Frost dates for Buttonwillow, 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 9
typical year
Safe to plant
March 6
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 26
typical year
Growing season
289 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 12 – 26 | – |
| Spinach | – | Dec 29 – Jan 19 | Oct 1 – 15 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 12 – Feb 2 | Oct 1 – 15 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 12 – Feb 23 | Oct 15 – 29 |
| Onions | – | Jan 12 – 26 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 19 – Feb 9 | Sep 3 – 17 |
| Beets | – | Jan 12 – 26 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Kale | Dec 1 – 15 | Jan 12 – 26 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Broccoli | Dec 1 – 15 | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Cabbage | Nov 17 – Dec 1 | Jan 12 – 26 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 15 – Nov 5 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 9 – 23 | Mar 6 – 20 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 2 – 16 | Mar 13 – 27 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 6 – 27 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 6 – Apr 3 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 6 – 27 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 6 – Sep 17 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 6 – Apr 3 | – |
| Basil | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Mar 13 – 20 | – |
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 6 | February 9 | January 10 |
| Fall frost before | November 10 | November 26 | December 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 11 (February 8 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 8.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station BUTTONWILLOW, CA US (USC00041244), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 13 miles:
93206, 93251, 93276
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.