Frost dates for El Centro Naf, 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
January 6
typical year
Safe to plant
February 6
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 21
typical year
Growing season
347 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 | – | Dec 9 – 23 | – |
| Spinach | – | Nov 25 – Dec 16 | Oct 26 – Nov 9 |
| Lettuce | – | Dec 9 – 30 | Oct 26 – Nov 9 |
| Radishes | – | Dec 9 – Jan 20 | Nov 9 – 23 |
| Onions | – | Dec 9 – 23 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Dec 16 – 30 | – |
| Carrots | – | Dec 16 – Jan 6 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Beets | – | Dec 9 – 23 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Kale | Oct 28 – Nov 11 | Dec 9 – 23 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Broccoli | Oct 28 – Nov 11 | Dec 23 – Jan 6 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Cabbage | Oct 14 – 28 | Dec 9 – 23 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 9 – 30 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Dec 12 – 26 | Feb 6 – 20 | – |
| Peppers | Dec 5 – 19 | Feb 13 – 27 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Feb 6 – 27 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Feb 6 – Mar 6 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Feb 6 – 27 | – |
| Green beans | – | Feb 6 – Oct 12 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Feb 6 – Mar 6 | – |
| Basil | Jan 2 – 16 | Feb 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 | February 6 | January 6 | December 14 |
| Fall frost before | December 5 | December 21 | January 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 3 (January 31 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 31.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station EL CENTRO NAF, CA US (USW00023199), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 16 miles:
92251, 92259, 92273
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.