When to plant in South Lake Tahoe, CA
Planting dates worked out from South Lake Tahoe's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
Jul 6
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Jun 21
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Aug 24
1 year in 10 by Jul 22
Frost-free days
67
median, 1991–2020
Station used: S Lake Tahoe Ap · 4.0 km away · station 1907 m, town 1901 m. How we match towns to stations
This season
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato Season likely too short |
May 11 – May 25 | Jul 6 – Jul 20 | Aug 30 |
| Sweet pepper Season likely too short |
Apr 27 – May 11 | Jul 6 – Jul 20 | Sep 4 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Apr 19 – Apr 26 | May 24 – Jun 7 | Jul 3 |
| Peas | — | May 10 – Jun 7 | Jul 4 |
| Bush beans Season likely too short |
— | Jun 29 – Jul 20 | Aug 18 |
| Carrot | — | May 31 – Jul 12 | Jul 30 |
| Beet | — | May 24 – Jul 5 | Jul 13 |
| Potato | — | May 31 – Jun 21 | Aug 9 |
| Kale | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | May 24 – Jun 7 | Jul 6 |
| Broccoli | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | May 24 – Jun 14 | Jul 23 |
| Cucumber Season likely too short |
Jun 8 – Jun 15 | Jul 6 – Jul 20 | Aug 25 |
| Summer squash and zucchini Season likely too short |
Jun 8 – Jun 15 | Jul 6 – Jul 20 | Aug 20 |
| Winter squash Season likely too short |
Jun 8 – Jun 15 | Jul 6 – Jul 20 | Sep 24 |
| Sweet corn Season likely too short |
— | Jun 29 – Jul 20 | Aug 28 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | May 24 – Jun 14 | Aug 22 |
| Garlic | — | Aug 10 – Sep 7 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | May 10 – Jun 7 | Jun 17 |
| Basil Season likely too short |
May 25 – Jun 8 | Jul 6 – Jul 20 | Sep 1 |
South Lake Tahoe's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1969 | Jun 28 |
| 1970 | Jun 15 |
| 1971 | Jul 11 |
| 1972 | Jun 25 |
| 1973 | Jul 1 |
| 1974 | Jul 11 |
| 1975 | Jul 3 |
| 1976 | Jul 5 |
| 1977 | Jul 6 |
| 1978 | Jul 4 |
| 1979 | Jul 8 |
| 1980 | Jul 10 |
| 1981 | Jul 13 |
| 1982 | Jun 8 |
| 1983 | Jul 10 |
| 1984 | Jun 21 |
| 1985 | Jun 30 |
| 1987 | Jul 5 |
| 1988 | Jun 30 |
| 1989 | Jul 10 |
| 1990 | Jul 5 |
| 1991 | Jun 30 |
| 1992 | Jul 1 |
| 1993 | Jun 29 |
| 1994 | Jul 1 |
| 1995 | Jul 13 |
| 1997 | Jul 6 |
| 1998 | Jul 1 |
| 1999 | Jun 26 |
| 2000 | Jul 6 |
| 2001 | Jun 18 |
| 2002 | Jun 16 |
| 2003 | Jul 7 |
| 2004 | Jun 12 |
| 2005 | Jun 20 |
| 2006 | Jun 14 |
| 2007 | Jun 25 |
| 2008 | Jun 19 |
| 2009 | May 24 |
| 2010 | Jun 17 |
| 2011 | Jun 3 |
| 2012 | Jun 11 |
| 2014 | Jun 19 |
| 2015 | May 6 |
| 2016 | Jul 11 |
| 2017 | Jun 13 |
| 2018 | Jun 10 |
| 2019 | Jun 29 |
| 2020 | Jul 6 |
| 2021 | Jun 11 |
| 2022 | Jun 20 |
| 2023 | Jun 21 |
| 2024 | Jun 19 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1969 | 38 |
| 1970 | 79 |
| 1971 | 41 |
| 1972 | 77 |
| 1973 | 21 |
| 1974 | 33 |
| 1975 | 27 |
| 1976 | 15 |
| 1978 | 11 |
| 1979 | 44 |
| 1980 | 8 |
| 1981 | 19 |
| 1982 | 97 |
| 1983 | 9 |
| 1984 | 92 |
| 1985 | 32 |
| 1987 | 13 |
| 1988 | 74 |
| 1990 | 72 |
| 1991 | 58 |
| 1992 | 21 |
| 1993 | 15 |
| 1994 | 36 |
| 1995 | 10 |
| 1997 | 49 |
| 1998 | 47 |
| 1999 | 22 |
| 2000 | 17 |
| 2001 | 79 |
| 2002 | 51 |
| 2003 | 64 |
| 2004 | 84 |
| 2005 | 70 |
| 2006 | 62 |
| 2007 | 80 |
| 2008 | 73 |
| 2009 | 120 |
| 2010 | 74 |
| 2011 | 123 |
| 2012 | 76 |
| 2014 | 103 |
| 2015 | 122 |
| 2016 | 27 |
| 2017 | 94 |
| 2018 | 75 |
| 2019 | 71 |
| 2020 | 64 |
| 2021 | 71 |
| 2022 | 88 |
| 2023 | 92 |
| 2024 | 65 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1969 | 11.2 °C |
| 1970 | 10.5 °C |
| 1971 | 10.7 °C |
| 1972 | 11.5 °C |
| 1973 | 11.3 °C |
| 1974 | 10.9 °C |
| 1975 | 9.5 °C |
| 1976 | 10.5 °C |
| 1977 | 11.1 °C |
| 1978 | 9.7 °C |
| 1979 | 10.3 °C |
| 1980 | 9.6 °C |
| 1981 | 13.1 °C |
| 1982 | 11.9 °C |
| 1983 | 11.0 °C |
| 1984 | 12.9 °C |
| 1985 | 12.4 °C |
| 1987 | 12.2 °C |
| 1988 | 13.5 °C |
| 1990 | 12.2 °C |
| 1991 | 10.8 °C |
| 1992 | 12.2 °C |
| 1993 | 10.7 °C |
| 1994 | 11.8 °C |
| 1995 | 10.6 °C |
| 1996 | 11.6 °C |
| 1997 | 11.4 °C |
| 1998 | 10.4 °C |
| 1999 | 10.6 °C |
| 2000 | 11.9 °C |
| 2001 | 12.0 °C |
| 2002 | 11.6 °C |
| 2003 | 11.5 °C |
| 2004 | 11.6 °C |
| 2005 | 11.0 °C |
| 2006 | 12.0 °C |
| 2007 | 12.1 °C |
| 2008 | 11.9 °C |
| 2009 | 12.9 °C |
| 2010 | 11.4 °C |
| 2011 | 11.6 °C |
| 2012 | 12.4 °C |
| 2014 | 13.7 °C |
| 2015 | 13.5 °C |
| 2016 | 12.3 °C |
| 2017 | 12.7 °C |
| 2018 | 12.8 °C |
| 2019 | 11.8 °C |
| 2020 | 12.9 °C |
| 2021 | 13.4 °C |
| 2022 | 12.7 °C |
| 2023 | 11.7 °C |
| 2024 | 12.7 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1969, South Lake Tahoe's last spring frost has come about 4 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 10 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from S Lake Tahoe Ap (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.