Frost dates for Mitchell Caverns, 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 6
typical year
Safe to plant
April 9
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 8
typical year
Growing season
272 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 6 – 20 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 23 – Feb 13 | Oct 13 – 27 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 6 – 27 | Oct 13 – 27 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 6 – Mar 20 | Oct 27 – Nov 10 |
| Onions | – | Feb 6 – 20 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 13 – 27 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | Sep 15 – 29 |
| Beets | – | Feb 6 – 20 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Kale | Dec 26 – Jan 9 | Feb 6 – 20 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Broccoli | Dec 26 – Jan 9 | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Cabbage | Dec 12 – 26 | Feb 6 – 20 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 27 – Nov 17 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 12 – 26 | Apr 9 – 23 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 5 – 19 | Apr 16 – 30 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 9 – 30 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 9 – May 7 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 9 – 30 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 9 – Sep 29 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 9 – May 7 | – |
| Basil | Mar 5 – 19 | Apr 16 – 23 | – |
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 9 | March 6 | January 17 |
| Fall frost before | November 12 | December 8 | January 5 |
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 1 (March 20 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 25.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MITCHELL CAVERNS, CA US (USC00045721), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 29 miles:
92304, 92332, 92364
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.