Frost dates for Tehachapi, 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 28
typical year
Safe to plant
May 21
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 26
typical year
Growing season
183 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 31 – Apr 14 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 17 – Apr 7 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 31 – May 12 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Onions | – | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 7 – 21 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 7 – 28 | Aug 3 – 17 |
| Beets | – | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | Aug 17 – 31 |
| Kale | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | Aug 17 – 31 |
| Broccoli | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Apr 14 – 28 | Aug 17 – 31 |
| Cabbage | Feb 3 – 17 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | Aug 17 – 31 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 14 – Oct 5 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | May 21 – Jun 4 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | May 28 – Jun 11 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 21 – Jun 11 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 21 – Jun 18 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 21 – Jun 11 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 21 – Aug 17 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 21 – Jun 18 | – |
| Basil | Apr 16 – 30 | May 28 – Jun 4 | – |
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 21 | April 28 | April 11 |
| Fall frost before | October 4 | October 26 | November 17 |
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 April 12 (April 30 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 16.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Tehachapi
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station TEHACHAPI 4 SE, CA US (USC00048829), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 14 miles:
93531, 93561, 93581
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.