Frost dates for Monterey, 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
January 1
typical year
Safe to plant
January 21
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 30
typical year
Growing season
365 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 | – | Dec 4 – 18 | – |
| Spinach | – | Nov 20 – Dec 11 | Nov 4 – 18 |
| Lettuce | – | Dec 4 – 25 | Nov 4 – 18 |
| Radishes | – | Dec 4 – Jan 15 | Nov 18 – Dec 2 |
| Onions | – | Dec 4 – 18 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Dec 11 – 25 | – |
| Carrots | – | Dec 11 – Jan 1 | Oct 7 – 21 |
| Beets | – | Dec 4 – 18 | Oct 21 – Nov 4 |
| Kale | Oct 23 – Nov 6 | Dec 4 – 18 | Oct 21 – Nov 4 |
| Broccoli | Oct 23 – Nov 6 | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Oct 21 – Nov 4 |
| Cabbage | Oct 9 – 23 | Dec 4 – 18 | Oct 21 – Nov 4 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 18 – Dec 9 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Nov 26 – Dec 10 | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | – |
| Peppers | Nov 19 – Dec 3 | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Jan 21 – Feb 11 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jan 21 – Feb 18 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Jan 21 – Feb 11 | – |
| Green beans | – | Jan 21 – Oct 21 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jan 21 – Feb 18 | – |
| Basil | Dec 17 – 31 | Jan 28 – Feb 4 | – |
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 | January 21 | January 1 | December 11 |
| Fall frost before | December 7 | December 30 | January 18 |
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 n/a (n/a in a late year), and the first one in fall around n/a.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 3 towns.
Monterey, Pacific Grove, Carmel-by-the-Sea
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MONTEREY, CA US (USC00045795), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 3 miles:
93921, 93944, 93950, 93953
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.