Frost dates for Carmel Valley, 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 20
typical year
Safe to plant
March 27
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 8
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 23 – Feb 6 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 9 – 30 | Oct 13 – 27 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 23 – Feb 13 | Oct 13 – 27 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 23 – Mar 6 | Oct 27 – Nov 10 |
| Onions | – | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 30 – Feb 20 | Sep 15 – 29 |
| Beets | – | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Kale | Dec 12 – 26 | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Broccoli | Dec 12 – 26 | Feb 6 – 20 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Cabbage | Nov 28 – Dec 12 | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 27 – Nov 17 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Apr 3 – 17 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 27 – Apr 24 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 27 – Sep 29 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 27 – Apr 24 | – |
| Basil | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 3 – 10 | – |
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 27 | February 20 | January 3 |
| Fall frost before | November 14 | December 8 | January 16 |
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 3 (February 16 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 22.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CARMEL VALLEY, CA US (USC00041534), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 7 miles:
93923, 93924
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.