Frost dates for Sonora, 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 9
typical year
Safe to plant
April 30
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 9
typical year
Growing season
213 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 12 – 26 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 26 – Mar 19 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 12 – Apr 23 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Onions | – | Mar 12 – 26 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Aug 17 – 31 |
| Beets | – | Mar 12 – 26 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Kale | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 12 – 26 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Broccoli | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Cabbage | Jan 15 – 29 | Mar 12 – 26 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 28 – Oct 19 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 5 – 19 | Apr 30 – May 14 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | May 7 – 21 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 30 – May 21 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 30 – May 28 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 30 – May 21 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 30 – Aug 31 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 30 – May 28 | – |
| Basil | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | May 7 – 14 | – |
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 30 | April 9 | March 15 |
| Fall frost before | October 19 | November 9 | November 27 |
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 March 4 (April 8 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 1 town.
Sonora
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station SONORA, CA US (USC00048353), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 6 zip codes, all within 14 miles:
95309, 95327, 95346, 95370, 95372, 95383
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.