Frost dates for Lake Arrowhead, 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 5
typical year
Safe to plant
May 31
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 2
typical year
Growing season
176 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 7 – 21 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 24 – Apr 14 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 7 – 28 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 7 – May 19 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Onions | – | Apr 7 – 21 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 14 – 28 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 14 – May 5 | Aug 10 – 24 |
| Beets | – | Apr 7 – 21 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Kale | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 7 – 21 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Broccoli | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 21 – May 5 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Cabbage | Feb 10 – 24 | Apr 7 – 21 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 21 – Oct 12 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 5 – 19 | May 31 – Jun 14 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | Jun 7 – 21 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 31 – Jun 21 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 31 – Jun 28 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 31 – Jun 21 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 31 – Aug 24 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 31 – Jun 28 | – |
| Basil | Apr 26 – May 10 | Jun 7 – 14 | – |
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 | May 31 | May 5 | April 9 |
| Fall frost before | October 12 | November 2 | November 15 |
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 11 (May 12 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 16.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station LAKE ARROWHEAD, CA US (USC00044671), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 13 zip codes, all within 12 miles:
92317, 92321, 92322, 92325, 92341, 92352, 92378, 92382, 92385, 92391, 92404, 92405, 92407
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.