College Station, Texas: planting zone & frost dates
College Station 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 6 and the first fall frost around Nov 22.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 18 | Nov 10 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 6 | Nov 22 |
| Median (50%) | Feb 27 | Nov 30 |
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 COLLEGE STN, TX (USW00003904), 4.1 mi (6.6 km) from the city center and 16 ft higher than the city center (+5 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 26 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across College Station
All 3 ZIP codes covering College Station are in zone 9a.
Vegetable planting calendar for College Station
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 6, first frost Nov 22). 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 9 – Jan 23 | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | — | — |
| Pepper | Dec 26 – Jan 9 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Feb 20 – Mar 13 | Feb 6 – Mar 20 | Sep 13 – Oct 11 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 13 – Apr 17 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 13 – Apr 10 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 6 – Feb 13 | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Cucumber | Feb 6 – Feb 13 | Mar 20 – Mar 27 | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Carrot | — | — | Feb 13 – Mar 20 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Onion | Dec 12 – Dec 26 | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 6 – Feb 27 | — | — |
| Basil | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Jan 23 – Feb 20 | Sep 27 – Oct 25 |
| Kale | Jan 9 – Jan 23 | Feb 6 – Feb 27 | Feb 6 – Feb 27 | Sep 13 – Oct 11 |
| Broccoli | Jan 9 – Jan 23 | Feb 20 – Mar 13 | — | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Peas | — | — | Jan 23 – Feb 13 | Sep 13 – Sep 27 |
| Eggplant | Dec 26 – Jan 9 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 9 – Jan 23 | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | — | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Radish | — | — | Jan 30 – Mar 20 | Oct 11 – Nov 8 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 6 – Feb 27 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Feb 13 – Mar 27 | Sep 13 – Sep 27 |
Nearby cities in Texas
- Bryan — zone 9a, last frost Mar 6, first frost Nov 22
- Conroe — zone 9a, last frost Mar 4, first frost Nov 24
- Sugar Land — zone 9b, last frost Feb 20, first frost Dec 3
- Houston — zone 9b, last frost Feb 18, first frost Dec 8
- Temple — zone 8b, last frost Mar 22, first frost Nov 11
- Missouri City — zone 9b, last frost Mar 1, first frost Nov 27
More: all Texas cities · other zone 9a cities: San Antonio, TX, Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Las Vegas, NV, Portland, OR, Tucson, AZ, Baton Rouge, LA, Tallahassee, FL
College Station gardening questions
When is the last frost in College Station, TX?
Plan around Mar 6. At NOAA's College Stn, TX station, 4.1 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 27, and after Mar 18 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Feb 7. Springs here are erratic: 46 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 College Station, TX?
Start seeds indoors Jan 9 – Jan 23 and set transplants outside Mar 13 – Mar 27, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 261 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 College Station?
About 278 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 247 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 315 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 10 and a 30% chance by Nov 22. That ranks 18th longest of 55 Texas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in College Station?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 22): transplant broccoli Aug 30 – Sep 13; sow kale Sep 13 – Oct 11; sow lettuce Sep 13 – Oct 11; sow radishes Oct 11 – Nov 8. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 18. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did College Station's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of College Station 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 College Station compare with Conroe, TX?
Both are in zone 9a. The typical last spring frost in College Station (Mar 6) comes about the same time as in Conroe, TX (Mar 4), 51 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 22 versus Nov 24. The two cities use different NOAA stations.