Hemet, California: planting zone & frost dates
Hemet 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 Feb 14 and the first fall frost around Dec 2.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 28 | Nov 22 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Feb 14 | Dec 2 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 31 | Dec 10 |
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 SAN JACINTO, CA (USC00047813), 4.5 mi (7.2 km) from the city center and 13 ft lower than the city center (-4 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 26 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Hemet
All 3 ZIP codes covering Hemet are in zone 9b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Hemet
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Feb 14, first frost Dec 2). 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 20 – Jan 3 | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | — | — |
| Pepper | Dec 6 – Dec 20 | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Jan 3 – Jan 17 | Jan 31 – Feb 21 | Jan 17 – Feb 28 | Sep 23 – Oct 21 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 21 – Mar 28 | Sep 9 – Sep 23 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 21 – Mar 21 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 17 – Jan 24 | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | Feb 21 – Mar 14 | Sep 9 – Sep 23 |
| Cucumber | Jan 17 – Jan 24 | Feb 28 – Mar 7 | Feb 21 – Mar 14 | Sep 9 – Sep 23 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 24 – Feb 28 | Sep 9 – Sep 23 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 22 – Dec 6 | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 17 – Feb 7 | — | — |
| Basil | Jan 3 – Jan 17 | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Feb 28 – Mar 21 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 3 – Jan 31 | Oct 7 – Nov 4 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Jan 17 – Feb 7 | Jan 17 – Feb 7 | Sep 23 – Oct 21 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Jan 31 – Feb 21 | — | Sep 9 – Sep 23 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 3 – Jan 24 | Sep 23 – Oct 7 |
| Eggplant | Dec 6 – Dec 20 | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | — | Sep 9 – Sep 23 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 10 – Feb 28 | Oct 21 – Nov 18 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 17 – Feb 7 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 24 – Mar 7 | Sep 23 – Oct 7 |
Nearby cities in California
- Menifee — zone 9b, last frost Feb 10, first frost Dec 10
- Perris — zone 9b, last frost Feb 10, first frost Dec 10
- Murrieta — zone 10a, last frost Feb 14, first frost Jan 3
- Temecula — zone 9b, last frost Feb 14, first frost Jan 3
- Moreno Valley — zone 9b, last frost Feb 10, first frost Dec 11
- Riverside — zone 10a, last frost Jan 25, first frost Dec 15
More: all California cities · other zone 9b cities: Houston, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Jacksonville, FL, San Jose, CA, Fresno, CA, Sacramento, CA, Mesa, AZ, Bakersfield, CA
Hemet gardening questions
When is the last frost in Hemet, CA?
Plan around Feb 14. At NOAA's San Jacinto, CA station, 4.5 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 31, and after Feb 28 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 3. Springs here are erratic: 59 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 Hemet, CA?
Start seeds indoors Dec 20 – Jan 3 and set transplants outside Feb 21 – Mar 7, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 291 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 Hemet?
About 315 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 274 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 348 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 22 and a 30% chance by Dec 2. That ranks 64th longest of 84 California cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Hemet?
Count back from the first fall frost (Dec 2): transplant broccoli Sep 9 – Sep 23; sow kale Sep 23 – Oct 21; sow lettuce Sep 23 – Oct 21; sow radishes Oct 21 – Nov 18. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 21. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Hemet's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Hemet was zone 9a on the 2012 map and is zone 9b 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 Hemet compare with Menifee, CA?
Both are in zone 9b. The typical last spring frost in Hemet (Feb 14) comes about 4 days later than in Menifee, CA (Feb 10), 11 miles away, and the first fall frost is Dec 2 versus Dec 10. The two cities use different NOAA stations.