Frost dates for Port Lavaca, 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 1
typical year
Safe to plant
March 4
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
December 21
typical year
Growing season
321 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 4 – 18 | – |
| Spinach | – | Dec 21 – Jan 11 | Oct 26 – Nov 9 |
| Lettuce | – | Jan 4 – 25 | Oct 26 – Nov 9 |
| Radishes | – | Jan 4 – Feb 15 | Nov 9 – 23 |
| Onions | – | Jan 4 – 18 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Jan 11 – 25 | – |
| Carrots | – | Jan 11 – Feb 1 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Beets | – | Jan 4 – 18 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Kale | Nov 23 – Dec 7 | Jan 4 – 18 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Broccoli | Nov 23 – Dec 7 | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Cabbage | Nov 9 – 23 | Jan 4 – 18 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 9 – 30 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 7 – 21 | Mar 4 – 18 | – |
| Peppers | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Mar 11 – 25 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 4 – 25 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 4 – Apr 1 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 4 – 25 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 4 – Oct 12 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 4 – Apr 1 | – |
| Basil | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Mar 11 – 18 | – |
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 4 | February 1 | December 24 |
| Fall frost before | November 25 | December 21 | January 18 |
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 21 (February 23 in a late year), and the first one in fall around January 1.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 3 towns.
Port Lavaca, Point Comfort, La Ward
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station PT COMFORT, TX US (USC00417140), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 5 zip codes, all within 12 miles:
77969, 77971, 77978, 77979, 77991
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.