Frost dates for Big Sur Stn, 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 13
typical year
Safe to plant
April 1
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 27
typical year
Growing season
323 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 16 – 30 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 2 – 23 | Nov 1 – 15 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 16 – Feb 6 | Nov 1 – 15 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 16 – Feb 27 | Nov 15 – 29 |
| Onions | – | Jan 16 – 30 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 23 – Feb 13 | Oct 4 – 18 |
| Beets | – | Jan 16 – 30 | Oct 18 – Nov 1 |
| Kale | Dec 5 – 19 | Jan 16 – 30 | Oct 18 – Nov 1 |
| Broccoli | Dec 5 – 19 | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Oct 18 – Nov 1 |
| Cabbage | Nov 21 – Dec 5 | Jan 16 – 30 | Oct 18 – Nov 1 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 15 – Dec 6 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 4 – 18 | Apr 1 – 15 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Apr 8 – 22 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 1 – 22 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 1 – 29 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 1 – 22 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 1 – Oct 18 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 1 – 29 | – |
| Basil | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 8 – 15 | – |
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 1 | February 13 | December 26 |
| Fall frost before | November 23 | December 27 | February 22 |
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 25 (March 21 in a late year), and the first one in fall around January 6.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station BIG SUR STN, CA US (USC00040790), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 19 miles:
93920
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.