When to plant in California, MO
Planting dates worked out from California's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
Apr 19
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 7
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 25
1 year in 10 by Oct 12
Frost-free days
199
median, 1991–2020
Station used: California · 0.9 km away · station 268 m, town 272 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 | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jun 13 |
| Sweet pepper | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jun 18 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 5 – Feb 12 | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | Apr 21 |
| Peas | — | Mar 12 – Apr 9 | May 6 |
| Bush beans | — | Apr 12 – May 3 | Jun 1 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 20 – May 1 | May 19 |
| Beet | — | Mar 20 – May 1 | May 9 |
| Potato | — | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | May 29 |
| Kale | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | May 1 |
| Broccoli | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | May 11 |
| Cucumber | Mar 22 – Mar 29 | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jun 8 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Mar 22 – Mar 29 | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jun 3 |
| Winter squash | Mar 22 – Mar 29 | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jul 8 |
| Sweet corn | — | Apr 12 – May 3 | Jun 11 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Jun 10 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 11 – Nov 8 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 12 – Apr 9 | Apr 19 |
| Basil | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jun 15 |
California'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 |
|---|---|
| 1955 | Mar 29 |
| 1956 | Apr 24 |
| 1957 | Apr 14 |
| 1958 | Mar 26 |
| 1972 | Apr 8 |
| 1973 | Apr 13 |
| 1974 | Apr 9 |
| 1975 | Apr 12 |
| 1976 | May 3 |
| 1977 | Apr 6 |
| 1978 | Mar 27 |
| 1979 | Apr 6 |
| 1980 | Apr 14 |
| 1981 | Apr 6 |
| 1982 | Apr 21 |
| 1983 | Apr 19 |
| 1984 | Apr 1 |
| 1985 | Apr 9 |
| 1986 | Apr 22 |
| 1987 | Apr 5 |
| 1988 | Mar 30 |
| 1989 | Apr 12 |
| 1990 | Apr 12 |
| 1991 | Mar 30 |
| 1992 | Apr 3 |
| 1994 | Apr 8 |
| 1995 | Apr 6 |
| 1996 | Apr 9 |
| 1997 | Apr 17 |
| 1998 | Mar 25 |
| 1999 | Mar 26 |
| 2000 | Apr 8 |
| 2001 | Apr 19 |
| 2002 | Apr 5 |
| 2003 | Apr 10 |
| 2004 | Apr 13 |
| 2005 | Mar 23 |
| 2006 | Mar 26 |
| 2007 | Apr 14 |
| 2008 | Apr 29 |
| 2009 | Apr 11 |
| 2010 | Mar 26 |
| 2011 | Apr 5 |
| 2012 | Mar 6 |
| 2013 | May 4 |
| 2014 | Apr 16 |
| 2016 | Apr 10 |
| 2017 | Mar 16 |
| 2018 | Apr 19 |
| 2019 | Apr 14 |
| 2020 | Apr 18 |
| 2021 | Apr 22 |
| 2024 | Mar 28 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1955 | 218 |
| 1957 | 193 |
| 1972 | 193 |
| 1973 | 199 |
| 1974 | 217 |
| 1975 | 214 |
| 1976 | 166 |
| 1977 | 217 |
| 1978 | 210 |
| 1979 | 181 |
| 1980 | 193 |
| 1981 | 199 |
| 1982 | 182 |
| 1983 | 199 |
| 1984 | 181 |
| 1985 | 174 |
| 1986 | 201 |
| 1987 | 185 |
| 1988 | 209 |
| 1989 | 190 |
| 1990 | 189 |
| 1991 | 190 |
| 1992 | 213 |
| 1994 | 199 |
| 1995 | 197 |
| 1996 | 204 |
| 1997 | 192 |
| 1998 | 225 |
| 1999 | 205 |
| 2000 | 181 |
| 2001 | 180 |
| 2002 | 209 |
| 2003 | 209 |
| 2004 | 206 |
| 2005 | 216 |
| 2006 | 200 |
| 2007 | 196 |
| 2008 | 180 |
| 2009 | 189 |
| 2010 | 216 |
| 2011 | 206 |
| 2013 | 171 |
| 2014 | 198 |
| 2016 | 216 |
| 2017 | 227 |
| 2018 | 179 |
| 2019 | 180 |
| 2020 | 180 |
| 2021 | 194 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1955 | 22.9 °C |
| 1956 | 23.0 °C |
| 1957 | 21.5 °C |
| 1958 | 21.4 °C |
| 1972 | 22.5 °C |
| 1973 | 21.4 °C |
| 1974 | 20.8 °C |
| 1975 | 21.7 °C |
| 1976 | 21.2 °C |
| 1977 | 22.9 °C |
| 1978 | 22.2 °C |
| 1979 | 21.0 °C |
| 1980 | 23.5 °C |
| 1981 | 21.9 °C |
| 1982 | 20.8 °C |
| 1983 | 21.7 °C |
| 1984 | 21.2 °C |
| 1985 | 21.6 °C |
| 1986 | 22.6 °C |
| 1987 | 23.0 °C |
| 1988 | 22.6 °C |
| 1989 | 20.5 °C |
| 1990 | 21.2 °C |
| 1991 | 22.6 °C |
| 1992 | 20.3 °C |
| 1993 | 21.4 °C |
| 1994 | 20.0 °C |
| 1995 | 19.9 °C |
| 1996 | 19.7 °C |
| 1997 | 19.4 °C |
| 1998 | 21.4 °C |
| 1999 | 20.9 °C |
| 2000 | 20.9 °C |
| 2001 | 21.1 °C |
| 2002 | 20.8 °C |
| 2003 | 20.2 °C |
| 2004 | 19.4 °C |
| 2005 | 21.2 °C |
| 2006 | 21.4 °C |
| 2007 | 21.1 °C |
| 2008 | 19.6 °C |
| 2009 | 19.2 °C |
| 2010 | 21.6 °C |
| 2011 | 21.1 °C |
| 2013 | 19.8 °C |
| 2014 | 20.3 °C |
| 2015 | 20.8 °C |
| 2016 | 21.1 °C |
| 2017 | 20.9 °C |
| 2018 | 21.9 °C |
| 2019 | 21.2 °C |
| 2020 | 20.5 °C |
| 2021 | 21.0 °C |
| 2024 | 21.6 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1955, California's last spring frost has stayed at about the same time of year. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from California (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.