Sugar Land, Texas: planting zone & frost dates
Sugar Land 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 Feb 20 and the first fall frost around Dec 3.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 7 | Nov 20 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Feb 20 | Dec 3 |
| Median (50%) | Feb 2 | Dec 11 |
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 HOUSTON SUGARLAND MEM, TX (USW00012977), 2.4 mi (3.9 km) from the city center and 13 ft higher than the city center (+4 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 12 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Sugar Land
All 4 ZIP codes covering Sugar Land are in zone 9b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Sugar Land
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Feb 20, first frost Dec 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 | Dec 26 – Jan 9 | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | — | — |
| Pepper | Dec 12 – Dec 26 | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Jan 9 – Jan 23 | Feb 6 – Feb 27 | Jan 23 – Mar 6 | Sep 24 – Oct 22 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 27 – Apr 3 | Sep 10 – Sep 24 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 27 – Mar 27 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 23 – Jan 30 | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | Sep 10 – Sep 24 |
| Cucumber | Jan 23 – Jan 30 | Mar 6 – Mar 13 | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | Sep 10 – Sep 24 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 30 – Mar 6 | Sep 10 – Sep 24 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 28 – Dec 12 | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 23 – Feb 13 | — | — |
| Basil | Jan 9 – Jan 23 | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Mar 6 – Mar 27 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 9 – Feb 6 | Oct 8 – Nov 5 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 26 – Jan 9 | Jan 23 – Feb 13 | Jan 23 – Feb 13 | Sep 24 – Oct 22 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 26 – Jan 9 | Feb 6 – Feb 27 | — | Sep 10 – Sep 24 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 9 – Jan 30 | Sep 24 – Oct 8 |
| Eggplant | Dec 12 – Dec 26 | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 26 – Jan 9 | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | — | Sep 10 – Sep 24 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 16 – Mar 6 | Oct 22 – Nov 19 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 23 – Feb 13 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 30 – Mar 13 | Sep 24 – Oct 8 |
Nearby cities in Texas
- Missouri City — zone 9b, last frost Mar 1, first frost Nov 27
- Houston — zone 9b, last frost Feb 18, first frost Dec 8
- Pearland — zone 9b, last frost Feb 15, first frost Dec 10
- Pasadena — zone 9b, last frost Feb 10, first frost Dec 10
- League City — zone 9b, last frost Feb 15, first frost Dec 3
- Baytown — zone 9b, last frost Mar 2, first frost Nov 25
More: all Texas cities · other zone 9b cities: Houston, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Jacksonville, FL, San Jose, CA, Fresno, CA, Sacramento, CA, Mesa, AZ, Bakersfield, CA
Sugar Land gardening questions
When is the last frost in Sugar Land, TX?
Plan around Feb 20. At NOAA's Houston Sugarland Mem, TX station, 2.4 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 2, and after Mar 7 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 18. Springs here are erratic: 69 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 Sugar Land, TX?
Start seeds indoors Dec 26 – Jan 9 and set transplants outside Feb 27 – Mar 13, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 286 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 Sugar Land?
About 318 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 276 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 357 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 20 and a 30% chance by Dec 3. That ranks 11th longest of 55 Texas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Sugar Land?
Count back from the first fall frost (Dec 3): transplant broccoli Sep 10 – Sep 24; sow kale Sep 24 – Oct 22; sow lettuce Sep 24 – Oct 22; sow radishes Oct 22 – Nov 19. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Jan 1. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Sugar Land's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Sugar Land was zone 9a on the 2012 map and is zone 9b 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.
How does Sugar Land compare with Missouri City, TX?
Both are in zone 9b. The typical last spring frost in Sugar Land (Feb 20) comes about 9 days earlier than in Missouri City, TX (Mar 1), 6 miles away, and the first fall frost is Dec 3 versus Nov 27. The two cities use different NOAA stations.