Frost dates for Etna, 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
May 20
typical year
Safe to plant
June 12
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 5
typical year
Growing season
135 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 | – | Apr 22 – May 6 | – |
| Spinach | – | Apr 8 – 29 | Aug 10 – 24 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 22 – May 13 | Aug 10 – 24 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 22 – Jun 3 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Onions | – | Apr 22 – May 6 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 29 – May 13 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 29 – May 20 | Jul 13 – 27 |
| Beets | – | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Kale | Mar 11 – 25 | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Broccoli | Mar 11 – 25 | May 6 – 20 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Cabbage | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jul 27 – Aug 10 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 24 – Sep 14 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 17 – May 1 | Jun 12 – 26 | – |
| Peppers | Apr 10 – 24 | Jun 19 – Jul 3 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Jun 12 – Jul 3 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jun 12 – Jul 10 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Jun 12 – Jul 3 | – |
| Green beans | – | Jun 12 – Jul 27 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jun 12 – Jul 10 | – |
| Basil | May 8 – 22 | Jun 19 – 26 | – |
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 | June 12 | May 20 | May 2 |
| Fall frost before | September 20 | October 5 | October 22 |
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 28 (May 21 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 22.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Etna
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CALLAHAN, CA US (USC00041316), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 19 miles:
96014, 96032, 96034, 96037
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.