Frost dates for Idyllwild Fire Dept, 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 16
typical year
Safe to plant
June 5
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 24
typical year
Growing season
160 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 | – | Apr 18 – May 2 | – |
| Spinach | – | Apr 4 – 25 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 18 – May 9 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 18 – May 30 | Sep 12 – 26 |
| Onions | – | Apr 18 – May 2 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 25 – May 9 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 25 – May 16 | Aug 1 – 15 |
| Beets | – | Apr 18 – May 2 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Kale | Mar 7 – 21 | Apr 18 – May 2 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Broccoli | Mar 7 – 21 | May 2 – 16 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Cabbage | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | Apr 18 – May 2 | Aug 15 – 29 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 12 – Oct 3 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 10 – 24 | Jun 5 – 19 | – |
| Peppers | Apr 3 – 17 | Jun 12 – 26 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Jun 5 – 26 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jun 5 – Jul 3 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Jun 5 – 26 | – |
| Green beans | – | Jun 5 – Aug 15 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jun 5 – Jul 3 | – |
| Basil | May 1 – 15 | Jun 12 – 19 | – |
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 5 | May 16 | April 23 |
| Fall frost before | October 1 | October 24 | November 11 |
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 April 24 (May 19 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 10.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station IDYLLWILD FIRE DEPT, CA US (USC00044211), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 12 miles:
92230, 92549, 92561
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.