Roseville, California: planting zone & frost dates
Roseville 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 Mar 5 and the first fall frost around Nov 17.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 1 | Nov 9 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 5 | Nov 17 |
| Median (50%) | Feb 22 | Nov 24 |
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 SACRAMENTO METRO AP, CA (USW00093225), 15.5 mi (24.9 km) from the city center and 121 ft lower than the city center (-37 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 22 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Roseville
All 5 ZIP codes covering Roseville are in zone 9b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Roseville
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 5, first frost Nov 17). 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 8 – Jan 22 | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | — | — |
| Pepper | Dec 25 – Jan 8 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | Feb 5 – Mar 19 | Sep 8 – Oct 6 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 12 – Apr 16 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 12 – Apr 9 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 5 – Feb 12 | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Cucumber | Feb 5 – Feb 12 | Mar 19 – Mar 26 | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Carrot | — | — | Feb 12 – Mar 19 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Onion | Dec 11 – Dec 25 | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 5 – Feb 26 | — | — |
| Basil | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Jan 22 – Feb 19 | Sep 22 – Oct 20 |
| Kale | Jan 8 – Jan 22 | Feb 5 – Feb 26 | Feb 5 – Feb 26 | Sep 8 – Oct 6 |
| Broccoli | Jan 8 – Jan 22 | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | — | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Peas | — | — | Jan 22 – Feb 12 | Sep 8 – Sep 22 |
| Eggplant | Dec 25 – Jan 8 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 8 – Jan 22 | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | — | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Radish | — | — | Jan 29 – Mar 19 | Oct 6 – Nov 3 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 5 – Feb 26 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Feb 12 – Mar 26 | Sep 8 – Sep 22 |
Nearby cities in California
- Citrus Heights — zone 9b, last frost Jan 22, first frost Dec 7
- Folsom — zone 9b, last frost Jan 22, first frost Dec 7
- Rancho Cordova — zone 9b, last frost Jan 22, first frost Dec 7
- Sacramento — zone 9b, last frost Jan 22, first frost Dec 7
- Elk Grove — zone 9b, last frost Feb 17, first frost Nov 26
- Vacaville — zone 9b, last frost Mar 3, first frost Nov 21
More: all California cities · other zone 9b cities: Houston, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Jacksonville, FL, San Jose, CA, Fresno, CA, Sacramento, CA, Mesa, AZ, Bakersfield, CA
Roseville gardening questions
When is the last frost in Roseville, CA?
Plan around Mar 5. At NOAA's Sacramento Metro Airport, CA station, 15.5 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 22, and after Apr 1 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 17. Springs here are erratic: 81 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 Roseville, CA?
Start seeds indoors Jan 8 – Jan 22 and set transplants outside Mar 12 – Mar 26, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 257 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 Roseville?
About 277 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 236 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 324 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 9 and a 30% chance by Nov 17. That ranks 75th longest of 84 California cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Roseville?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 17): transplant broccoli Aug 25 – Sep 8; sow kale Sep 8 – Oct 6; sow lettuce Sep 8 – Oct 6; sow radishes Oct 6 – Nov 3. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 10. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Roseville's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Roseville is zone 9b 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 Roseville compare with Citrus Heights, CA?
Both are in zone 9b. The typical last spring frost in Roseville (Mar 5) comes about 42 days later than in Citrus Heights, CA (Jan 22), 5 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 17 versus Dec 7. The two cities use different NOAA stations.