Frost dates for Willows, 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 21
typical year
Safe to plant
April 9
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 6
typical year
Growing season
289 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 24 – Feb 7 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 10 – 31 | Oct 11 – 25 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 24 – Feb 14 | Oct 11 – 25 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 24 – Mar 7 | Oct 25 – Nov 8 |
| Onions | – | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 31 – Feb 21 | Sep 13 – 27 |
| Beets | – | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Kale | Dec 13 – 27 | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Broccoli | Dec 13 – 27 | Feb 7 – 21 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Cabbage | Nov 29 – Dec 13 | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 25 – Nov 15 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 12 – 26 | Apr 9 – 23 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 5 – 19 | Apr 16 – 30 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 9 – 30 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 9 – May 7 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 9 – 30 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 9 – Sep 27 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 9 – May 7 | – |
| Basil | Mar 5 – 19 | Apr 16 – 23 | – |
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 | April 9 | February 21 | January 4 |
| Fall frost before | November 16 | December 6 | December 29 |
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 5 (February 24 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 18.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Willows
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station WILLOWS 6 W, CA US (USC00049699), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 2 miles:
95988
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.