Frost dates for Desert Hot Springs, 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 25
typical year
Safe to plant
April 3
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 15
typical year
Growing season
297 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 28 – Feb 11 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 14 – Feb 4 | Oct 20 – Nov 3 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 28 – Feb 18 | Oct 20 – Nov 3 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 28 – Mar 11 | Nov 3 – 17 |
| Onions | – | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 4 – 18 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 4 – 25 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Beets | – | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Oct 6 – 20 |
| Kale | Dec 17 – 31 | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Oct 6 – 20 |
| Broccoli | Dec 17 – 31 | Feb 11 – 25 | Oct 6 – 20 |
| Cabbage | Dec 3 – 17 | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Oct 6 – 20 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 3 – 24 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 6 – 20 | Apr 3 – 17 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Apr 10 – 24 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 3 – 24 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 3 – May 1 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 3 – 24 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 3 – Oct 6 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 3 – May 1 | – |
| Basil | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Apr 10 – 17 | – |
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 3 | February 25 | January 7 |
| Fall frost before | November 23 | December 15 | 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 25 (February 28 in a late year), and the first one in fall around January 6.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Desert Hot Springs
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MORONGO VALLEY N, CA US (USC00045860), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 10 miles:
92256, 92268, 92282
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.