Wichita Falls, Texas: planting zone & frost dates
Wichita Falls is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 10 to 15°F (-12.2 to -9.4°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 2 and the first fall frost around Nov 4.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 14 | Oct 25 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 2 | Nov 4 |
| 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 WICHITA FALLS MUNI AP, TX (USW00013966), 5.3 mi (8.6 km) from the city center and 30 ft higher than the city center (+9 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 29 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Wichita Falls
All 9 ZIP codes covering Wichita Falls are in zone 8a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Wichita Falls
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 2, first frost Nov 4). 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 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Mar 5 – Apr 16 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 9 – May 14 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 9 – May 7 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 5 – Mar 12 | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Cucumber | Mar 5 – Mar 12 | Apr 16 – Apr 23 | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 12 – Apr 16 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Onion | Jan 8 – Jan 22 | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | Apr 16 – May 7 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 19 – Mar 19 | Sep 9 – Oct 7 |
| Kale | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| Broccoli | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | — | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Eggplant | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | — | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 26 – Apr 16 | Sep 23 – Oct 21 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 12 – Apr 23 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
Nearby cities in Texas
- Denton — zone 8b, last frost Mar 21, first frost Nov 12
- Fort Worth — zone 8b, last frost Mar 12, first frost Nov 14
- Flower Mound — zone 8b, last frost Mar 23, first frost Nov 9
- Lewisville — zone 8b, last frost Mar 23, first frost Nov 9
- Arlington — zone 8b, last frost Mar 16, first frost Nov 12
- Frisco — zone 8b, last frost Mar 14, first frost Nov 13
More: all Texas cities · other zone 8a cities: Charlotte, NC, Memphis, TN, Atlanta, GA, Raleigh, NC, Greensboro, NC, Durham, NC, Winston-Salem, NC, Chesapeake, VA
Wichita Falls gardening questions
When is the last frost in Wichita Falls, TX?
Plan around Apr 2. At NOAA's Wichita Falls Municipal Airport, TX station, 5.3 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 14 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 12. The 90% and 10% dates are 37 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Wichita Falls, TX?
Start seeds indoors Feb 5 – Feb 19 and set transplants outside Apr 9 – Apr 23, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 216 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 Wichita Falls?
About 228 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 205 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 4. That ranks 52nd longest of 55 Texas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Wichita Falls?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 4): transplant broccoli Aug 12 – Aug 26; sow kale Aug 26 – Sep 23; sow lettuce Aug 26 – Sep 23; sow radishes Sep 23 – Oct 21. 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 Wichita Falls's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Wichita Falls was zone 7b on the 2012 map and is zone 8a 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 Wichita Falls compare with Lawton, OK?
Wichita Falls is zone 8a and Lawton is zone 7b. The typical last spring frost in Wichita Falls (Apr 2) comes about the same time as in Lawton, OK (Apr 3), 49 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 4 versus Nov 1. Wichita Falls sits about 152 ft lower, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.