Frost dates for Merced, 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 26
typical year
Safe to plant
April 1
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 25
typical year
Growing season
273 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 29 – Feb 12 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | Sep 30 – Oct 14 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 29 – Feb 19 | Sep 30 – Oct 14 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 29 – Mar 12 | Oct 14 – 28 |
| Onions | – | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 5 – 19 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 5 – 26 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Beets | – | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Kale | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Broccoli | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Feb 12 – 26 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Cabbage | Dec 4 – 18 | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 14 – Nov 4 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 4 – 18 | Apr 1 – 15 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Apr 8 – 22 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 1 – 22 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 1 – 29 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 1 – 22 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 1 – Sep 16 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 1 – 29 | – |
| Basil | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 8 – 15 | – |
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 1 | February 26 | January 20 |
| Fall frost before | November 9 | November 25 | December 16 |
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 22 (February 24 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 10.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MERCED MUNI AP, CA US (USW00023257), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 5 zip codes, all within 22 miles:
95306, 95317, 95333, 95341, 95365
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.