Frost dates for Rockdale, 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
March 6
typical year
Safe to plant
March 27
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 23
typical year
Growing season
261 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 | – | Feb 6 – 20 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 23 – Feb 13 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 6 – 27 | Sep 28 – Oct 12 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 6 – Mar 20 | Oct 12 – 26 |
| Onions | – | Feb 6 – 20 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 13 – 27 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | Aug 31 – Sep 14 |
| Beets | – | Feb 6 – 20 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Kale | Dec 26 – Jan 9 | Feb 6 – 20 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Broccoli | Dec 26 – Jan 9 | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Cabbage | Dec 12 – 26 | Feb 6 – 20 | Sep 14 – 28 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 12 – Nov 2 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Apr 3 – 17 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 27 – Apr 24 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 27 – Sep 14 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 27 – Apr 24 | – |
| Basil | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 3 – 10 | – |
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 27 | March 6 | February 7 |
| Fall frost before | November 3 | November 23 | December 20 |
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 23 (March 15 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 6.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 5 towns.
Rockdale, Cameron, Rosebud, Milano, Buckholts
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CAMERON, TX US (USC00411348), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 7 zip codes, all within 16 miles:
76518, 76519, 76520, 76556, 76567, 76569, 77857
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.