Frost dates for Santa Barbara, 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 13
typical year
Safe to plant
February 24
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
January 6
typical year
Growing season
365 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 | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Spinach | – | Dec 2 – 23 | Nov 11 – 25 |
| Lettuce | – | Dec 16 – Jan 6 | Nov 11 – 25 |
| Radishes | – | Dec 16 – Jan 27 | Nov 25 – Dec 9 |
| Onions | – | Dec 16 – 30 | – |
| Potatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Carrots | – | Dec 23 – Jan 13 | Oct 14 – 28 |
| Beets | – | Dec 16 – 30 | Oct 28 – Nov 11 |
| Kale | Nov 4 – 18 | Dec 16 – 30 | Oct 28 – Nov 11 |
| Broccoli | Nov 4 – 18 | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | Oct 28 – Nov 11 |
| Cabbage | Oct 21 – Nov 4 | Dec 16 – 30 | Oct 28 – Nov 11 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 25 – Dec 16 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Peppers | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Cucumbers | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Zucchini | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Pumpkins | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Green beans | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Sweet corn | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
| Basil | Season usually too short. Try a quick variety or row covers. | ||
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 | February 24 | January 13 | December 12 |
| Fall frost before | December 12 | January 6 | February 22 |
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 n/a (n/a in a late year), and the first one in fall around n/a.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 2 towns.
Santa Barbara, Carpinteria
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station SANTA BARBARA, CA US (USC00047902), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 6 zip codes, all within 10 miles:
93013, 93067, 93101, 93103, 93108, 93109
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.