Frost dates for Valley Ctr, 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 19
typical year
Safe to plant
March 31
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 1
typical year
Growing season
281 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 22 – Feb 5 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 8 – 29 | Oct 6 – 20 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 22 – Feb 12 | Oct 6 – 20 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 22 – Mar 5 | Oct 20 – Nov 3 |
| Onions | – | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 29 – Feb 19 | Sep 8 – 22 |
| Beets | – | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Kale | Dec 11 – 25 | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Broccoli | Dec 11 – 25 | Feb 5 – 19 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Cabbage | Nov 27 – Dec 11 | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 20 – Nov 10 |
| 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 22 | – |
| 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 19 | January 10 |
| Fall frost before | November 11 | December 1 | December 20 |
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 8 (February 14 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 17.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station VALLEY CTR 1N, CA US (USC00049226), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 5 miles:
92026, 92082
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.