When to plant in Stratford, TX
Planting dates worked out from Stratford's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 4
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 22
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 17
1 year in 10 by Oct 4
Frost-free days
174
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Stratford · 11.7 km away · station 1098 m, town 1125 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 | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | May 4 – May 18 | Jun 28 |
| Sweet pepper | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | May 4 – May 18 | Jul 3 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 18 – Feb 25 | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | May 4 |
| Peas | — | Mar 11 – Apr 8 | May 5 |
| Bush beans | — | Apr 27 – May 18 | Jun 16 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 1 – May 13 | May 31 |
| Beet | — | Mar 25 – May 6 | May 14 |
| Potato | — | Apr 1 – Apr 22 | Jun 10 |
| Kale | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | May 7 |
| Broccoli | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | May 24 |
| Cucumber | Apr 6 – Apr 13 | May 4 – May 18 | Jun 23 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 6 – Apr 13 | May 4 – May 18 | Jun 18 |
| Winter squash | Apr 6 – Apr 13 | May 4 – May 18 | Jul 23 |
| Sweet corn | — | Apr 27 – May 18 | Jun 26 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | Jun 23 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 3 – Oct 31 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 11 – Apr 8 | Apr 18 |
| Basil | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | May 4 – May 18 | Jun 30 |
Stratford'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 |
|---|---|
| 1912 | Apr 22 |
| 1913 | Apr 25 |
| 1914 | Apr 19 |
| 1915 | May 19 |
| 1916 | Apr 29 |
| 1938 | May 8 |
| 1939 | Apr 18 |
| 1940 | Apr 18 |
| 1941 | Apr 21 |
| 1942 | Apr 9 |
| 1944 | Apr 20 |
| 1945 | Apr 26 |
| 1946 | May 11 |
| 1947 | Apr 26 |
| 1948 | Apr 13 |
| 1952 | Apr 13 |
| 1954 | May 3 |
| 1958 | Apr 25 |
| 1959 | Apr 23 |
| 1960 | May 8 |
| 1961 | Apr 28 |
| 1962 | May 2 |
| 1963 | Apr 12 |
| 1964 | Apr 15 |
| 1965 | Apr 28 |
| 1966 | May 13 |
| 1967 | May 3 |
| 1968 | Apr 24 |
| 1969 | Apr 29 |
| 1970 | May 2 |
| 1971 | May 19 |
| 1972 | Apr 5 |
| 1973 | May 3 |
| 1974 | Apr 17 |
| 1975 | May 1 |
| 1976 | Apr 4 |
| 1977 | Apr 5 |
| 1978 | May 4 |
| 1979 | May 4 |
| 1981 | May 11 |
| 1982 | Apr 22 |
| 1983 | May 15 |
| 1986 | May 18 |
| 1987 | Apr 22 |
| 1988 | Apr 25 |
| 1989 | Apr 12 |
| 1990 | May 1 |
| 1991 | May 2 |
| 1992 | Apr 22 |
| 1993 | Apr 16 |
| 1994 | May 2 |
| 1995 | Apr 28 |
| 1996 | Apr 30 |
| 1997 | May 3 |
| 1998 | Apr 30 |
| 1999 | Apr 17 |
| 2000 | Apr 17 |
| 2001 | Apr 12 |
| 2002 | Apr 5 |
| 2003 | Apr 21 |
