning or late evening to avoid leaf burn.
Watch out for
- Extreme wind forecast Thu–Fri (32–42 km/h / 20–26 mph): stake tall plants, secure shade cloth, and delay transplanting until after the blow.
- Soil still too hot for most cool-season seeds to germinate reliably—use shade cloth or wait until soil drops below 27°C (80°F) in late September for best results.
- Powdery mildew thrives in your low humidity and warm days; space plants wide, water soil only, and remove infected leaves immediately.
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