Planting planner: Elk Grove, California
Typical last spring frost February 2 (1 spring in 10 later than March 5). Typical first fall frost December 2 (1 fall in 10 earlier than November 16). Growing season about 301 days.
Or use your browser's Print command.
Frost doesn't come every year here: about 98 years in 100 have at least one freezing night. The calendar is built on the dates for the years that do.
We don't give a garlic date here. The rule we use, from the University of Minnesota Extension, counts from the first killing frost, and it works where a hard freeze comes every year before the ground freezes. Your county's extension office can tell you when to plant garlic in your climate.
Your typical last frost comes before mid-February. Where winters are this mild, summer heat limits the garden as much as frost does, and most planting happens in fall and late winter. Your county's extension office publishes a calendar made for your climate.
January
- January 5 to 19: Peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes, onion sets, turnips (sow outdoors)
- January 5 to 19: Broccoli and cabbage (plant out)
- January 19 to February 2: Beets, carrots, potatoes, Swiss chard (plant outdoors)
- January 19 to February 2: Cauliflower (plant out)
February
- February 2: Snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, summer squash (sow outdoors)
- February 16: Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant (plant out)
- February 16: Melons, winter squash, pumpkins, lima beans (sow outdoors)
March
Nothing to start this month.
April
Nothing to start this month.
May
Nothing to start this month.
June
Nothing to start this month.
July
- July 7 to 21: Cabbage for fall (start seeds)
- July 27 to August 10: Broccoli for fall (start seeds)
August
Nothing to start this month.
September
- September 5: Snap beans for fall (last date to sow)
- September 9: Carrots for fall (last date to sow)
- September 10: Cucumbers for fall (last date to sow)
- September 14: Peas for fall (last date to sow)
- September 15: Summer squash for fall (last date to sow)
- September 19: Leaf lettuce and beets for fall (last date to sow)
- September 29: Turnips and kohlrabi for fall (last date to sow)
October
- October 9: Spinach for fall (last date to sow)
- October 19: Radishes for fall (last date to sow)
November
- November 16: Tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons, cucumbers (watch the forecast)
- November 17 to December 15: Broccoli and cabbage (start seeds indoors)
December
- December 1 to 29: Cauliflower (start seeds indoors)
- December 15 to January 5: Eggplant (start seeds indoors)
- December 22 to January 5: Peppers (start seeds indoors)
- December 29 to January 12: Tomatoes (start seeds indoors)
Dates from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for Sacramento Executive Airport (station USW00023232), 9 miles from the center of Elk Grove. Planting rules: Colorado State University Extension GardenNotes #720 (spring), Virginia Cooperative Extension 426-334 (fall crops), University of Minnesota Extension (garlic). Spring bulbs: plant when the soil has cooled to about 50 to 55°F, until a couple of weeks before the ground freezes (University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension). Full details: https://lastfrostdate.com/frost-dates/california/elk-grove/