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
March 28
typical year
Safe to plant
April 27
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 14
typical year
Growing season
233 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 | – | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 14 – Mar 7 | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 28 – Mar 21 | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 28 – Apr 11 | Oct 3 – 17 |
| Onions | – | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 7 – 21 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 7 – 28 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Beets | – | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Kale | Jan 17 – 31 | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Broccoli | Jan 17 – 31 | Mar 14 – 28 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Cabbage | Jan 3 – 17 | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 3 – 24 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 2 – 16 | Apr 27 – May 11 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | May 4 – 18 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 27 – May 18 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 27 – May 25 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 27 – May 18 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 27 – Sep 5 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 27 – May 25 | – |
| Basil | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | May 4 – 11 | – |
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 27 | March 28 | February 18 |
| Fall frost before | October 27 | November 14 | December 1 |
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 February 12 (March 24 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 29.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MERCED 23 WSW, CA US (USW00093243), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 11 miles:
95334, 95374
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.