Frost dates for Waco, 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 9
typical year
Safe to plant
April 4
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 20
typical year
Growing season
256 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 9 – 23 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 26 – Feb 16 | Sep 25 – Oct 9 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 9 – Mar 2 | Sep 25 – Oct 9 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 9 – Mar 23 | Oct 9 – 23 |
| Onions | – | Feb 9 – 23 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Beets | – | Feb 9 – 23 | Sep 11 – 25 |
| Kale | Dec 29 – Jan 12 | Feb 9 – 23 | Sep 11 – 25 |
| Broccoli | Dec 29 – Jan 12 | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Sep 11 – 25 |
| Cabbage | Dec 15 – 29 | Feb 9 – 23 | Sep 11 – 25 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 9 – 30 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 7 – 21 | Apr 4 – 18 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Apr 11 – 25 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 4 – 25 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 4 – May 2 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 4 – 25 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 4 – Sep 11 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 4 – May 2 | – |
| Basil | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Apr 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 | April 4 | March 9 | February 17 |
| Fall frost before | November 2 | November 20 | December 9 |
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 25 (March 21 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 7 towns.
Waco, Hewitt, Robinson, Bellmead, Woodway, Lacy-Lakeview, Beverly Hills
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station WACO DAM, TX US (USC00419417), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 11 zip codes, all within 16 miles:
76624, 76643, 76701, 76704, 76705, 76706, 76707, 76710, 76711, 76712, 76798
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.