Frost dates for Whiskeytown Rsvr, 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 13
typical year
Safe to plant
March 25
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 13
typical year
Growing season
304 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 16 – 30 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 2 – 23 | Oct 18 – Nov 1 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 16 – Feb 6 | Oct 18 – Nov 1 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 16 – Feb 27 | Nov 1 – 15 |
| Onions | – | Jan 16 – 30 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 23 – Feb 13 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
| Beets | – | Jan 16 – 30 | Oct 4 – 18 |
| Kale | Dec 5 – 19 | Jan 16 – 30 | Oct 4 – 18 |
| Broccoli | Dec 5 – 19 | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Oct 4 – 18 |
| Cabbage | Nov 21 – Dec 5 | Jan 16 – 30 | Oct 4 – 18 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 1 – 22 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Apr 1 – 15 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 25 – Apr 22 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 25 – Oct 4 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 25 – Apr 22 | – |
| Basil | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – 8 | – |
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 25 | February 13 | December 30 |
| Fall frost before | November 20 | December 13 | January 19 |
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 3 (February 18 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 25.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station WHISKEYTOWN RSVR, CA US (USC00049621), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 13 miles:
96001, 96047
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.