Frost dates for Downieville, 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
April 28
typical year
Safe to plant
May 22
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 25
typical year
Growing season
178 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 | – | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 17 – Apr 7 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 31 – May 12 | Sep 13 – 27 |
| Onions | – | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 7 – 21 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 7 – 28 | Aug 2 – 16 |
| Beets | – | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | Aug 16 – 30 |
| Kale | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | Aug 16 – 30 |
| Broccoli | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Apr 14 – 28 | Aug 16 – 30 |
| Cabbage | Feb 3 – 17 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | Aug 16 – 30 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 13 – Oct 4 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | May 22 – Jun 5 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 29 – Jun 12 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 22 – Jun 12 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 22 – Jun 19 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 22 – Jun 12 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 22 – Aug 16 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 22 – Jun 19 | – |
| Basil | Apr 17 – May 1 | May 29 – Jun 5 | – |
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 | May 22 | April 28 | April 13 |
| Fall frost before | October 9 | October 25 | November 8 |
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 April 6 (April 25 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 10.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station DOWNIEVILLE, CA US (USC00042500), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 7 miles:
95910, 95936, 95944
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.