Frost dates for El Campo, 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 23
typical year
Safe to plant
March 16
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 5
typical year
Growing season
287 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 26 – Feb 9 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 12 – Feb 2 | Oct 10 – 24 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 26 – Feb 16 | Oct 10 – 24 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 26 – Mar 9 | Oct 24 – Nov 7 |
| Onions | – | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 2 – 16 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 2 – 23 | Sep 12 – 26 |
| Beets | – | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Kale | Dec 15 – 29 | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Broccoli | Dec 15 – 29 | Feb 9 – 23 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Cabbage | Dec 1 – 15 | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 24 – Nov 14 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Mar 16 – 30 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 12 – 26 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 16 – Apr 13 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 16 – Sep 26 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 16 – Apr 13 | – |
| Basil | Feb 9 – 23 | Mar 23 – 30 | – |
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 16 | February 23 | January 22 |
| Fall frost before | November 15 | December 5 | January 4 |
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 2 (March 5 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 25.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 2 towns.
El Campo, Wharton
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station EL CAMPO, TX US (USC00412786), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 9 zip codes, all within 18 miles:
77436, 77437, 77443, 77448, 77453, 77455, 77460, 77467, 77488
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.