Frost dates for Mount Shasta, 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
May 15
typical year
Safe to plant
June 5
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 6
typical year
Growing season
143 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 | – | Apr 17 – May 1 | – |
| Spinach | – | Apr 3 – 24 | Aug 11 – 25 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 17 – May 8 | Aug 11 – 25 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 17 – May 29 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Onions | – | Apr 17 – May 1 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 24 – May 8 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 24 – May 15 | Jul 14 – 28 |
| Beets | – | Apr 17 – May 1 | Jul 28 – Aug 11 |
| Kale | Mar 6 – 20 | Apr 17 – May 1 | Jul 28 – Aug 11 |
| Broccoli | Mar 6 – 20 | May 1 – 15 | Jul 28 – Aug 11 |
| Cabbage | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 17 – May 1 | Jul 28 – Aug 11 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 25 – Sep 15 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Apr 10 – 24 | Jun 5 – 19 | – |
| Peppers | Apr 3 – 17 | Jun 12 – 26 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Jun 5 – 26 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jun 5 – Jul 3 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Jun 5 – 26 | – |
| Green beans | – | Jun 5 – Jul 28 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jun 5 – Jul 3 | – |
| Basil | May 1 – 15 | Jun 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 | June 5 | May 15 | April 29 |
| Fall frost before | September 20 | October 6 | October 24 |
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 April 29 (May 14 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 25.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Mount Shasta
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MT SHASTA, CA US (USC00045983), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 0 miles:
96067
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.