Frost dates for Balch Pwr House, 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 23
typical year
Safe to plant
April 4
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 12
typical year
Growing season
294 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 26 – Feb 9 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 12 – Feb 2 | Oct 17 – 31 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 26 – Feb 16 | Oct 17 – 31 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 26 – Mar 9 | Oct 31 – Nov 14 |
| Onions | – | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 2 – 16 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 2 – 23 | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Beets | – | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Oct 3 – 17 |
| Kale | Dec 15 – 29 | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Oct 3 – 17 |
| Broccoli | Dec 15 – 29 | Feb 9 – 23 | Oct 3 – 17 |
| Cabbage | Dec 1 – 15 | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Oct 3 – 17 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 31 – Nov 21 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 7 – 21 | Apr 4 – 18 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Apr 11 – 25 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 4 – 25 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 4 – May 2 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 4 – 25 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 4 – Oct 3 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 4 – May 2 | – |
| Basil | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Apr 11 – 18 | – |
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 | April 4 | February 23 | January 17 |
| Fall frost before | November 25 | December 12 | January 7 |
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 21 (March 3 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 27.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station BALCH PWR HOUSE, CA US (USC00040449), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 13 miles:
93664, 93667
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.