Austin, Texas: planting zone & frost dates
Austin is in USDA plant hardiness zone 9a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 20 to 25°F (-6.7 to -3.9°C). The typical last spring frost is around Mar 2 and the first fall frost around Nov 26.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 14 | Nov 15 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 2 | Nov 26 |
| Median (50%) | Feb 20 | Dec 3 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station AUSTIN-CAMP MABRY, TX (USW00013958), 1.6 mi (2.5 km) from the city center and 59 ft higher than the city center (+18 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 30 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Austin
All 38 ZIP codes covering Austin are in zone 9a.
ZIP codes in Austin and their zones
| ZIP | Zone | Share of city land |
|---|---|---|
| 78744 | 9a | 5.5% |
| 78724 | 9a | 4.5% |
| 78730 | 9a | 4.2% |
| 78735 | 9a | 4.0% |
| 78759 | 9a | 4.0% |
| 78617 | 9a | 3.9% |
| 78745 | 9a | 3.9% |
| 78748 | 9a | 3.6% |
| 78750 | 9a | 3.5% |
| 78746 | 9a | 3.4% |
| 78753 | 9a | 3.4% |
| 78749 | 9a | 3.0% |
| 78717 | 9a | 2.9% |
| 78754 | 9a | 2.9% |
| 78726 | 9a | 2.8% |
| 78739 | 9a | 2.8% |
| 78758 | 9a | 2.8% |
| 78704 | 9a | 2.7% |
| 78731 | 9a | 2.7% |
| 78727 | 9a | 2.4% |
| 78741 | 9a | 2.4% |
| 78719 | 9a | 2.3% |
| 78653 | 9a | 2.2% |
| 78723 | 9a | 2.2% |
| 78729 | 9a | 2.2% |
| 78747 | 9a | 2.0% |
| 78703 | 9a | 1.8% |
| 78702 | 9a | 1.6% |
| 78757 | 9a | 1.5% |
| 78732 | 9a | 1.4% |
| 78721 | 9a | 1.1% |
| 78752 | 9a | 1.0% |
| 78751 | 9a | 0.8% |
| 78705 | 9a | 0.6% |
| 78701 | 9a | 0.5% |
| 78756 | 9a | 0.5% |
| 78722 | 9a | 0.4% |
| 78712 | 9a | 0.2% |
Vegetable planting calendar for Austin
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 2, first frost Nov 26). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Jan 5 – Jan 19 | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | — | — |
| Pepper | Dec 22 – Jan 5 | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Feb 2 – Mar 16 | Sep 17 – Oct 15 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 9 – Apr 13 | Sep 3 – Sep 17 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 9 – Apr 6 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 2 – Feb 9 | Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | Sep 3 – Sep 17 |
| Cucumber | Feb 2 – Feb 9 | Mar 16 – Mar 23 | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | Sep 3 – Sep 17 |
| Carrot | — | — | Feb 9 – Mar 16 | Sep 3 – Sep 17 |
| Onion | Dec 8 – Dec 22 | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 2 – Feb 23 | — | — |
| Basil | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Jan 19 – Feb 16 | Oct 1 – Oct 29 |
| Kale | Jan 5 – Jan 19 | Feb 2 – Feb 23 | Feb 2 – Feb 23 | Sep 17 – Oct 15 |
| Broccoli | Jan 5 – Jan 19 | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | — | Sep 3 – Sep 17 |
| Peas | — | — | Jan 19 – Feb 9 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Eggplant | Dec 22 – Jan 5 | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 5 – Jan 19 | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | — | Sep 3 – Sep 17 |
| Radish | — | — | Jan 26 – Mar 16 | Oct 15 – Nov 12 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 2 – Feb 23 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Feb 9 – Mar 23 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
Nearby cities in Texas
- Cedar Park — zone 9a, last frost Mar 19, first frost Nov 13
- Round Rock — zone 9a, last frost Mar 19, first frost Nov 13
- Leander — zone 9a, last frost Mar 15, first frost Nov 16
- Georgetown — zone 9a, last frost Mar 15, first frost Nov 16
- New Braunfels — zone 9a, last frost Mar 18, first frost Nov 10
- Killeen — zone 8b, last frost Mar 24, first frost Nov 8
More: all Texas cities · other zone 9a cities: San Antonio, TX, Seattle, WA, Las Vegas, NV, Portland, OR, Tucson, AZ, Baton Rouge, LA, Tallahassee, FL, Mobile, AL
Austin gardening questions
When is the last frost in Austin, TX?
Plan around Mar 2. At NOAA's Austin-camp Mabry, TX station, 1.6 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Feb 20, and after Mar 14 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Feb 1. Springs here are erratic: 50 days separate the 90% and 10% dates, versus a median of 36 days for cities on this site, so watch the forecast rather than the calendar.
When should I plant tomatoes in Austin, TX?
Start seeds indoors Jan 5 – Jan 19 and set transplants outside Mar 9 – Mar 23, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 269 frost-free days, frost is not the main limit — fruit set drops when nights stay above about 75°F, so early plantings tend to do best. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Austin?
About 291 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 258 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 326 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 15 and a 30% chance by Nov 26. That ranks 16th longest of 55 Texas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Austin?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 26): transplant broccoli Sep 3 – Sep 17; sow kale Sep 17 – Oct 15; sow lettuce Sep 17 – Oct 15; sow radishes Oct 15 – Nov 12. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 27. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Austin's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Austin was zone 8b on the 2012 map and is zone 9a on the 2023 map — half a zone warmer, like about 56% of U.S. ZIP codes. The shift comes from a newer 1991–2020 averaging period plus more weather stations and better mapping; it does not mean last frost comes earlier. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Austin compare with Cedar Park, TX?
Both are in zone 9a. The typical last spring frost in Austin (Mar 2) comes about 17 days earlier than in Cedar Park, TX (Mar 19), 15 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 26 versus Nov 13. Austin sits about 331 ft lower, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.