Frost dates for Opelousas, 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 28
typical year
Safe to plant
March 25
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 23
typical year
Growing season
267 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 31 – Feb 14 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 17 – Feb 7 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 31 – Feb 21 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 31 – Mar 14 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Onions | – | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 7 – 21 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 7 – 28 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Beets | – | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Kale | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Broccoli | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Feb 14 – 28 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Cabbage | Dec 6 – 20 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 12 – Nov 2 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Apr 1 – 15 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 25 – Apr 22 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 25 – Sep 14 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 25 – Apr 22 | – |
| Basil | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – 8 | – |
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 25 | February 28 | January 31 |
| Fall frost before | November 5 | November 23 | December 16 |
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 6 (March 8 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 8.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 11 towns.
Opelousas, Church Point, Sunset, Port Barre, Arnaudville, Krotz Springs, Leonville, Grand Coteau, Washington, Cankton, Palmetto
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station GRAND COTEAU, LA US (USC00163800), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 13 zip codes, all within 24 miles:
70512, 70520, 70525, 70541, 70550, 70551, 70570, 70577, 70584, 70589, 70750, 71353, 71358
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.