Frost dates for Winters, 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 18
typical year
Safe to plant
March 14
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 30
typical year
Growing season
284 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 21 – Feb 4 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 7 – 28 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 21 – Feb 11 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 21 – Mar 4 | Oct 19 – Nov 2 |
| Onions | – | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 28 – Feb 18 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Beets | – | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Kale | Dec 10 – 24 | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Broccoli | Dec 10 – 24 | Feb 4 – 18 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Cabbage | Nov 26 – Dec 10 | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 19 – Nov 9 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 17 – 31 | Mar 14 – 28 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 10 – 24 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 14 – Apr 4 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 14 – Apr 11 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 14 – Apr 4 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 14 – Sep 21 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 14 – Apr 11 | – |
| Basil | Feb 7 – 21 | Mar 21 – 28 | – |
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 14 | February 18 | January 17 |
| Fall frost before | November 15 | November 30 | December 18 |
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 14 (February 17 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 15.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Winters
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station WINTERS, CA US (USC00049742), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 6 miles:
95694
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.