Brownsville, Texas: planting zone & frost dates
Brownsville is in USDA plant hardiness zone 10a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 30 to 35°F (-1.1 to 1.7°C). The typical last spring frost is around Jan 13 and the first fall frost around Dec 24.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 1 | Dec 8 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Jan 13 | Dec 24 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 6 | Jan 2 |
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 BROWNSVILLE, TX (USW00012919), 5.9 mi (9.5 km) from the city center and 13 ft higher than the city center (+4 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 29 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Brownsville
All 7 ZIP codes covering Brownsville are in zone 10a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Brownsville
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Jan 13, first frost Dec 24). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Nov 18 – Dec 2 | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | — | — |
| Pepper | Nov 4 – Nov 18 | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 2 – Dec 16 | Dec 30 – Jan 20 | Dec 16 – Jan 27 | Oct 15 – Nov 12 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Jan 20 – Feb 24 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Jan 20 – Feb 17 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Dec 16 – Dec 23 | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Jan 20 – Feb 10 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Cucumber | Dec 16 – Dec 23 | Jan 27 – Feb 3 | Jan 20 – Feb 10 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 23 – Jan 27 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Oct 21 – Nov 4 | Dec 16 – Dec 30 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Dec 16 – Jan 6 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 2 – Dec 16 | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Jan 27 – Feb 17 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 2 – Dec 30 | Oct 29 – Nov 26 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 18 – Dec 2 | Dec 16 – Jan 6 | Dec 16 – Jan 6 | Oct 15 – Nov 12 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 18 – Dec 2 | Dec 30 – Jan 20 | — | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 2 – Dec 23 | Oct 15 – Oct 29 |
| Eggplant | Nov 4 – Nov 18 | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 18 – Dec 2 | Dec 16 – Dec 30 | — | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 9 – Jan 27 | Nov 12 – Dec 10 |
| Strawberry | — | Dec 16 – Jan 6 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 23 – Feb 3 | Oct 15 – Oct 29 |
Nearby cities in Texas
- Pharr — zone 10a, last frost Jan 29, first frost Dec 26
- Edinburg — zone 10a, last frost Jan 27, first frost Dec 24
- McAllen — zone 10a, last frost Jan 30, first frost Dec 22
- Mission — zone 10a, last frost Jan 29, first frost Dec 26
- Corpus Christi — zone 10a, last frost Jan 31, first frost Jan 1
- Laredo — zone 9b, last frost Feb 5, first frost Dec 6
More: all Texas cities · other zone 10a cities: Los Angeles, CA, Oakland, CA, Tampa, FL, Orlando, FL, Riverside, CA, Corpus Christi, TX, Port St. Lucie, FL, Scottsdale, AZ
Brownsville gardening questions
When is the last frost in Brownsville, TX?
Plan around Jan 13. At NOAA's Brownsville, TX station, 5.9 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 Jan 6, and after Feb 1 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. Springs here are erratic: 52 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 Brownsville, TX?
Start seeds indoors Nov 18 – Dec 2 and set transplants outside Jan 20 – Feb 3, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 345 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 Brownsville?
About 365 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 347 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Dec 8 and a 30% chance by Dec 24. That ranks 2nd longest of 55 Texas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Brownsville?
Count back from the first fall frost (Dec 24): transplant broccoli Oct 1 – Oct 15; sow kale Oct 15 – Nov 12; sow lettuce Oct 15 – Nov 12; sow radishes Nov 12 – Dec 10. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Brownsville's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Brownsville is zone 10a on both the 2012 and the 2023 USDA maps (PRISM/OSU ZIP listings). About 42% of U.S. ZIP codes kept their half-zone in 2023. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Brownsville compare with Pharr, TX?
Both are in zone 10a. The typical last spring frost in Brownsville (Jan 13) comes about 16 days earlier than in Pharr, TX (Jan 29), 48 miles away, and the first fall frost is Dec 24 versus Dec 26. The two cities use different NOAA stations.