Frost dates for Twitchell Dam, 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 4
typical year
Safe to plant
March 31
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 4
typical year
Growing season
301 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 7 – 21 | – |
| Spinach | – | Dec 24 – Jan 14 | Oct 9 – 23 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 7 – 28 | Oct 9 – 23 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 7 – Feb 18 | Oct 23 – Nov 6 |
| Onions | – | Jan 7 – 21 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 14 – 28 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 14 – Feb 4 | Sep 11 – 25 |
| Beets | – | Jan 7 – 21 | Sep 25 – Oct 9 |
| Kale | Nov 26 – Dec 10 | Jan 7 – 21 | Sep 25 – Oct 9 |
| Broccoli | Nov 26 – Dec 10 | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Sep 25 – Oct 9 |
| Cabbage | Nov 12 – 26 | Jan 7 – 21 | Sep 25 – Oct 9 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 23 – Nov 13 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 3 – 17 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Apr 7 – 21 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 31 – Apr 28 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 31 – Sep 25 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 31 – Apr 28 | – |
| Basil | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 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 | March 31 | February 4 | December 27 |
| Fall frost before | November 14 | December 4 | December 28 |
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 31 (February 3 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 17.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station TWITCHELL DAM, CA US (USC00049111), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 18 miles:
93453, 93454
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.