Frost dates for Rocklin, 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
February 25
typical year
Safe to plant
April 7
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 5
typical year
Growing season
286 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 28 – Feb 11 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 14 – Feb 4 | Oct 10 – 24 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 28 – Feb 18 | Oct 10 – 24 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 28 – Mar 11 | Oct 24 – Nov 7 |
| Onions | – | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 4 – 18 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 4 – 25 | Sep 12 – 26 |
| Beets | – | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Kale | Dec 17 – 31 | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Broccoli | Dec 17 – 31 | Feb 11 – 25 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Cabbage | Dec 3 – 17 | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 24 – Nov 14 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 10 – 24 | Apr 7 – 21 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 3 – 17 | Apr 14 – 28 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 7 – 28 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 7 – May 5 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 7 – 28 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 7 – Sep 26 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 7 – May 5 | – |
| Basil | Mar 3 – 17 | Apr 14 – 21 | – |
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 7 | February 25 | January 15 |
| Fall frost before | November 15 | December 5 | December 31 |
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 13 (February 25 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 22.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 4 towns.
Rocklin, Lincoln, Auburn, Loomis
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station AUBURN, CA US (USC00040383), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 15 zip codes, all within 15 miles:
95602, 95603, 95614, 95648, 95650, 95651, 95658, 95661, 95663, 95664, 95671, 95677, 95678, 95746, 95765
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.