Frost dates for Goleta, 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 11
typical year
Safe to plant
February 13
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 16
typical year
Growing season
342 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 14 – 28 | – |
| Spinach | – | Nov 30 – Dec 21 | Oct 21 – Nov 4 |
| Lettuce | – | Dec 14 – Jan 4 | Oct 21 – Nov 4 |
| Radishes | – | Dec 14 – Jan 25 | Nov 4 – 18 |
| Onions | – | Dec 14 – 28 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Dec 21 – Jan 4 | – |
| Carrots | – | Dec 21 – Jan 11 | Sep 23 – Oct 7 |
| Beets | – | Dec 14 – 28 | Oct 7 – 21 |
| Kale | Nov 2 – 16 | Dec 14 – 28 | Oct 7 – 21 |
| Broccoli | Nov 2 – 16 | Dec 28 – Jan 11 | Oct 7 – 21 |
| Cabbage | Oct 19 – Nov 2 | Dec 14 – 28 | Oct 7 – 21 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 4 – 25 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Dec 19 – Jan 2 | Feb 13 – 27 | – |
| Peppers | Dec 12 – 26 | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Feb 13 – Mar 13 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | – |
| Green beans | – | Feb 13 – Oct 7 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Feb 13 – Mar 13 | – |
| Basil | Jan 9 – 23 | Feb 20 – 27 | – |
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 13 | January 11 | December 14 |
| Fall frost before | December 1 | December 16 | January 18 |
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 December 30 (January 18 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 26.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Goleta
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station SANTA BARBARA MUNI AP, CA US (USW00023190), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 4 miles:
93106, 93110, 93111
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.