Fresno, California: planting zone & frost dates
Fresno is in USDA plant hardiness zone 9b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 25 to 30°F (-3.9 to -1.1°C). The typical last spring frost is around Jan 29 and the first fall frost around Dec 6.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 11 | Nov 29 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Jan 29 | Dec 6 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 14 | Dec 14 |
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 FRESNO YOSEMITE INTL AP, CA (USW00093193), 4.1 mi (6.6 km) from the city center and 23 ft higher than the city center (+7 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 30 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Fresno
All 19 ZIP codes covering Fresno are in zone 9b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Fresno
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Jan 29, first frost Dec 6). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Dec 4 – Dec 18 | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | — | — |
| Pepper | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | Jan 1 – Feb 12 | Sep 27 – Oct 25 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 5 – Mar 12 | Sep 13 – Sep 27 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 5 – Mar 5 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 1 – Jan 8 | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Feb 5 – Feb 26 | Sep 13 – Sep 27 |
| Cucumber | Jan 1 – Jan 8 | Feb 12 – Feb 19 | Feb 5 – Feb 26 | Sep 13 – Sep 27 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 8 – Feb 12 | Sep 13 – Sep 27 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 6 – Nov 20 | Jan 1 – Jan 15 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 1 – Jan 22 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Feb 12 – Mar 5 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 18 – Jan 15 | Oct 11 – Nov 8 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 4 – Dec 18 | Jan 1 – Jan 22 | Jan 1 – Jan 22 | Sep 27 – Oct 25 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 4 – Dec 18 | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | — | Sep 13 – Sep 27 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 18 – Jan 8 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Eggplant | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 4 – Dec 18 | Jan 1 – Jan 15 | — | Sep 13 – Sep 27 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 25 – Feb 12 | Oct 25 – Nov 22 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 1 – Jan 22 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 8 – Feb 19 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
Nearby cities in California
- Clovis — zone 9b, last frost Jan 29, first frost Dec 6
- Visalia — zone 9b, last frost Feb 2, first frost Dec 6
- Merced — zone 9a, last frost Mar 19, first frost Nov 16
- Modesto — zone 9b, last frost Feb 10, first frost Nov 29
- Bakersfield — zone 9b, last frost Feb 12, first frost Dec 1
- Manteca — zone 9b, last frost Feb 17, first frost Nov 24
More: all California cities · other zone 9b cities: Houston, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Jacksonville, FL, San Jose, CA, Sacramento, CA, Mesa, AZ, Bakersfield, CA, New Orleans, LA
Fresno gardening questions
When is the last frost in Fresno, CA?
Plan around Jan 29. At NOAA's Fresno Yosemite Int'l Airport, CA 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 Jan 14, and after Feb 11 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 1. Springs here are erratic: 51 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 Fresno, CA?
Start seeds indoors Dec 4 – Dec 18 and set transplants outside Feb 5 – Feb 19, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 311 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 Fresno?
About 337 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 305 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 29 and a 30% chance by Dec 6. That ranks 47th longest of 84 California cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Fresno?
Count back from the first fall frost (Dec 6): transplant broccoli Sep 13 – Sep 27; sow kale Sep 27 – Oct 25; sow lettuce Sep 27 – Oct 25; sow radishes Oct 25 – Nov 22. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 24. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Fresno's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Fresno is zone 9b 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 Fresno compare with Visalia, CA?
Both are in zone 9b. The typical last spring frost in Fresno (Jan 29) comes about 4 days earlier than in Visalia, CA (Feb 2), 41 miles away, and the first fall frost is Dec 6 versus Dec 6. The two cities use different NOAA stations.