Lubbock, Texas: planting zone & frost dates
Lubbock is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 5 to 10°F (-15.0 to -12.2°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 12 and the first fall frost around Oct 28.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 22 | Oct 19 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 12 | Oct 28 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 4 | Nov 2 |
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 LUBBOCK, TX (USW00023042), 7.7 mi (12.4 km) from the city center and 26 ft higher than the city center (+8 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 29 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Lubbock
All 16 ZIP codes covering Lubbock are in zone 7b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Lubbock
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 12, first frost Oct 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 | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Apr 19 – May 3 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 1 – Feb 15 | Apr 26 – May 10 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | Mar 29 – Apr 19 | Mar 15 – Apr 26 | Aug 19 – Sep 16 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 19 – May 24 | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 19 – May 17 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 15 – Mar 22 | Apr 19 – May 3 | Apr 19 – May 10 | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Cucumber | Mar 15 – Mar 22 | Apr 26 – May 3 | Apr 19 – May 10 | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 22 – Apr 26 | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Onion | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Mar 15 – Mar 29 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 15 – Apr 5 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | Apr 26 – May 10 | Apr 26 – May 17 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 1 – Mar 29 | Sep 2 – Sep 30 |
| Kale | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Mar 15 – Apr 5 | Mar 15 – Apr 5 | Aug 19 – Sep 16 |
| Broccoli | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Mar 29 – Apr 19 | — | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 1 – Mar 22 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Eggplant | Feb 1 – Feb 15 | Apr 26 – May 10 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Mar 15 – Mar 29 | — | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 8 – Apr 26 | Sep 16 – Oct 14 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 15 – Apr 5 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 22 – May 3 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
Nearby cities in Texas
- Midland — zone 8b, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 3
- Amarillo — zone 7a, last frost Apr 20, first frost Oct 22
- Odessa — zone 8b, last frost Mar 27, first frost Nov 8
- Abilene — zone 8a, last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 5
- San Angelo — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 4
- Wichita Falls — zone 8a, last frost Apr 2, first frost Nov 4
More: all Texas cities · other zone 7b cities: New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA, Oklahoma City, OK, Nashville, TN, Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Albuquerque, NM, Tulsa, OK
Lubbock gardening questions
When is the last frost in Lubbock, TX?
Plan around Apr 12. At NOAA's Lubbock, TX station, 7.7 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 Apr 4, and after Apr 22 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 22. The 90% and 10% dates are 36 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Lubbock, TX?
Start seeds indoors Feb 15 – Mar 1 and set transplants outside Apr 19 – May 3, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 199 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Lubbock?
About 210 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 189 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 233 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 19 and a 30% chance by Oct 28. That ranks 54th longest of 55 Texas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Lubbock?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 28): transplant broccoli Aug 5 – Aug 19; sow kale Aug 19 – Sep 16; sow lettuce Aug 19 – Sep 16; sow radishes Sep 16 – Oct 14. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 11. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Lubbock's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Lubbock is zone 7b 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 Lubbock compare with Midland, TX?
Lubbock is zone 7b and Midland is zone 8b. The typical last spring frost in Lubbock (Apr 12) comes about 9 days later than in Midland, TX (Apr 3), 107 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 28 versus Nov 3. Lubbock sits about 430 ft higher, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.