Frost dates for Corpus Christi, 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
January 28
typical year
Safe to plant
February 28
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 21
typical year
Growing season
331 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 | – | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | – |
| Spinach | – | Dec 17 – Jan 7 | Oct 26 – Nov 9 |
| Lettuce | – | Dec 31 – Jan 21 | Oct 26 – Nov 9 |
| Radishes | – | Dec 31 – Feb 11 | Nov 9 – 23 |
| Onions | – | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 7 – 21 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 7 – 28 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Beets | – | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Kale | Nov 19 – Dec 3 | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Broccoli | Nov 19 – Dec 3 | Jan 14 – 28 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Cabbage | Nov 5 – 19 | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 9 – 30 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 3 – 17 | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | – |
| Peppers | Dec 27 – Jan 10 | Mar 7 – 21 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Feb 28 – Mar 21 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Feb 28 – Mar 28 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Feb 28 – Mar 21 | – |
| Green beans | – | Feb 28 – Oct 12 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Feb 28 – Mar 28 | – |
| Basil | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Mar 7 – 14 | – |
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 | February 28 | January 28 | December 16 |
| Fall frost before | November 25 | December 21 | January 26 |
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 8 (February 16 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 30.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CORPUS CHRISTI, TX US (USW00012924), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 2 zip codes, all within 6 miles:
78402, 78409
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.