Frost dates for Solvang, 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
April 11
typical year
Safe to plant
May 6
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 8
typical year
Growing season
209 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 | – | Mar 14 – 28 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 28 – Mar 21 | Sep 13 – 27 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 14 – Apr 4 | Sep 13 – 27 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 14 – Apr 25 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Onions | – | Mar 14 – 28 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | Aug 16 – 30 |
| Beets | – | Mar 14 – 28 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Kale | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Mar 14 – 28 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Broccoli | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Cabbage | Jan 17 – 31 | Mar 14 – 28 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 27 – Oct 18 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 11 – 25 | May 6 – 20 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 4 – 18 | May 13 – 27 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 6 – 27 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 6 – Jun 3 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 6 – 27 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 6 – Aug 30 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 6 – Jun 3 | – |
| Basil | Apr 1 – 15 | May 13 – 20 | – |
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 | May 6 | April 11 | March 14 |
| Fall frost before | October 14 | November 8 | November 29 |
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 27 (April 4 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 27.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 2 towns.
Solvang, Buellton
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CACHUMA LAKE, CA US (USC00041253), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 12 miles:
93117, 93441, 93463
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.