Frost dates for Turlock, 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 6
typical year
Safe to plant
January 31
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 20
typical year
Growing season
351 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 | – | Dec 9 – 23 | – |
| Spinach | – | Nov 25 – Dec 16 | Oct 25 – Nov 8 |
| Lettuce | – | Dec 9 – 30 | Oct 25 – Nov 8 |
| Radishes | – | Dec 9 – Jan 20 | Nov 8 – 22 |
| Onions | – | Dec 9 – 23 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Dec 16 – 30 | – |
| Carrots | – | Dec 16 – Jan 6 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Beets | – | Dec 9 – 23 | Oct 11 – 25 |
| Kale | Oct 28 – Nov 11 | Dec 9 – 23 | Oct 11 – 25 |
| Broccoli | Oct 28 – Nov 11 | Dec 23 – Jan 6 | Oct 11 – 25 |
| Cabbage | Oct 14 – 28 | Dec 9 – 23 | Oct 11 – 25 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 8 – 29 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Dec 6 – 20 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | – |
| Peppers | Nov 29 – Dec 13 | Feb 7 – 21 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Jan 31 – Feb 21 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Jan 31 – Feb 28 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Jan 31 – Feb 21 | – |
| Green beans | – | Jan 31 – Oct 11 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jan 31 – Feb 28 | – |
| Basil | Dec 27 – Jan 10 | Feb 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 | January 31 | January 6 | December 14 |
| Fall frost before | December 3 | December 20 | January 16 |
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 December 30 (January 20 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 24.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 2 towns.
Turlock, Livingston
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station TURLOCK #2, CA US (USC00049073), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 8 zip codes, all within 17 miles:
95303, 95315, 95316, 95323, 95324, 95380, 95382, 95386
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.