Frost dates for Smithville, 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 12
typical year
Safe to plant
April 11
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 19
typical year
Growing season
251 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 12 – 26 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 29 – Feb 19 | Sep 24 – Oct 8 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 12 – Mar 5 | Sep 24 – Oct 8 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 12 – Mar 26 | Oct 8 – 22 |
| Onions | – | Feb 12 – 26 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Beets | – | Feb 12 – 26 | Sep 10 – 24 |
| Kale | Jan 1 – 15 | Feb 12 – 26 | Sep 10 – 24 |
| Broccoli | Jan 1 – 15 | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Sep 10 – 24 |
| Cabbage | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Feb 12 – 26 | Sep 10 – 24 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 8 – 29 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 14 – 28 | Apr 11 – 25 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 7 – 21 | Apr 18 – May 2 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 11 – May 2 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 11 – May 9 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 11 – May 2 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 11 – Sep 10 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 11 – May 9 | – |
| Basil | Mar 7 – 21 | Apr 18 – 25 | – |
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 | April 11 | March 12 | February 18 |
| Fall frost before | November 1 | November 19 | December 11 |
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 26 (March 29 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 3.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Smithville
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station SMITHVILLE, TX US (USC00418415), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 14 miles:
78659, 78949, 78957
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.