Frost dates for Austin, TX
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 20
typical year
Safe to plant
March 14
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 3
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 23 – Feb 6 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 9 – 30 | Oct 8 – 22 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 23 – Feb 13 | Oct 8 – 22 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 23 – Mar 6 | Oct 22 – Nov 5 |
| Onions | – | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 30 – Feb 20 | Sep 10 – 24 |
| Beets | – | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Sep 24 – Oct 8 |
| Kale | Dec 12 – 26 | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Sep 24 – Oct 8 |
| Broccoli | Dec 12 – 26 | Feb 6 – 20 | Sep 24 – Oct 8 |
| Cabbage | Nov 28 – Dec 12 | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Sep 24 – Oct 8 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 22 – Nov 12 |
| 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 24 | – |
| 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 20 | January 23 |
| Fall frost before | November 15 | December 3 | January 1 |
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 3 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 27.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 3 towns.
Austin, West Lake Hills, Rollingwood
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station AUSTIN-CAMP MABRY, TX US (USW00013958), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 15 zip codes, all within 8 miles:
78703, 78705, 78712, 78722, 78723, 78730, 78731, 78733, 78735, 78746, 78751, 78752, 78754, 78756, 78757
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.