Frost dates for Gonzales, LA
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
March 15
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 5
typical year
Growing season
291 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 10 – 24 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 24 – Feb 14 | Oct 10 – 24 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 24 – Mar 7 | Oct 24 – Nov 7 |
| Onions | – | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 31 – Feb 21 | Sep 12 – 26 |
| Beets | – | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Kale | Dec 13 – 27 | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Broccoli | Dec 13 – 27 | Feb 7 – 21 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Cabbage | Nov 29 – Dec 13 | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 24 – Nov 14 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Mar 15 – 29 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 11 – 25 | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 15 – Apr 5 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 15 – Apr 12 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 15 – Apr 5 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 15 – Sep 26 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 15 – Apr 12 | – |
| Basil | Feb 8 – 22 | Mar 22 – 29 | – |
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 15 | February 21 | January 23 |
| Fall frost before | November 14 | December 5 | January 6 |
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 February 1 (March 5 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 28.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 4 towns.
Gonzales, Donaldsonville, Sorrento, Napoleonville
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station DONALDSONVILLE 4 SW, LA US (USC00162534), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 11 zip codes, all within 20 miles:
70086, 70339, 70341, 70346, 70390, 70391, 70393, 70723, 70725, 70733, 70778
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.