Frost dates for Stockton, 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 5
typical year
Safe to plant
March 11
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 8
typical year
Growing season
305 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 8 – 22 | – |
| Spinach | – | Dec 25 – Jan 15 | Oct 13 – 27 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 8 – 29 | Oct 13 – 27 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 8 – Feb 19 | Oct 27 – Nov 10 |
| Onions | – | Jan 8 – 22 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 15 – 29 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | Sep 15 – 29 |
| Beets | – | Jan 8 – 22 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Kale | Nov 27 – Dec 11 | Jan 8 – 22 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Broccoli | Nov 27 – Dec 11 | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Cabbage | Nov 13 – 27 | Jan 8 – 22 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 27 – Nov 17 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 14 – 28 | Mar 11 – 25 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 7 – 21 | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 11 – Apr 8 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 11 – Sep 29 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 11 – Apr 8 | – |
| Basil | Feb 4 – 18 | Mar 18 – 25 | – |
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 11 | February 5 | December 27 |
| Fall frost before | November 17 | December 8 | January 6 |
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 11 (February 21 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 23.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Stockton
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station STOCKTON FIRE STN 4, CA US (USC00048560), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 10 zip codes, all within 11 miles:
95202, 95203, 95204, 95205, 95206, 95207, 95209, 95210, 95211, 95219
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.