Lake Charles, Louisiana: planting zone & frost dates
Lake Charles 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 Feb 26 and the first fall frost around Nov 28.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 11 | Nov 14 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Feb 26 | Nov 28 |
| Median (50%) | Feb 14 | Dec 7 |
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 LAKE CHARLES, LA (USW00003937), 5.1 mi (8.2 km) from the city center and about the same elevation as the city center (+0 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 30 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Lake Charles
Lake Charles spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 4 ZIP codes): 9a (53%), 9b (47%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Lake Charles
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Feb 26, first frost Nov 28). 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 1 – Jan 15 | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | — | — |
| Pepper | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Jan 15 – Jan 29 | Feb 12 – Mar 5 | Jan 29 – Mar 12 | Sep 19 – Oct 17 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 5 – Apr 9 | Sep 5 – Sep 19 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 5 – Apr 2 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 29 – Feb 5 | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | Sep 5 – Sep 19 |
| Cucumber | Jan 29 – Feb 5 | Mar 12 – Mar 19 | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | Sep 5 – Sep 19 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Feb 5 – Mar 12 | Sep 5 – Sep 19 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 4 – Dec 18 | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 29 – Feb 19 | — | — |
| Basil | Jan 15 – Jan 29 | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 15 – Feb 12 | Oct 3 – Oct 31 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Jan 1 – Jan 15 | Jan 29 – Feb 19 | Jan 29 – Feb 19 | Sep 19 – Oct 17 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Jan 1 – Jan 15 | Feb 12 – Mar 5 | — | Sep 5 – Sep 19 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Eggplant | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Jan 1 – Jan 15 | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | — | Sep 5 – Sep 19 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 22 – Mar 12 | Oct 17 – Nov 14 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 29 – Feb 19 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Feb 5 – Mar 19 | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
Nearby cities in Louisiana
- Lafayette — zone 9a, last frost Mar 7, first frost Nov 19
- Baton Rouge — zone 9a, last frost Mar 10, first frost Nov 15
- Shreveport — zone 8b, last frost Mar 17, first frost Nov 11
- New Orleans — zone 9b, last frost Feb 1, first frost Dec 29
More: all Louisiana cities · other zone 9a cities: San Antonio, TX, Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Las Vegas, NV, Portland, OR, Tucson, AZ, Baton Rouge, LA, Tallahassee, FL
Lake Charles gardening questions
When is the last frost in Lake Charles, LA?
Plan around Feb 26. At NOAA's Lake Charles, LA station, 5.1 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 14, and after Mar 11 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 27. Springs here are erratic: 54 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 Lake Charles, LA?
Start seeds indoors Jan 1 – Jan 15 and set transplants outside Mar 5 – Mar 19, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 275 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 Lake Charles?
About 299 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 262 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 333 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 14 and a 30% chance by Nov 28. That ranks 2nd longest of 5 Louisiana cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Lake Charles?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 28): transplant broccoli Sep 5 – Sep 19; sow kale Sep 19 – Oct 17; sow lettuce Sep 19 – Oct 17; sow radishes Oct 17 – Nov 14. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Jan 3. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Lake Charles's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Lake Charles is zone 9a 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.
Is all of Lake Charles in zone 9a?
No. Zone 9a covers about 53% of the city's land; the rest is in 9b (47%), measured across the city's 4 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.