Frost dates for Livermore, 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 15
typical year
Safe to plant
March 13
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 2
typical year
Growing season
292 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 18 – Feb 1 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 4 – 25 | Oct 7 – 21 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 18 – Feb 8 | Oct 7 – 21 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 18 – Mar 1 | Oct 21 – Nov 4 |
| Onions | – | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 25 – Feb 15 | Sep 9 – 23 |
| Beets | – | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Sep 23 – Oct 7 |
| Kale | Dec 7 – 21 | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Sep 23 – Oct 7 |
| Broccoli | Dec 7 – 21 | Feb 1 – 15 | Sep 23 – Oct 7 |
| Cabbage | Nov 23 – Dec 7 | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Sep 23 – Oct 7 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 21 – Nov 11 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 16 – 30 | Mar 13 – 27 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 9 – 23 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 13 – Apr 10 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 13 – Sep 23 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 13 – Apr 10 | – |
| Basil | Feb 6 – 20 | Mar 20 – 27 | – |
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 13 | February 15 | January 12 |
| Fall frost before | November 16 | December 2 | December 28 |
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 10 (February 10 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 18.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 3 towns.
Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station LIVERMORE, CA US (USC00044997), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 5 zip codes, all within 9 miles:
94551, 94566, 94568, 94582, 94586
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.