Frost dates for Orick Prairie Creek Park, 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
April 12
typical year
Safe to plant
May 5
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 6
typical year
Growing season
209 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 | – | Mar 15 – 29 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 1 – 22 | Sep 11 – 25 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 15 – Apr 5 | Sep 11 – 25 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 15 – Apr 26 | Sep 25 – Oct 9 |
| Onions | – | Mar 15 – 29 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | Aug 14 – 28 |
| Beets | – | Mar 15 – 29 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Kale | Feb 1 – 15 | Mar 15 – 29 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Broccoli | Feb 1 – 15 | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Cabbage | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Mar 15 – 29 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 25 – Oct 16 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 10 – 24 | May 5 – 19 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 3 – 17 | May 12 – 26 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 5 – 26 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 5 – Jun 2 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 5 – 26 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 5 – Aug 28 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 5 – Jun 2 | – |
| Basil | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 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 | May 5 | April 12 | March 12 |
| Fall frost before | October 15 | November 6 | December 6 |
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 27 (April 6 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 9.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station ORICK PRAIRIE CREEK PARK, CA US (USC00046498), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 5 miles:
95555
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.