Frost dates for Laredo, Texas
Laredo doesn't get a freezing night every winter: about 90 years in 100 have one. In those years, half have had their last frost by January 25 and half their first by December 17.
Frost dates for
Laredo, Texas
Last spring frost
January 25
Not every winter has one: about 90 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 25.
First fall frost
December 17
In years with a freeze, half have their first one by this date, and 1 in 10 by November 23.
Growing season
329 days
Frost-free days in a typical year. 9 years in 10 get at least 288.
Hardiness zone
9b
2023 USDA map: the coldest night of winter averages 25°F to 30°F. On the 2012 map it was 9a, half a zone colder. All 3 ZIP codes within about 6 miles of the city's center are in zone 9b.
Print a year planner for Laredo
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 25 | January 25 | February 25 |
| First frost in fall | November 23 | December 17 | January 19 |
The frost-free season between them runs 329 days in a typical year. In 1 year in 10 it is 362 days or longer, and in 1 year in 10 it is 288 days or shorter.
- Hard freeze (28°F): about 55 years in 100 have one. In those years the last typically comes on January 8 and the first on December 30. 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 13 and first on December 3. 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 Laredo
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 90 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 11 to 25 | Beets, carrots, potatoes, Swiss chard Plant outdoors, as early as | semi-hardy crops: up to 2 weeks before the typical last frost |
| January 11 to 25 | Cauliflower Plant out, as early as | semi-hardy: up to 2 weeks before the typical last frost |
| January 25 | Snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, summer squash Sow outdoors around | tender crops: around the typical last frost date |
| February | ||
| February 8 | Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant Plant out from | very tender: 2 weeks or more after the typical last frost |
| February 8 | Melons, winter squash, pumpkins, lima beans Sow outdoors from | very tender: 2 weeks or more after the typical last frost |
| July | ||
| July 22 to August 5 | Cabbage for fall Start seeds | set the plants out by September 9 |
| August | ||
| August 11 to 25 | Broccoli for fall Start seeds | set the plants out by September 29 |
| September | ||
| September 20 | 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 24 | Carrots for fall Last date to sow | 70 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| September 25 | 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 29 | Peas for fall Last date to sow | 65 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| September 30 | 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 |
| October | ||
| October 4 | Leaf lettuce and beets for fall Last date to sow | 60 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| October 14 | Turnips and kohlrabi for fall Last date to sow | 50 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| October 24 | Spinach for fall Last date to sow | 40 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| November | ||
| November 3 | Radishes for fall Last date to sow | 30 days to harvest, plus 2 weeks for slower fall growth |
| November 9 to December 7 | Broccoli and cabbage Start seeds indoors | 5 to 7 weeks before planting them out |
| November 23 to December 21 | Cauliflower Start seeds indoors | 5 to 7 weeks before planting out |
| November 23 | 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 7 to 28 | Eggplant Start seeds indoors | 6 to 9 weeks before planting out |
| December 14 to 28 | Peppers Start seeds indoors | 6 to 8 weeks before planting out |
| December 21 to January 4 | Tomatoes Start seeds indoors | 5 to 7 weeks before planting out |
| December 28 to January 11 | Peas, spinach, lettuce, radishes, onion sets, turnips Sow outdoors, as early as | hardy crops: 2 to 4 weeks before the typical last frost |
| December 28 to January 11 | 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 31 days later. That plans around February 25, 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 Laredo 2 (station USC00415060), less than a mile from the center of Laredo. It sits at about the same elevation, 430 feet above sea level. NOAA rates this station's record as standard: at least 24 of the 30 years, with gaps filled from nearby stations.
Our ZIP code lookup matches these 5 ZIP codes to the same station, so they get the same dates: 78040, 78041, 78043, 78045, 78046. Hardiness zones are worked out separately for each ZIP code.
The nearest other places with pages
- Edinburg, Texas: frost not every year (120 miles away)
- McAllen, Texas: frost not every year (120 miles away)
- Corpus Christi, Texas: frost not every year (140 miles away)
See frost dates across Texas, or look up your own ZIP code for the station nearest you. Want the background? Read what a last frost date really means.