Frost dates & planting calendar for San Jose, CA
Frost dates
Jan 2
Last spring frost, typical
In half of the years that freeze, the last frost comes later.
Safer date: Jan 23. Only 1 freeze year in 10 has a frost after this.
Dec 25
First fall frost, typical
In half of the years that freeze, it comes earlier.
Early date: Dec 4. Only 1 freeze year in 10 freezes before this.
362
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 95121, the ZIP nearest the city center; zones can vary within a city. What zone 9b means.
A 32°F freeze happens in about 56% 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 Nov 14
Pepper, Parsley, Tomato (from Nov 28), Eggplant (from Nov 28), Broccoli (from Nov 28), Cabbage (from Nov 28), Cauliflower (from Nov 28), Brussels sprouts (from Nov 28), Marigold (from Nov 28), Calendula (from Nov 28), Mexican sunflower (from Nov 28), Zinnia (from Dec 12) and 2 more in the calendar.
Sow outdoors from Dec 12
Leaf lettuce and Head lettuce.
Typical frost-free season: 362 days. Station: San Jose, CA, 10 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 Nov 28 to Dec 12, then plant them out from Jan 23 to Feb 6.
Planting calendar
Windows are counted from the safer dates (Jan 23 in spring, Dec 4 in fall). Going by the typical dates instead gains you about 3 weeks in spring, with more risk.
Coming up
A window opens in the next six weeks.
Peppertender
Next: start indoors from Nov 14
- Start indoors
- Nov 14 – Nov 28
- Transplant outdoors
- Jan 23 – Feb 6
Parsleyhalf hardy
Next: start indoors from Nov 14
- Start indoors
- Nov 14 – Nov 28
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 9 – Jan 23
Tomatotender
Next: start indoors from Nov 28
- Start indoors
- Nov 28 – Dec 12
- Transplant outdoors
- Jan 23 – Feb 6
Eggplanttender
Next: start indoors from Nov 28
- Start indoors
- Nov 28 – Dec 12
- Transplant outdoors
- Jan 23 – Feb 6
Broccolihardy
Next: start indoors from Nov 28
- Start indoors
- Nov 28 – Dec 12
- Transplant outdoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 23
- Sow outdoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 9
- Sow for fall
- Sep 11 – Sep 25
Cabbagehardy
Next: start indoors from Nov 28
- Start indoors
- Nov 28 – Dec 12
- Transplant outdoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 23
- Sow outdoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 9
- Sow for fall
- Sep 11 – Sep 25
Cauliflowerhalf hardy
Next: start indoors from Nov 28
- Start indoors
- Nov 28 – Dec 12
- Transplant outdoors
- Jan 9 – Jan 23
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 2 – Jan 23
- Sow for fall
- Sep 11 – Sep 25
Brussels sproutshardy
Next: start indoors from Nov 28
- Start indoors
- Nov 28 – Dec 12
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 2 – Jan 2
- Sow for fall
- Sep 11 – Sep 25
Marigoldtender
Next: start indoors from Nov 28
- Start indoors
- Nov 28 – Nov 28
- Transplant outdoors
- Jan 23 – Jan 23
Calendulahalf hardy
Next: start indoors from Nov 28
- Start indoors
- Nov 28 – Dec 12
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 16 – Jan 23
Mexican sunflowertender
Next: start indoors from Nov 28
- Start indoors
- Nov 28 – Dec 12
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 23 – Jan 23
Leaf lettucehardy
Next: sow outdoors from Dec 12
- Transplant outdoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 9
- Sow outdoors
- Dec 12 – Jan 9
Head lettucehardy
Next: sow outdoors from Dec 12
- Transplant outdoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 9
- Sow outdoors
- Dec 12 – Jan 9
Zinniatender
Next: start indoors from Dec 12
- Start indoors
- Dec 12 – Dec 26
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 23 – Jan 23
Nasturtiumtender
Next: start indoors from Dec 12
- Start indoors
- Dec 12 – Dec 26
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 23 – Jan 23
Sunflowertender
Next: start indoors from Dec 12
- Start indoors
- Dec 12 – Dec 26
December
The next window opens in December.
Cucumbertender
Next: start indoors from Dec 26
- Start indoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 9
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 23 – Jan 30
Summer squashtender
Next: start indoors from Dec 26
- Start indoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 9
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 23 – Jan 30
Winter squashtender
Next: start indoors from Dec 26
- Start indoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 9
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 30 – Feb 6
Watermelontender
Next: start indoors from Dec 26
- Start indoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 9
- Transplant outdoors
- Jan 30 – Feb 6
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 30 – Feb 6
Cantaloupetender
Next: start indoors from Dec 26
- Start indoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 2
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 30 – Feb 6
Peahardy
Next: sow outdoors from Dec 26
- Sow outdoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 9
Spinachhardy
Next: sow outdoors from Dec 26
- Sow outdoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 9
Kohlrabihardy
Next: sow outdoors from Dec 26
- Sow outdoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 9
- Sow for fall
- Sep 11 – Sep 25
Radishhardy
Next: sow outdoors from Dec 26
- Sow outdoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 9
Beethalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Dec 26
- Sow outdoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 23
Turniphardy
Next: sow outdoors from Dec 26
- Sow outdoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 9
Bulb onionhardy
Next: sow outdoors from Dec 26
- Sow outdoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 9
Green onionhardy
Next: sow outdoors from Dec 26
- Sow outdoors
- Dec 26 – Jan 9
January
The next window opens in January.
Kalehardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 2
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 2 – Jan 2
- Sow for fall
- Sep 11 – Sep 25
Collardshardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 2
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 2 – Jan 2
- Sow for fall
- Sep 11 – Sep 25
Swiss chardhalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 9
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 9 – Jan 23
Carrothalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 9
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 9 – Jan 23
Potatohalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 9
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 9 – Jan 23
Parsniphalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 9
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 9 – Jan 23
Dillhalf hardy
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 9
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 9 – Jan 16
Bush beantender
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 23
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 23 – Jan 23
Pole beantender
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 23
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 23 – Jan 23
Sweet corntender
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 23
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 23 – Jan 23
Basiltender
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 23
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 23 – Jan 23
Marjoramtender
Next: transplant outdoors from Jan 23
- Transplant outdoors
- Jan 23 – Jan 23
Pumpkintender
Next: sow outdoors from Jan 30
- Sow outdoors
- Jan 30 – Feb 6
February
The next window opens in February.
Lima beantender
Next: sow outdoors from Feb 6
- Sow outdoors
- Feb 6 – Feb 6
October
The next window opens in October.
Sweet alyssumhardy
Next: sow for fall from Oct 23
- Sow for fall
- Oct 23 – Oct 23
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 San Jose?
- The typical last spring frost (32°F) in San Jose is Jan 2. In 1 out of 10 years that freeze, a frost still comes after Jan 23. A freeze happens in about 56% of years.
- When is the first frost in San Jose?
- The typical first fall frost is Dec 25. In 1 out of 10 years that freeze, it arrives before Dec 4.
- When should I start tomato seeds in San Jose?
- Start tomato seeds indoors between Nov 28 and Dec 12, counting back from the safer last-frost date.
- What planting zone is San Jose in?
- San Jose is in USDA hardiness zone 9b on the 2023 map, going by ZIP 95121, 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
- Fresno, CA 188 km
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