Frost dates for Joshua Tree, 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 28
typical year
Safe to plant
March 28
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 1
typical year
Growing season
273 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 31 – Feb 14 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 17 – Feb 7 | Oct 6 – 20 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 31 – Feb 21 | Oct 6 – 20 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 31 – Mar 14 | Oct 20 – Nov 3 |
| Onions | – | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 7 – 21 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 7 – 28 | Sep 8 – 22 |
| Beets | – | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Kale | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Broccoli | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Feb 14 – 28 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Cabbage | Dec 6 – 20 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 20 – Nov 10 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Apr 4 – 18 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 28 – Apr 25 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 28 – Sep 22 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 28 – Apr 25 | – |
| Basil | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | Apr 4 – 11 | – |
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 28 | February 28 | January 21 |
| Fall frost before | November 12 | December 1 | December 17 |
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 24 (February 28 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 15.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station JOSHUA TREE, CA US (USC00044405), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 1 miles:
92252
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.