Frost dates & planting calendar for Fresno, CA
Frost dates
Jan 14
Last spring frost, typical
In half of the years that freeze, the last frost comes later.
Safer date: Feb 11. Only 1 freeze year in 10 has a frost after this.
Dec 14
First fall frost, typical
In half of the years that freeze, it comes earlier.
Early date: Nov 29. Only 1 freeze year in 10 freezes before this.
337
Days, typical frost-free season
From NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals for this station.
9b
USDA hardiness zone
Coldest night of the winter, averaged over 1991–2020: 25 to 30°F (−3.9 to −1.1°C).
Zone for ZIP 93704, the ZIP nearest the city center; zones can vary within a city. What zone 9b means.
A 32°F freeze happens in about 85% of years here. These dates describe the years that do freeze; in the other years there is no frost at all.
What to plant right now
As of Nov 9, 2026
Now
Nothing to sow or plant out. Here is what opens next.
Start indoors from Dec 3
Pepper, Parsley, Tomato (from Dec 17), Eggplant (from Dec 17), Broccoli (from Dec 17), Cabbage (from Dec 17), Cauliflower (from Dec 17), Brussels sprouts (from Dec 17), Marigold (from Dec 17), Calendula (from Dec 17) and Mexican sunflower (from Dec 17).
Typical frost-free season: 337 days. Station: Fresno Yosemite International Airport, CA, 7 km away. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (32°F threshold).
Hardiness zones: 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed 9 Nov 2026.
Can I plant tomatoes now?
Not yet. Start tomato seeds indoors from Dec 17 to Dec 31, then plant them out from Feb 11 to Feb 25.
Planting calendar
Windows are counted from the safer dates (Feb 11 in spring, Nov 29 in fall). Going by the typical dates instead gains you about 4 weeks in spring, with more risk.
Coming up
A window opens in the next six weeks.
Peppertender
Next: start indoors from Dec 3
- Start indoors
- Dec 3 – Dec 17
- Transplant outdoors
- Feb 11 – Feb 25
Parsleyhalf hardy
Next: start indoors from Dec 3
- Start indoors
- Dec 3 – Dec 17
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 28 – Feb 11
Tomatotender
Next: start indoors from Dec 17
- Start indoors
- Dec 17 – Dec 31
- Transplant outdoors
- Feb 11 – Feb 25
Eggplanttender
Next: start indoors from Dec 17
- Start indoors
- Dec 17 – Dec 31
- Transplant outdoors
- Feb 11 – Feb 25
Broccolihardy
Next: start indoors from Dec 17
- Start indoors
- Dec 17 – Dec 31
- Transplant outdoors
- Jan 14 – Feb 11
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 14 – Jan 28
- Sow for fall
- Sep 6 – Sep 20
Cabbagehardy
Next: start indoors from Dec 17
- Start indoors
- Dec 17 – Dec 31
- Transplant outdoors
- Jan 14 – Feb 11
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 14 – Jan 28
- Sow for fall
- Sep 6 – Sep 20
Cauliflowerhalf hardy
Next: start indoors from Dec 17
- Start indoors
- Dec 17 – Dec 31
- Transplant outdoors
- Jan 28 – Feb 11
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 21 – Feb 11
- Sow for fall
- Sep 6 – Sep 20
Brussels sproutshardy
Next: start indoors from Dec 17
- Start indoors
- Dec 17 – Dec 31
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 21 – Jan 21
- Sow for fall
- Sep 6 – Sep 20
Marigoldtender
Next: start indoors from Dec 17
- Start indoors
- Dec 17 – Dec 17
- Transplant outdoors
- Feb 11 – Feb 11
Calendulahalf hardy
Next: start indoors from Dec 17
- Start indoors
- Dec 17 – Dec 31
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 4 – Feb 11
Mexican sunflowertender
Next: start indoors from Dec 17
- Start indoors
- Dec 17 – Dec 31
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 11 – Feb 11
December
The next window opens in December.
