Frost dates for Martinez, 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
April 5
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 22
typical year
Growing season
266 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 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 31 – Feb 21 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 31 – Mar 14 | Oct 11 – 25 |
| Onions | – | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 7 – 21 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 7 – 28 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Beets | – | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Sep 13 – 27 |
| Kale | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Sep 13 – 27 |
| Broccoli | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Feb 14 – 28 | Sep 13 – 27 |
| Cabbage | Dec 6 – 20 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Sep 13 – 27 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 11 – Nov 1 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 8 – 22 | Apr 5 – 19 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 1 – 15 | Apr 12 – 26 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 5 – 26 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 5 – May 3 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 5 – 26 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 5 – Sep 13 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 5 – May 3 | – |
| Basil | Mar 1 – 15 | Apr 12 – 19 | – |
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 | April 5 | February 28 | January 29 |
| Fall frost before | November 7 | November 22 | December 10 |
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 23 (February 25 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 9.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Martinez
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MARTINEZ WTP, CA US (USC00045378), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 3 miles:
94553
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.