Houston, Texas: planting zone & frost dates
Houston 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 18 and the first fall frost around Dec 8.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 5 | Nov 27 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Feb 18 | Dec 8 |
| Median (50%) | Feb 2 | Dec 25 |
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 HOUSTON-PORT, TX (USC00414326), 7.1 mi (11.4 km) from the city center and 33 ft lower than the city center (-10 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 14 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Houston
All 79 ZIP codes covering Houston are in zone 9b.
ZIP codes in Houston and their zones
| ZIP | Zone | Share of city land |
|---|---|---|
| 77032 | 9b | 2.9% |
| 77077 | 9b | 2.6% |
| 77084 | 9b | 2.6% |
| 77339 | 9b | 2.3% |
| 77034 | 9b | 2.2% |
| 77043 | 9b | 2.2% |
| 77048 | 9b | 1.8% |
| 77075 | 9b | 1.8% |
| 77045 | 9b | 1.7% |
| 77013 | 9b | 1.5% |
| 77017 | 9b | 1.5% |
| 77082 | 9b | 1.5% |
| 77016 | 9b | 1.4% |
| 77028 | 9b | 1.4% |
| 77029 | 9b | 1.3% |
| 77088 | 9b | 1.3% |
| 77092 | 9b | 1.3% |
| 77345 | 9b | 1.3% |
| 77007 | 9b | 1.2% |
| 77015 | 9b | 1.2% |
| 77020 | 9b | 1.2% |
| 77047 | 9b | 1.2% |
| 77051 | 9b | 1.2% |
| 77061 | 9b | 1.2% |
| 77078 | 9b | 1.2% |
| 77079 | 9b | 1.2% |
| 77093 | 9b | 1.2% |
| 77338 | 9b | 1.2% |
| 77450 | 9b | 1.2% |
| 77018 | 9b | 1.1% |
| 77036 | 9b | 1.1% |
| 77041 | 9b | 1.1% |
| 77044 | 9b | 1.1% |
| 77055 | 9b | 1.1% |
| 77059 | 9b | 1.1% |
| 77072 | 9b | 1.1% |
| 77089 | 9b | 1.1% |
| 77091 | 9b | 1.1% |
| 77396 | 9b | 1.1% |
| 77008 | 9b | 1.0% |
| 77009 | 9b | 1.0% |
| 77024 | 9b | 1.0% |
| 77026 | 9b | 1.0% |
| 77042 | 9b | 1.0% |
| 77080 | 9b | 1.0% |
| 77087 | 9b | 1.0% |
| 77021 | 9b | 0.9% |
| 77022 | 9b | 0.9% |
| 77023 | 9b | 0.9% |
| 77033 | 9b | 0.9% |
| 77035 | 9b | 0.9% |
| 77062 | 9b | 0.9% |
| 77074 | 9b | 0.9% |
| 77085 | 9b | 0.9% |
| 77096 | 9b | 0.9% |
| 77099 | 9b | 0.9% |
| 77004 | 9b | 0.8% |
| 77054 | 9b | 0.8% |
| 77025 | 9b | 0.7% |
| 77057 | 9b | 0.7% |
| 77060 | 9b | 0.7% |
| 77063 | 9b | 0.7% |
| 77076 | 9b | 0.7% |
| 77012 | 9b | 0.6% |
| 77019 | 9b | 0.6% |
| 77071 | 9b | 0.6% |
| 77011 | 9b | 0.5% |
| 77056 | 9b | 0.5% |
| 77081 | 9b | 0.5% |
| 77003 | 9b | 0.4% |
| 77006 | 9b | 0.4% |
| 77027 | 9b | 0.4% |
| 77030 | 9b | 0.4% |
| 77031 | 9b | 0.4% |
| 77002 | 9b | 0.3% |
| 77098 | 9b | 0.3% |
| 77204 | 9b | 0.1% |
| 77010 | 9b | 0.0% |
| 77046 | 9b | 0.0% |
Vegetable planting calendar for Houston
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Feb 18, first frost Dec 8). 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 24 – Jan 7 | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | — | — |
| Pepper | Dec 10 – Dec 24 | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Jan 7 – Jan 21 | Feb 4 – Feb 25 | Jan 21 – Mar 4 | Sep 29 – Oct 27 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 25 – Apr 1 | Sep 15 – Sep 29 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 25 – Mar 25 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 21 – Jan 28 | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Feb 25 – Mar 18 | Sep 15 – Sep 29 |
| Cucumber | Jan 21 – Jan 28 | Mar 4 – Mar 11 | Feb 25 – Mar 18 | Sep 15 – Sep 29 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 28 – Mar 4 | Sep 15 – Sep 29 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 26 – Dec 10 | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 21 – Feb 11 | — | — |
| Basil | Jan 7 – Jan 21 | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 7 – Feb 4 | Oct 13 – Nov 10 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 24 – Jan 7 | Jan 21 – Feb 11 | Jan 21 – Feb 11 | Sep 29 – Oct 27 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 24 – Jan 7 | Feb 4 – Feb 25 | — | Sep 15 – Sep 29 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 7 – Jan 28 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Eggplant | Dec 10 – Dec 24 | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 24 – Jan 7 | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | — | Sep 15 – Sep 29 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 14 – Mar 4 | Oct 27 – Nov 24 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 21 – Feb 11 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 28 – Mar 11 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
Nearby cities in Texas
- Pearland — zone 9b, last frost Feb 15, first frost Dec 10
- Missouri City — zone 9b, last frost Mar 1, first frost Nov 27
- Pasadena — zone 9b, last frost Feb 10, first frost Dec 10
- Sugar Land — zone 9b, last frost Feb 20, first frost Dec 3
- League City — zone 9b, last frost Feb 15, first frost Dec 3
- Baytown — zone 9b, last frost Mar 2, first frost Nov 25
More: all Texas cities · other zone 9b cities: Phoenix, AZ, Jacksonville, FL, San Jose, CA, Fresno, CA, Sacramento, CA, Mesa, AZ, Bakersfield, CA, New Orleans, LA
Houston gardening questions
When is the last frost in Houston, TX?
Plan around Feb 18. At NOAA's Houston-port, TX station, 7.1 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 2, and after Mar 5 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 23. Springs here are erratic: 64 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 Houston, TX?
Start seeds indoors Dec 24 – Jan 7 and set transplants outside Feb 25 – Mar 11, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 293 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 Houston?
About 327 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 285 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 27 and a 30% chance by Dec 8. That ranks 10th longest of 55 Texas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Houston?
Count back from the first fall frost (Dec 8): transplant broccoli Sep 15 – Sep 29; sow kale Sep 29 – Oct 27; sow lettuce Sep 29 – Oct 27; sow radishes Oct 27 – Nov 24. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Jan 5. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Houston's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Houston 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 Houston compare with Pearland, TX?
Both are in zone 9b. The typical last spring frost in Houston (Feb 18) comes about the same time as in Pearland, TX (Feb 15), 16 miles away, and the first fall frost is Dec 8 versus Dec 10. The two cities use different NOAA stations.