Frost dates for Hearst Castle, 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 13
typical year
Safe to plant
March 31
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
February 1
typical year
Growing season
365 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 | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Spinach | – | Jan 2 – 23 | Dec 7 – 21 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 16 – Feb 6 | Dec 7 – 21 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 16 – Feb 27 | Dec 21 – Jan 4 |
| Onions | – | Jan 16 – 30 | – |
| Potatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Carrots | – | Jan 23 – Feb 13 | Nov 9 – 23 |
| Beets | – | Jan 16 – 30 | Nov 23 – Dec 7 |
| Kale | Dec 5 – 19 | Jan 16 – 30 | Nov 23 – Dec 7 |
| Broccoli | Dec 5 – 19 | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Nov 23 – Dec 7 |
| Cabbage | Nov 21 – Dec 5 | Jan 16 – 30 | Nov 23 – Dec 7 |
| Garlic | – | – | Dec 21 – Jan 11 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Peppers | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Cucumbers | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Zucchini | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Pumpkins | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Green beans | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Sweet corn | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Basil | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
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 | March 31 | February 13 | December 29 |
| Fall frost before | December 16 | February 1 | March 20 |
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 n/a (n/a in a late year), and the first one in fall around n/a.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station HEARST CASTLE, CA US (USC00043882), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 15 miles:
93426, 93428, 93452
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.