Frost dates for Salinas, 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 1
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 10
typical year
Growing season
325 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 | Oct 15 – 29 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 1 – 22 | Oct 15 – 29 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 1 – Feb 12 | Oct 29 – Nov 12 |
| Onions | – | Jan 1 – 15 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 8 – 22 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 8 – 29 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Beets | – | Jan 1 – 15 | Oct 1 – 15 |
| Kale | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Jan 1 – 15 | Oct 1 – 15 |
| Broccoli | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Jan 15 – 29 | Oct 1 – 15 |
| Cabbage | Nov 6 – 20 | Jan 1 – 15 | Oct 1 – 15 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 29 – Nov 19 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 4 – 18 | Mar 1 – 15 | – |
| Peppers | Dec 28 – Jan 11 | Mar 8 – 22 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 1 – 22 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 1 – 29 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 1 – 22 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 1 – Oct 1 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 1 – 29 | – |
| Basil | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Mar 8 – 15 | – |
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 1 | January 29 | December 18 |
| Fall frost before | November 21 | December 10 | January 15 |
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 December 31 (January 31 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 25.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 2 towns.
Salinas, Gonzales
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station SALINAS MUNICIPAL AP, CA US (USW00023233), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 4 miles:
93901, 93905, 93906, 93908
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.