Frost dates for Hat Creek, 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 29
typical year
Safe to plant
June 23
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
September 19
typical year
Growing season
113 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 | – | May 1 – 15 | – |
| Spinach | – | Apr 17 – May 8 | Jul 25 – Aug 8 |
| Lettuce | – | May 1 – 22 | Jul 25 – Aug 8 |
| Radishes | – | May 1 – Jun 12 | Aug 8 – 22 |
| Onions | – | May 1 – 15 | – |
| Potatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Carrots | – | May 8 – 29 | Jun 27 – Jul 11 |
| Beets | – | May 1 – 15 | Jul 11 – 25 |
| Kale | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 1 – 15 | Jul 11 – 25 |
| Broccoli | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 15 – 29 | Jul 11 – 25 |
| Cabbage | Mar 6 – 20 | May 1 – 15 | Jul 11 – 25 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 8 – 29 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 28 – May 12 | Jun 23 – Jul 7 | – |
| Peppers | Apr 21 – May 5 | Jun 30 – Jul 14 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Jun 23 – Jul 14 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jun 23 – Jul 21 | – |
| Pumpkins | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Green beans | – | Jun 23 – Jul 11 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jun 23 – Jul 21 | – |
| Basil | May 19 – Jun 2 | Jun 30 – Jul 7 | – |
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 23 | May 29 | May 8 |
| Fall frost before | September 5 | September 19 | October 4 |
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 May 6 (June 3 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 4.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station HAT CREEK, CA US (USC00043824), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 15 miles:
96016, 96028, 96040, 96056
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.