Frost dates for Fresno, 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 14
typical year
Safe to plant
February 11
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 14
typical year
Growing season
337 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 17 – 31 | – |
| Spinach | – | Dec 3 – 24 | Oct 19 – Nov 2 |
| Lettuce | – | Dec 17 – Jan 7 | Oct 19 – Nov 2 |
| Radishes | – | Dec 17 – Jan 28 | Nov 2 – 16 |
| Onions | – | Dec 17 – 31 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Dec 24 – Jan 7 | – |
| Carrots | – | Dec 24 – Jan 14 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Beets | – | Dec 17 – 31 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Kale | Nov 5 – 19 | Dec 17 – 31 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Broccoli | Nov 5 – 19 | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Cabbage | Oct 22 – Nov 5 | Dec 17 – 31 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 2 – 23 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Dec 17 – 31 | Feb 11 – 25 | – |
| Peppers | Dec 10 – 24 | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Feb 11 – Mar 11 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | – |
| Green beans | – | Feb 11 – Oct 5 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Feb 11 – Mar 11 | – |
| Basil | Jan 7 – 21 | Feb 18 – 25 | – |
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 11 | January 14 | December 22 |
| Fall frost before | November 29 | December 14 | 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 1 (January 24 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 24.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 2 towns.
Fresno, Clovis
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station FRESNO YOSEMITE INTL AP, CA US (USW00093193), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 15 zip codes, all within 9 miles:
93611, 93612, 93650, 93701, 93703, 93704, 93705, 93710, 93711, 93720, 93722, 93726, 93728, 93740, 93741
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.