Bakersfield, California planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Bakersfield

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Bakersfield Airport, 4.7 miles NNW of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers.

What to plant each month in Bakersfield

1. January

   Start indoors: celery, eggplants, ginger, peppers, ranunculus

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, avocados, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, gladioli, grapes, green onions, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, swiss chard, thyme, turnips

2. February

   Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, celery, eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, watermelons

   Plant or sow outdoors: avocados, garden mums, ginger, green onions, st. augustinegrass, sunflowers, sweet corn

3. March

   Start indoors: cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: basil, cantaloupes, cucumbers, eggplants, ginger, green beans, peppers, pumpkins, st. augustinegrass, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

4. April

   Start indoors: zinnias

   Plant or sow outdoors: basil, bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, green beans, okra, peanuts, peppers, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zoysiagrass, zucchini

5. May

   Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, okra, peanuts, sweet potatoes, zinnias, zoysiagrass

6. August

   Plant for fall: peppers, potatoes

7. September

   Start indoors: onions

   Plant for fall: bearded irises, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, collard greens, cucumbers, green beans, lettuce, peas, peppers, potatoes, snapdragons, sweet corn, swiss chard, tomatoes, zucchini

8. October

   Start indoors: collard greens, leeks, onions, petunias, ranunculus

   Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, collard greens, coneflowers, daylilies, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, turnips, zucchini

9. November

   Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, chives, collard greens, kale, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons

   Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, cabbages, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, hydrangeas, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, roses, saffron, spinach, tall fescue, tulips

10. December

    Start indoors: black-eyed susans, cabbages, chives, cilantro, collard greens, ginger, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, ranunculus, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard

    Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, figs, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, green onions, hollyhocks, kale, kentucky bluegrass, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, poppies, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, spinach, strawberries, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, turnips, wildflowers

    Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Bakersfield

All 9 of Bakersfield's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Bakersfield Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 9b.

Planting dates for popular crops in Bakersfield

Nearby cities

• Delano, CA zone 9b, last frost Jan 31
• Porterville, CA zone 9b, last frost Jan 20
• Tulare, CA zone 9b, last frost Feb 15
• Lancaster, CA zone 8b, last frost Apr 3
• Visalia, CA zone 9b, last frost Jan 23
• Santa Clarita, CA zone 10a