Frost dates for Lompoc, 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
January 20
typical year
Safe to plant
February 24
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 19
typical year
Growing season
335 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 | – | Dec 23 – Jan 6 | – |
| Spinach | – | Dec 9 – 30 | Oct 24 – Nov 7 |
| Lettuce | – | Dec 23 – Jan 13 | Oct 24 – Nov 7 |
| Radishes | – | Dec 23 – Feb 3 | Nov 7 – 21 |
| Onions | – | Dec 23 – Jan 6 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | – |
| Carrots | – | Dec 30 – Jan 20 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Beets | – | Dec 23 – Jan 6 | Oct 10 – 24 |
| Kale | Nov 11 – 25 | Dec 23 – Jan 6 | Oct 10 – 24 |
| Broccoli | Nov 11 – 25 | Jan 6 – 20 | Oct 10 – 24 |
| Cabbage | Oct 28 – Nov 11 | Dec 23 – Jan 6 | Oct 10 – 24 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 7 – 28 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | – |
| Peppers | Dec 23 – Jan 6 | Mar 3 – 17 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Feb 24 – Mar 17 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Feb 24 – Mar 24 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Feb 24 – Mar 17 | – |
| Green beans | – | Feb 24 – Oct 10 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Feb 24 – Mar 24 | – |
| Basil | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Mar 3 – 10 | – |
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 | February 24 | January 20 | December 16 |
| Fall frost before | November 27 | December 19 | January 26 |
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 1 (January 30 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 29.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Lompoc
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station LOMPOC, CA US (USC00045064), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 14 miles:
93427, 93436, 93437, 93440
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.