Frost dates for Bakersfield, 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
January 17
typical year
Safe to plant
February 18
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 15
typical year
Growing season
334 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 | – | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | – |
| Spinach | – | Dec 6 – 27 | Oct 20 – Nov 3 |
| Lettuce | – | Dec 20 – Jan 10 | Oct 20 – Nov 3 |
| Radishes | – | Dec 20 – Jan 31 | Nov 3 – 17 |
| Onions | – | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Dec 27 – Jan 10 | – |
| Carrots | – | Dec 27 – Jan 17 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Beets | – | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Oct 6 – 20 |
| Kale | Nov 8 – 22 | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Oct 6 – 20 |
| Broccoli | Nov 8 – 22 | Jan 3 – 17 | Oct 6 – 20 |
| Cabbage | Oct 25 – Nov 8 | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Oct 6 – 20 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 3 – 24 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Dec 24 – Jan 7 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | – |
| Peppers | Dec 17 – 31 | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Feb 18 – Mar 11 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Feb 18 – Mar 18 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Feb 18 – Mar 11 | – |
| Green beans | – | Feb 18 – Oct 6 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Feb 18 – Mar 18 | – |
| Basil | Jan 14 – 28 | Feb 25 – Mar 4 | – |
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 | February 18 | January 17 | December 23 |
| Fall frost before | November 30 | December 15 | January 12 |
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 2 (January 23 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 24.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station BAKERSFIELD AP, CA US (USW00023155), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 16 miles:
93306, 93308
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.