Odessa, Texas: planting zone & frost dates
Odessa 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 Mar 27 and the first fall frost around Nov 8.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 9 | Nov 1 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 27 | Nov 8 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 15 | Nov 16 |
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 ODESSA, TX (USC00416502), 0.8 mi (1.3 km) from the city center and 30 ft lower than the city center (-9 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 13 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Odessa
Odessa spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 7 ZIP codes): 8b (74%), 8a (26%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Odessa
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 27, first frost Nov 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 | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 16 – Jan 30 | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | Feb 27 – Apr 10 | Aug 30 – Sep 27 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 3 – May 8 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 3 – May 1 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 27 – Mar 6 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
| Cucumber | Feb 27 – Mar 6 | Apr 10 – Apr 17 | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 6 – Apr 10 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
| Onion | Jan 2 – Jan 16 | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Apr 10 – May 1 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 13 – Mar 13 | Sep 13 – Oct 11 |
| Kale | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | Aug 30 – Sep 27 |
| Broccoli | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | — | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
| Eggplant | Jan 16 – Jan 30 | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | — | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 20 – Apr 10 | Sep 27 – Oct 25 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 6 – Apr 17 | Aug 30 – Sep 13 |
Nearby cities in Texas
- Midland — zone 8b, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 3
- 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
- El Paso — zone 8b, last frost Mar 9, first frost Nov 14
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
Odessa gardening questions
When is the last frost in Odessa, TX?
Plan around Mar 27. At NOAA's Odessa, TX station, 0.8 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 15, and after Apr 9 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 3. The 90% and 10% dates are 43 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Odessa, TX?
Start seeds indoors Jan 30 – Feb 13 and set transplants outside Apr 3 – Apr 17, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 226 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 Odessa?
About 243 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 216 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 268 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 1 and a 30% chance by Nov 8. That ranks 46th longest of 55 Texas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Odessa?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 8): transplant broccoli Aug 16 – Aug 30; sow kale Aug 30 – Sep 27; sow lettuce Aug 30 – Sep 27; sow radishes Sep 27 – Oct 25. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 26. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Odessa's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Odessa 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 Odessa in zone 8b?
No. Zone 8b covers about 74% of the city's land; the rest is in 8a (26%), measured across the city's 7 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.