Frost dates for Richardson Gr Sp, 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 10
typical year
Safe to plant
April 13
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 1
typical year
Growing season
271 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 10 – 24 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 27 – Feb 17 | Oct 6 – 20 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 10 – Mar 3 | Oct 6 – 20 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 10 – Mar 24 | Oct 20 – Nov 3 |
| Onions | – | Feb 10 – 24 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 17 – Mar 10 | Sep 8 – 22 |
| Beets | – | Feb 10 – 24 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Kale | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | Feb 10 – 24 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Broccoli | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Cabbage | Dec 16 – 30 | Feb 10 – 24 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 20 – Nov 10 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 13 – 27 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 9 – 23 | Apr 20 – May 4 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 13 – May 4 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 13 – May 11 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 13 – May 4 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 13 – Sep 22 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 13 – May 11 | – |
| Basil | Mar 9 – 23 | Apr 20 – 27 | – |
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 13 | March 10 | January 9 |
| Fall frost before | November 7 | December 1 | January 9 |
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 January 15 (March 5 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 26.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station RICHARDSON GR SP, CA US (USC00047404), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 8 zip codes, all within 15 miles:
95511, 95542, 95553, 95559, 95560, 95585, 95587, 95589
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.