Frost dates for Ft Ross, 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 26
typical year
Safe to plant
May 1
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 27
typical year
Growing season
310 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 29 – Feb 12 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | Nov 1 – 15 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 29 – Feb 19 | Nov 1 – 15 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 29 – Mar 12 | Nov 15 – 29 |
| Onions | – | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 5 – 19 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 5 – 26 | Oct 4 – 18 |
| Beets | – | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Oct 18 – Nov 1 |
| Kale | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Oct 18 – Nov 1 |
| Broccoli | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Feb 12 – 26 | Oct 18 – Nov 1 |
| Cabbage | Dec 4 – 18 | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Oct 18 – Nov 1 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 15 – Dec 6 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 6 – 20 | May 1 – 15 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | May 8 – 22 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 1 – 22 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 1 – 29 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 1 – 22 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 1 – Oct 18 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 1 – 29 | – |
| Basil | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | May 8 – 15 | – |
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 1 | February 26 | December 27 |
| Fall frost before | December 1 | December 27 | February 27 |
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 29 (April 28 in a late year), and the first one in fall around January 16.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station FT ROSS, CA US (USC00043191), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 5 zip codes, all within 19 miles:
95412, 95421, 95450, 95480, 95497
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.