Planting planner: Modesto, California
Typical last spring frost January 31 (1 spring in 10 later than February 25). Typical first fall frost December 5 (1 fall in 10 earlier than November 20). Growing season about 312 days.
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Frost doesn't come every year here: about 97 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 3 to 17: Peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes, onion sets, turnips (sow outdoors)
- January 3 to 17: Broccoli and cabbage (plant out)
- January 17 to 31: Beets, carrots, potatoes, Swiss chard (plant outdoors)
- January 17 to 31: Cauliflower (plant out)
- January 31: Snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, summer squash (sow outdoors)
February
- February 14: Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant (plant out)
- February 14: 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 10 to 24: Cabbage for fall (start seeds)
- July 30 to August 13: Broccoli for fall (start seeds)
August
Nothing to start this month.
September
- September 8: Snap beans for fall (last date to sow)
- September 12: Carrots for fall (last date to sow)
- September 13: Cucumbers for fall (last date to sow)
- September 17: Peas for fall (last date to sow)
- September 18: Summer squash for fall (last date to sow)
- September 22: Leaf lettuce and beets for fall (last date to sow)
October
- October 2: Turnips and kohlrabi for fall (last date to sow)
- October 12: Spinach for fall (last date to sow)
- October 22: Radishes for fall (last date to sow)
November
- November 15 to December 13: Broccoli and cabbage (start seeds indoors)
- November 20: Tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons, cucumbers (watch the forecast)
- November 29 to December 27: Cauliflower (start seeds indoors)
December
- December 13 to January 3: Eggplant (start seeds indoors)
- December 20 to January 3: Peppers (start seeds indoors)
- December 27 to January 10: Tomatoes (start seeds indoors)
Dates from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for Modesto City Co Airport (station USW00023258), 3 miles from the center of Modesto. 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/modesto/