Frost dates for Arroyo Grande, 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 1
typical year
Safe to plant
March 13
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
January 4
typical year
Growing season
362 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 | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Spinach | – | Dec 21 – Jan 11 | Nov 9 – 23 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 4 – 25 | Nov 9 – 23 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 4 – Feb 15 | Nov 23 – Dec 7 |
| Onions | – | Jan 4 – 18 | – |
| Potatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Carrots | – | Jan 11 – Feb 1 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Beets | – | Jan 4 – 18 | Oct 26 – Nov 9 |
| Kale | Nov 23 – Dec 7 | Jan 4 – 18 | Oct 26 – Nov 9 |
| Broccoli | Nov 23 – Dec 7 | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Oct 26 – Nov 9 |
| Cabbage | Nov 9 – 23 | Jan 4 – 18 | Oct 26 – Nov 9 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 23 – Dec 14 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Peppers | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Cucumbers | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Zucchini | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Pumpkins | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Green beans | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Sweet corn | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Basil | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
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 13 | February 1 | December 18 |
| Fall frost before | December 8 | January 4 | February 27 |
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 n/a (n/a in a late year), and the first one in fall around n/a.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 3 towns.
Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Pismo Beach
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station PISMO BEACH, CA US (USC00046943), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 8 miles:
93424, 93433, 93445, 93449
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.