Frost dates for Alpine, CA
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
February 12
typical year
Safe to plant
March 20
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 24
typical year
Growing season
317 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Jan 15 – 29 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 1 – 22 | Oct 29 – Nov 12 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | Oct 29 – Nov 12 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 15 – Feb 26 | Nov 12 – 26 |
| Onions | – | Jan 15 – 29 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 22 – Feb 12 | Oct 1 – 15 |
| Beets | – | Jan 15 – 29 | Oct 15 – 29 |
| Kale | Dec 4 – 18 | Jan 15 – 29 | Oct 15 – 29 |
| Broccoli | Dec 4 – 18 | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Oct 15 – 29 |
| Cabbage | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Jan 15 – 29 | Oct 15 – 29 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 12 – Dec 3 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 16 – 30 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 20 – Apr 17 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 20 – Oct 15 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 20 – Apr 17 | – |
| Basil | Feb 13 – 27 | Mar 27 – Apr 3 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | March 20 | February 12 | December 29 |
| Fall frost before | December 2 | December 24 | February 3 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around January 22 (February 23 in a late year), and the first one in fall around January 4.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station ALPINE, CA US (USC00040136), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 13 miles:
91901, 91917, 91935
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.