Frost dates for Lutcher, 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 9
typical year
Safe to plant
March 11
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 14
typical year
Growing season
308 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 12 – 26 | – |
| Spinach | – | Dec 29 – Jan 19 | Oct 19 – Nov 2 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 12 – Feb 2 | Oct 19 – Nov 2 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 12 – Feb 23 | Nov 2 – 16 |
| Onions | – | Jan 12 – 26 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 19 – Feb 9 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Beets | – | Jan 12 – 26 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Kale | Dec 1 – 15 | Jan 12 – 26 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Broccoli | Dec 1 – 15 | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Cabbage | Nov 17 – Dec 1 | Jan 12 – 26 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 2 – 23 |
| 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 – Oct 5 | – |
| 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 9 | January 13 |
| Fall frost before | November 21 | December 14 | January 13 |
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 28 (February 26 in a late year), and the first one in fall around January 1.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 2 towns.
Lutcher, Gramercy
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station RESERVE, LA US (USC00167767), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 13 zip codes, all within 16 miles:
70049, 70051, 70052, 70057, 70068, 70071, 70076, 70084, 70090, 70449, 70743, 70763, 70774
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.