Frost dates for Visalia, California
Visalia doesn't get a freezing night every winter: about 93 years in 100 have one. In those years, half have had their last frost by January 23 and half their first by December 13.
Frost dates for
Visalia, California
Last spring frost
January 23
Not every winter has one: about 93 years in 100 have a freezing night here. In those years, half have their last frost by this date, and 1 in 10 still have one after February 27.
First fall frost
December 13
In years with a freeze, half have their first one by this date, and 1 in 10 by November 27.
Growing season
328 days
Frost-free days in a typical year. 9 years in 10 get at least 289.
Hardiness zone
9b
2023 USDA map: the coldest night of winter averages 25°F to 30°F. It was 9b on the 2012 map too. All 3 ZIP codes within about 6 miles of the city's center are in zone 9b.
Print a year planner for Visalia
Frost risk through the year
How sure are these dates?
A frost date is a probability, not a promise. NOAA worked out, from 30 years of nightly lows, how often the last spring frost and the first fall frost fall on each date. The middle column is the typical year. The outer columns are the early and late years that come about once a decade.
| Early year 1 in 10 | Typical year 1 in 2 | Late year 1 in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last frost in spring | December 29 | January 23 | February 27 |
| First frost in fall | November 27 | December 13 | January 8 |
The frost-free season between them runs 328 days in a typical year. In 1 year in 10 it is 359 days or longer, and in 1 year in 10 it is 289 days or shorter.
- Hard freeze (28°F): about 51 years in 100 have one. In those years the last typically comes on January 2 and the first on December 25. It is a harder freeze than the 32°F frost line, cold enough to damage many garden plants; how hardy a crop is decides whether it comes through. (The National Weather Service's own hard-freeze threshold varies from office to office.)
- Frost possible (36°F at the station): typically last on February 27 and first on November 29. On clear, still nights the ground can be several degrees colder than the thermometer, so frost can form on plants when the official reading is in the mid-30s.
Planting calendar for Visalia
These dates count from the typical last and first frosts, using the planting rules published by Colorado State University Extension (spring), Virginia Cooperative Extension (fall crops) and University of Minnesota Extension (garlic, where winters are hard). Weather in any one year can run early or late, so check the forecast before you plant tender crops.
Frost doesn't come every year here: about 93 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.
| When | What to do | Why then |
|---|---|---|
| January | ||
| January 9 to 23 | Beets, carrots, potatoes, Swiss chard Plant outdoors, as early as | semi-hardy crops: up to 2 weeks before the typical last frost |
| January 9 to 23 | Cauliflower Plant out, as early as | semi-hardy: up to 2 weeks before the typical last frost |
| January 23 | Snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, summer squash Sow outdoors around | tender crops: around the typical last frost date |
| February | ||
| February 6 | Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant Plant out from | very tender: 2 weeks or more after the typical last frost |
| February 6 | Melons, winter squash, pumpkins, lima beans Sow outdoors from | very tender: 2 weeks or more after the typical last frost |
| July | ||
| July 18 to August 1 | Cabbage for fall Start seeds | set the plants out by September 5 |
| August | ||
| August 7 to 21 | Broccoli for fall Start seeds | set the plants out by September 25 |
| September | ||
| September 16 | Snap beans for fall Last date to sow | 60 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth, plus 2 weeks because frost kills it |
| September 20 | Carrots for fall Last date to sow | 70 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| September 21 | Cucumbers for fall Last date to sow | 55 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth, plus 2 weeks because frost kills it |
| September 25 | Peas for fall Last date to sow | 65 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| September 26 | Summer squash for fall Last date to sow | 50 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth, plus 2 weeks because frost kills it |
| September 30 | Leaf lettuce and beets for fall Last date to sow | 60 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| October | ||
| October 10 | Turnips and kohlrabi for fall Last date to sow | 50 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| October 20 | Spinach for fall Last date to sow | 40 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| October 30 | Radishes for fall Last date to sow | 30 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| November | ||
| November 7 to December 5 | Broccoli and cabbage Start seeds indoors | 5 to 7 weeks before planting them out |
| November 21 to December 19 | Cauliflower Start seeds indoors | 5 to 7 weeks before planting out |
| November 27 | Tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons, cucumbers Watch the forecast from | in 1 fall in 10 the first frost comes by this date; pick tender crops before a frost |
| December | ||
| December 5 to 26 | Eggplant Start seeds indoors | 6 to 9 weeks before planting out |
| December 12 to 26 | Peppers Start seeds indoors | 6 to 8 weeks before planting out |
| December 19 to January 2 | Tomatoes Start seeds indoors | 5 to 7 weeks before planting out |
| December 26 to January 9 | Peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes, onion sets, turnips Sow outdoors, as early as | hardy crops: 2 to 4 weeks before the typical last frost |
| December 26 to January 9 | Broccoli and cabbage Plant out, as early as | hardy crops: 2 to 4 weeks before the typical last frost |
Want more insurance? Shift every spring date 35 days later. That plans around February 27, the date after which only 1 spring in 10 has a frost.
For spring bulbs such as tulips and daffodils, plant once the soil has cooled to about 50 to 55°F and keep going until a couple of weeks before the ground freezes. Our guide to fall planting explains how to tell.
Where these numbers come from
These dates come from NOAA's weather station Visalia (station USC00049367), 1 mile from the center of Visalia. It sits at about the same elevation, 300 feet above sea level. NOAA rates this station's record as representative: at least 10 of the 30 years, with the gaps filled from nearby stations.
The same station also gives the frost dates for Tulare and Farmersville.
Our ZIP code lookup matches these 13 ZIP codes to the same station, so they get the same dates: 93223, 93227, 93235, 93274, 93277, 93291, 93292, 93615, 93618, 93646, 93647, 93666, 93670. Hardiness zones are worked out separately for each ZIP code.
Nearby places
- Fresno, California: frost not every year (40 miles away)
- Bakersfield, California: frost not every year (70 miles away)
- Santa Maria, California: frost not every year (115 miles away)
See frost dates across California, or look up your own ZIP code for the station nearest you. Want the background? Read what a last frost date really means.