Frost dates for Occidental, 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 29
typical year
Safe to plant
March 17
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 30
typical year
Growing season
347 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 1 – 15 | – |
| Spinach | – | Dec 18 – Jan 8 | Nov 4 – 18 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 1 – 22 | Nov 4 – 18 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 1 – Feb 12 | Nov 18 – Dec 2 |
| Onions | – | Jan 1 – 15 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 8 – 22 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 8 – 29 | Oct 7 – 21 |
| Beets | – | Jan 1 – 15 | Oct 21 – Nov 4 |
| Kale | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Jan 1 – 15 | Oct 21 – Nov 4 |
| Broccoli | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Jan 15 – 29 | Oct 21 – Nov 4 |
| Cabbage | Nov 6 – 20 | Jan 1 – 15 | Oct 21 – Nov 4 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 18 – Dec 9 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Mar 17 – 31 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 13 – 27 | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 17 – Apr 7 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 17 – Apr 14 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 17 – Apr 7 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 17 – Oct 21 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 17 – Apr 14 | – |
| Basil | Feb 10 – 24 | Mar 24 – 31 | – |
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 | March 17 | January 29 | December 17 |
| Fall frost before | December 1 | December 30 | February 27 |
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.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station OCCIDENTAL, CA US (USC00046370), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 9 zip codes, all within 11 miles:
94922, 94971, 94972, 95419, 95430, 95446, 95462, 95465, 95486
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.