Leaf lettucehardy
Next: sow outdoors from Dec 31
- Transplant outdoors
- Jan 14 – Jan 28
- Sow outdoors
- Dec 31 – Jan 28
Head lettucehardy
Next: sow outdoors from Dec 31
- Transplant outdoors
- Jan 14 – Jan 28
- Sow outdoors
- Dec 31 – Jan 28
Zinniatender
Next: start indoors from Dec 31
- Start indoors
- Dec 31 – Jan 14
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 11 – Feb 11
Nasturtiumtender
Next: start indoors from Dec 31
- Start indoors
- Dec 31 – Jan 14
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 11 – Feb 11
Sunflowertender
Next: start indoors from Dec 31
- Start indoors
- Dec 31 – Jan 14
January
The next window opens in January.
Cucumbertender
Next: start indoors from Jan 14
- Start indoors
- Jan 14 – Jan 28
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 11 – Feb 18
Summer squashtender
Next: start indoors from Jan 14
- Start indoors
- Jan 14 – Jan 28
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 11 – Feb 18
Winter squashtender
Next: start indoors from Jan 14
- Start indoors
- Jan 14 – Jan 28
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 18 – Feb 25
Watermelontender
Next: start indoors from Jan 14
- Start indoors
- Jan 14 – Jan 28
- Transplant outdoors
- Feb 18 – Feb 25
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 18 – Feb 25
Cantaloupetender
Next: start indoors from Jan 14
- Start indoors
- Jan 14 – Jan 21
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 18 – Feb 25
Peahardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 14
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 14 – Jan 28
Spinachhardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 14
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 14 – Jan 28
Kohlrabihardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 14
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 14 – Jan 28
- Sow for fall
- Sep 6 – Sep 20
Radishhardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 14
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 14 – Jan 28
Beethalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 14
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 14 – Feb 11
Turniphardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 14
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 14 – Jan 28
Bulb onionhardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 14
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 14 – Jan 28
Green onionhardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 14
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 14 – Jan 28
Kalehardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 21
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 21 – Jan 21
- Sow for fall
- Sep 6 – Sep 20
Collardshardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 21
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 21 – Jan 21
- Sow for fall
- Sep 6 – Sep 20
Swiss chardhalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 28
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 28 – Feb 11
Carrothalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 28
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 28 – Feb 11
Potatohalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 28
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 28 – Feb 11
Parsniphalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 28
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 28 – Feb 11
Dillhalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 28
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 28 – Feb 4
February
The next window opens in February.
Bush beantender
Next: sow outdoors from Feb 11
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 11 – Feb 11
Pole beantender
Next: sow outdoors from Feb 11
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 11 – Feb 11
Sweet corntender
Next: sow outdoors from Feb 11
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 11 – Feb 11
Basiltender
Next: sow outdoors from Feb 11
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 11 – Feb 11
Marjoramtender
Next: transplant outdoors from Feb 11
- Transplant outdoors
- Feb 11 – Feb 11
Pumpkintender
Next: sow outdoors from Feb 18
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 18 – Feb 25
Lima beantender
Next: sow outdoors from Feb 25
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 25 – Feb 25
October
The next window opens in October.
Sweet alyssumhardy
Next: sow for fall from Oct 18
- Sow for fall
- Oct 18 – Oct 18
No window listed
No frost-based window for these crops.
Mustard greenshalf hardy
No frost-based window listed.
No frost-based sowing window is listed for mustard greens.
Crop guidance from university extension services; see each crop page for sources.
Questions
- When is the last frost in Fresno?
- The typical last spring frost (32°F) in Fresno is Jan 14. In 1 out of 10 years that freeze, a frost still comes after Feb 11. A freeze happens in about 85% of years.
- When is the first frost in Fresno?
- The typical first fall frost is Dec 14. In 1 out of 10 years that freeze, it arrives before Nov 29.
- When should I start tomato seeds in Fresno?
- Start tomato seeds indoors between Dec 17 and Dec 31, counting back from the safer last-frost date.
- What planting zone is Fresno in?
- Fresno is in USDA hardiness zone 9b on the 2023 map, going by ZIP 93704, the ZIP nearest the city center. Zones can vary within a city. The zone describes how cold winter nights get, not when to plant; for that, use the frost dates on this page.
Nearby cities
- San Jose, CA 188 km
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