Frost dates for Mccook, 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 22
typical year
Safe to plant
March 5
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 19
typical year
Growing season
333 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 25 – Jan 8 | – |
| Spinach | – | Dec 11 – Jan 1 | Oct 24 – Nov 7 |
| Lettuce | – | Dec 25 – Jan 15 | Oct 24 – Nov 7 |
| Radishes | – | Dec 25 – Feb 5 | Nov 7 – 21 |
| Onions | – | Dec 25 – Jan 8 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 1 – 15 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 1 – 22 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Beets | – | Dec 25 – Jan 8 | Oct 10 – 24 |
| Kale | Nov 13 – 27 | Dec 25 – Jan 8 | Oct 10 – 24 |
| Broccoli | Nov 13 – 27 | Jan 8 – 22 | Oct 10 – 24 |
| Cabbage | Oct 30 – Nov 13 | Dec 25 – Jan 8 | Oct 10 – 24 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 7 – 28 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 8 – 22 | Mar 5 – 19 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 1 – 15 | Mar 12 – 26 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 5 – 26 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 5 – Apr 2 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 5 – 26 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 5 – Oct 10 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 5 – Apr 2 | – |
| Basil | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 12 – 19 | – |
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 5 | January 22 | December 19 |
| Fall frost before | November 26 | December 19 | January 23 |
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 6 (February 16 in a late year), and the first one in fall around January 1.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MCCOOK, TX US (USC00415721), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 21 miles:
78536, 78563, 78588
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.