Frost dates for Avenal, 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 19
typical year
Safe to plant
March 15
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 29
typical year
Growing season
281 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 22 – Feb 5 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 8 – 29 | Oct 4 – 18 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 22 – Feb 12 | Oct 4 – 18 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 22 – Mar 5 | Oct 18 – Nov 1 |
| Onions | – | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 29 – Feb 19 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Beets | – | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
| Kale | Dec 11 – 25 | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
| Broccoli | Dec 11 – 25 | Feb 5 – 19 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
| Cabbage | Nov 27 – Dec 11 | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 18 – Nov 8 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Mar 15 – 29 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 11 – 25 | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 15 – Apr 5 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 15 – Apr 12 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 15 – Apr 5 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 15 – Sep 20 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 15 – Apr 12 | – |
| Basil | Feb 8 – 22 | Mar 22 – 29 | – |
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 15 | February 19 | January 21 |
| Fall frost before | November 14 | November 29 | December 17 |
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 24 (February 23 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 12.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Avenal
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station KETTLEMAN CITY, CA US (USC00044534), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 27 miles:
93204, 93239, 93249
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.