Frost dates for Lake Charles, 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 14
typical year
Safe to plant
March 11
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 7
typical year
Growing season
299 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 17 – 31 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 3 – 24 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 17 – Feb 7 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 17 – Feb 28 | Oct 26 – Nov 9 |
| Onions | – | Jan 17 – 31 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 24 – Feb 14 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Beets | – | Jan 17 – 31 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Kale | Dec 6 – 20 | Jan 17 – 31 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Broccoli | Dec 6 – 20 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Cabbage | Nov 22 – Dec 6 | Jan 17 – 31 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 26 – Nov 16 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 14 – 28 | Mar 11 – 25 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 7 – 21 | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 11 – Apr 8 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 11 – Sep 28 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 11 – Apr 8 | – |
| Basil | Feb 4 – 18 | Mar 18 – 25 | – |
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 11 | February 14 | January 16 |
| Fall frost before | November 14 | December 7 | January 7 |
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 27 (February 28 in a late year), and the first one in fall around January 3.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 2 towns.
Lake Charles, Sulphur
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station LAKE CHARLES, LA US (USW00003937), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 7 zip codes, all within 14 miles:
70601, 70605, 70607, 70609, 70629, 70630, 70665
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.