Frost dates for Madera, 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 12
typical year
Safe to plant
March 17
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 30
typical year
Growing season
293 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 15 – 29 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 1 – 22 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 15 – Feb 26 | Oct 19 – Nov 2 |
| Onions | – | Jan 15 – 29 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 22 – Feb 12 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Beets | – | Jan 15 – 29 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Kale | Dec 4 – 18 | Jan 15 – 29 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Broccoli | Dec 4 – 18 | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Cabbage | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Jan 15 – 29 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 19 – Nov 9 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Mar 17 – 31 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 13 – 27 | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 17 – Apr 7 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 17 – Apr 14 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 17 – Apr 7 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 17 – Sep 21 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 17 – Apr 14 | – |
| Basil | Feb 10 – 24 | Mar 24 – 31 | – |
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 17 | February 12 | January 6 |
| Fall frost before | November 14 | November 30 | January 3 |
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 7 (February 12 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 15.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 4 towns.
Madera, Chowchilla, Mendota, Firebaugh
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MADERA MUNI AP, CA US (USW00093242), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 12 miles:
93610, 93637, 93638
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.