Frost dates for Ridgecrest, 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 11
typical year
Safe to plant
April 9
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 12
typical year
Growing season
244 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 11 – 25 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 28 – Feb 18 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 11 – Mar 25 | Oct 1 – 15 |
| Onions | – | Feb 11 – 25 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 18 – Mar 11 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Beets | – | Feb 11 – 25 | Sep 3 – 17 |
| Kale | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Feb 11 – 25 | Sep 3 – 17 |
| Broccoli | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Sep 3 – 17 |
| Cabbage | Dec 17 – 31 | Feb 11 – 25 | Sep 3 – 17 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 1 – 22 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 12 – 26 | Apr 9 – 23 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 5 – 19 | Apr 16 – 30 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 9 – 30 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 9 – May 7 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 9 – 30 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 9 – Sep 3 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 9 – May 7 | – |
| Basil | Mar 5 – 19 | Apr 16 – 23 | – |
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 9 | March 11 | February 18 |
| Fall frost before | October 29 | November 12 | November 25 |
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 20 (March 9 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 23.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Ridgecrest
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CHINA LAKE NAF, CA US (USW00093104), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 7 miles:
93555
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.