Midland, Texas: planting zone & frost dates
Midland is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 15 to 20°F (-9.4 to -6.7°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 3 and the first fall frost around Nov 3.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 15 | Oct 25 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 3 | Nov 3 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 26 | Nov 9 |
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 MIDLAND 4 ENE, TX (USC00415891), 5.2 mi (8.3 km) from the city center and 30 ft lower than the city center (-9 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 22 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Midland
Midland spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 5 ZIP codes): 8b (57%), 8a (43%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Midland
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 3). 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 6 – Feb 20 | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Apr 17 – May 1 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Mar 6 – Apr 17 | Aug 25 – Sep 22 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 10 – May 15 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 10 – May 8 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 6 – Mar 13 | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Apr 10 – May 1 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Cucumber | Mar 6 – Mar 13 | Apr 17 – Apr 24 | Apr 10 – May 1 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 13 – Apr 17 | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Onion | Jan 9 – Jan 23 | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 6 – Mar 27 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 17 – May 1 | Apr 17 – May 8 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 20 – Mar 20 | Sep 8 – Oct 6 |
| Kale | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Mar 6 – Mar 27 | Mar 6 – Mar 27 | Aug 25 – Sep 22 |
| Broccoli | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | — | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 20 – Mar 13 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Eggplant | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Apr 17 – May 1 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | — | Aug 11 – Aug 25 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 27 – Apr 17 | Sep 22 – Oct 20 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 6 – Mar 27 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 13 – Apr 24 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
Nearby cities in Texas
- Odessa — zone 8b, last frost Mar 27, first frost Nov 8
- Lubbock — zone 7b, last frost Apr 12, first frost Oct 28
- San Angelo — zone 8a, last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 4
- Abilene — zone 8a, last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 5
- Amarillo — zone 7a, last frost Apr 20, first frost Oct 22
- Wichita Falls — zone 8a, last frost Apr 2, first frost Nov 4
More: all Texas cities · other zone 8b cities: Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX, El Paso, TX, Virginia Beach, VA, Arlington, TX, Plano, TX, Irving, TX, Garland, TX
Midland gardening questions
When is the last frost in Midland, TX?
Plan around Apr 3. At NOAA's Midland 4 ENE, TX station, 5.2 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 Mar 26, and after Apr 15 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 10. The 90% and 10% dates are 42 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Midland, TX?
Start seeds indoors Feb 6 – Feb 20 and set transplants outside Apr 10 – Apr 24, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 214 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 Midland?
About 226 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 200 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 251 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 25 and a 30% chance by Nov 3. That ranks 53rd longest of 55 Texas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Midland?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 3): transplant broccoli Aug 11 – Aug 25; sow kale Aug 25 – Sep 22; sow lettuce Aug 25 – Sep 22; sow radishes Sep 22 – Oct 20. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 18. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Midland's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Midland was zone 8a on the 2012 map and is zone 8b 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.
Is all of Midland in zone 8b?
No. Zone 8b covers about 57% of the city's land; the rest is in 8a (43%), measured across the city's 5 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.