Planting planner: Oceanside, California

Typical last spring frost February 16 (1 spring in 10 later than March 18). Typical first fall frost December 8 (1 fall in 10 earlier than November 21). Growing season about 298 days.

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Frost likely Frost possible Frost unlikely Frost is possible from November 21 through March 18, and unlikely the rest of the year. The dashed lines are the typical dates: the last frost around February 16 and the first around December 8.

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.

January

  • January 5 to 19: Peppers (start seeds indoors)
  • January 12 to 26: Tomatoes (start seeds indoors)
  • January 19 to February 2: Peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes, onion sets, turnips (sow outdoors)
  • January 19 to February 2: Broccoli and cabbage (plant out)

February

  • February 2 to 16: Beets, carrots, potatoes, Swiss chard (plant outdoors)
  • February 2 to 16: Cauliflower (plant out)
  • February 16: Snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, summer squash (sow outdoors)

March

  • March 2: Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant (plant out)
  • March 2: Melons, winter squash, pumpkins, lima beans (sow outdoors)

April

Nothing to start this month.

May

Nothing to start this month.

June

Nothing to start this month.

July

  • July 13 to 27: Cabbage for fall (start seeds)

August

  • August 2 to 16: Broccoli for fall (start seeds)

September

  • September 11: Snap beans for fall (last date to sow)
  • September 15: Carrots for fall (last date to sow)
  • September 16: Cucumbers for fall (last date to sow)
  • September 20: Peas for fall (last date to sow)
  • September 21: Summer squash for fall (last date to sow)
  • September 25: Leaf lettuce and beets for fall (last date to sow)

October

  • October 5: Turnips and kohlrabi for fall (last date to sow)
  • October 15: Spinach for fall (last date to sow)
  • October 25: Radishes for fall (last date to sow)

November

  • November 21: Tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons, cucumbers (watch the forecast)

December

  • December 1 to 29: Broccoli and cabbage (start seeds indoors)
  • December 15 to January 12: Cauliflower (start seeds indoors)
  • December 29 to January 19: Eggplant (start seeds indoors)

Dates from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for Camp Pendleton MCAS (station USW00003154), 6 miles from the center of Oceanside. 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/oceanside/

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