| 2006 | Apr 26 |
| 2007 | Apr 14 |
| 2008 | May 11 |
| 2009 | Apr 8 |
| 2010 | Apr 9 |
| 2011 | May 4 |
| 2012 | Mar 21 |
| 2013 | May 4 |
| 2015 | Apr 14 |
| 2016 | May 2 |
| 2017 | May 1 |
| 2018 | Apr 19 |
| 2019 | Apr 19 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1912 | 172 |
| 1913 | 168 |
| 1914 | 176 |
| 1938 | 179 |
| 1939 | 174 |
| 1940 | 179 |
| 1941 | 191 |
| 1942 | 198 |
| 1944 | 174 |
| 1945 | 154 |
| 1946 | 152 |
| 1947 | 183 |
| 1948 | 176 |
| 1954 | 176 |
| 1958 | 179 |
| 1959 | 186 |
| 1960 | 174 |
| 1961 | 157 |
| 1963 | 202 |
| 1965 | 186 |
| 1966 | 154 |
| 1967 | 176 |
| 1968 | 177 |
| 1969 | 165 |
| 1970 | 158 |
| 1971 | 162 |
| 1972 | 197 |
| 1973 | 174 |
| 1974 | 180 |
| 1975 | 175 |
| 1976 | 186 |
| 1977 | 189 |
| 1978 | 174 |
| 1979 | 171 |
| 1981 | 164 |
| 1982 | 171 |
| 1983 | 128 |
| 1986 | 146 |
| 1987 | 200 |
| 1988 | 185 |
| 1989 | 188 |
| 1990 | 161 |
| 1991 | 169 |
| 1992 | 168 |
| 1993 | 175 |
| 1994 | 159 |
| 1995 | 168 |
| 1996 | 170 |
| 1997 | 174 |
| 1998 | 170 |
| 1999 | 164 |
| 2000 | 160 |
| 2001 | 183 |
| 2003 | 187 |
| 2006 | 176 |
| 2007 | 190 |
| 2008 | 164 |
| 2009 | 176 |
| 2010 | 199 |
| 2011 | 175 |
| 2012 | 201 |
| 2013 | 154 |
| 2015 | 205 |
| 2016 | 190 |
| 2017 | 161 |
| 2018 | 178 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1912 | 19.7 °C |
| 1913 | 20.7 °C |
| 1914 | 21.3 °C |
| 1916 | 18.1 °C |
| 1937 | 22.4 °C |
| 1938 | 21.9 °C |
| 1939 | 21.6 °C |
| 1940 | 21.3 °C |
| 1941 | 19.5 °C |
| 1942 | 19.6 °C |
| 1944 | 19.4 °C |
| 1945 | 19.6 °C |
| 1946 | 20.8 °C |
| 1947 | 20.1 °C |
| 1948 | 20.6 °C |
| 1958 | 20.4 °C |
| 1959 | 20.6 °C |
| 1960 | 20.1 °C |
| 1961 | 19.6 °C |
| 1962 | 20.5 °C |
| 1963 | 21.7 °C |
| 1964 | 21.0 °C |
| 1965 | 20.2 °C |
| 1966 | 20.6 °C |
| 1967 | 19.7 °C |
| 1968 | 19.5 °C |
| 1969 | 20.8 °C |
| 1970 | 20.0 °C |
| 1971 | 19.6 °C |
| 1972 | 20.0 °C |
| 1973 | 19.0 °C |
| 1974 | 20.0 °C |
| 1975 | 19.9 °C |
| 1976 | 20.2 °C |
| 1977 | 21.9 °C |
| 1978 | 21.5 °C |
| 1979 | 20.4 °C |
| 1981 | 21.2 °C |
| 1982 | 20.2 °C |
| 1983 | 19.9 °C |
| 1986 | 20.0 °C |
| 1987 | 19.6 °C |
| 1988 | 19.4 °C |
| 1989 | 19.1 °C |
| 1990 | 19.9 °C |
| 1991 | 19.5 °C |
| 1992 | 19.1 °C |
| 1993 | 19.2 °C |
| 1994 | 19.9 °C |
| 1995 | 18.9 °C |
| 1996 | 20.1 °C |
| 1997 | 19.1 °C |
| 1998 | 20.9 °C |
| 1999 | 19.9 °C |
| 2000 | 21.6 °C |
| 2001 | 21.6 °C |
| 2003 | 21.0 °C |
| 2006 | 21.2 °C |
| 2007 | 20.2 °C |
| 2008 | 19.8 °C |
| 2009 | 19.9 °C |
| 2010 | 21.1 °C |
| 2011 | 22.1 °C |
| 2012 | 21.9 °C |
| 2013 | 20.7 °C |
| 2014 | 21.5 °C |
| 2015 | 21.5 °C |
| 2016 | 21.3 °C |
| 2017 | 20.6 °C |
| 2018 | 21.5 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1912, Stratford'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 Stratford (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.