Delano, California planting calendar and frost dates
Delano is in USDA hardiness zone 9b. The last spring frost typically comes around January 31 and the first fall frost around December 5, giving about 315 frost-free days a year.
- Hardiness zone
- Zone 9b
- Typical last frost
- January 31
- Typical first frost
- December 5
- Frost-free season
- 315 days
Frost dates in Delano
Last spring frost
- January 2Risky: frost later than this in 9 years out of 10
- January 31Typical: a later frost in half of years
- February 27Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
First fall frost
- November 21Risky: frost earlier than this 1 year in 10
- December 5Typical: an earlier frost in half of years
- New yearLate: in about 1 year in 10, the first frost waits until after December 31
The growing season between the typical last and first frosts is about 315 days. Frost here means a low of 32°F at the weather station. A hard freeze (28°F), which damages most hardy crops too, typically ends around January 4 and returns around December 16.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Wasco, 15.9 miles SW 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 Delano
January
Start indoors: celery, cilantro, eggplants, ginger, marigolds, nasturtiums, peppers, ranunculus, tomatoes
Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, avocados, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, green onions, hollyhocks, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, peas, petunias, poppies, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, strawberries, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, turnips, wildflowers
February
Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, celery, cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, pumpkins, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
Plant or sow outdoors: avocados, chives, cilantro, dahlias, dill, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green onions, lavenders, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, petunias, potatoes, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, swiss chard, thyme
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
April
Start indoors: zinnias
Plant or sow outdoors: basil, bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, green beans, okra, peanuts, peppers, pumpkins, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zoysiagrass, zucchini
May
Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, okra, peanuts, zinnias, zoysiagrass
August
Plant for fall: brussels sprouts, peppers, potatoes, sweet corn, tomatoes
September
Plant for fall: bearded irises, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, cucumbers, green beans, lettuce, peas, peppers, radishes, snapdragons, spinach, sweet corn, swiss chard, turnips, zucchini
October
Start indoors: onions
Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lettuce, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tall fescue, tulips, turnips
November
Start indoors: broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, snapdragons
Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, saffron, tall fescue, tulips
December
Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, ginger, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard
Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, black-eyed susans, blueberries, garlic, grapes, grass seed, green onions, hollyhocks, kale, kentucky bluegrass, onions, peas, poppies, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, sweet peas, tall fescue, turnips, wildflowers
Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips
Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Delano
All 2 of Delano's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Wasco, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 9b.
Planting dates for popular crops in Delano
| Plant | Start indoors | Plant or sow outdoors | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Jan 29 to Feb 12 | Mar 26 to Apr 9 | Aug 22 to 29 |
| Strawberries | — | Dec 20 to Jan 3 | — |
| Lettuce | Dec 6 to 20 | Jan 24 to Feb 7 | Sep 5 to Oct 10 |
| Cilantro | Dec 20 to Jan 3 | Jan 31 to Feb 7 | — |
| Basil | Feb 5 to 19 | Mar 26 to Apr 2 | — |
| Potatoes | — | Jan 26 to Feb 2 | Aug 15 to 22 |
| Garlic | — | Dec 20 to Jan 3 | Dec 5 to 19 |
| Onions | Oct 11 to Nov 22 | Jan 3 to 17 | — |
| Cucumbers | Feb 26 to Mar 12 | Mar 26 to Apr 9 | Sep 5 to 19 |
| Pumpkins | Feb 26 to Mar 12 | Mar 26 to Apr 9 | — |
| Peppers | Jan 8 to Feb 5 | Mar 26 to Apr 9 | Aug 15 to Sep 12 |
| Carrots | — | Jan 10 to 31 | Sep 12 to Oct 3 |
| Sweet Potatoes | — | Apr 22 to 29 | — |
| Watermelons | Feb 19 to Mar 5 | Mar 26 to Apr 9 | — |
| Sweet Corn | — | Jan 31 to Feb 14 | Aug 29 to Sep 12 |
| Green Beans | — | Mar 26 to Apr 9 | Sep 12 to 19 |
| Zucchini | Feb 26 to Mar 12 | Mar 26 to Apr 9 | Sep 12 to 26 |
| Broccoli | Nov 15 to Dec 6 | Jan 3 to 17 | Sep 19 to Oct 17 |
| Peas | — | Dec 20 to Jan 3 | Sep 12 to 26 |
| Spinach | Dec 20 to 27 | Jan 24 to Feb 7 | Sep 26 to Oct 31 |
| Sunflowers | — | Jan 31 to Feb 21 | — |
| Zinnias | Apr 12 to 19 | May 10 to 24 | — |
| Tulips | — | — | Oct 24 to Dec 19 |
| Daffodils | — | — | Oct 24 to Dec 5 |
| Grass Seed | — | Dec 20 to Jan 3 | Oct 24 to Nov 7 |
Nearby cities
- Porterville, CA zone 9b, last frost Jan 20
- Tulare, CA zone 9b, last frost Feb 15
- Bakersfield, CA zone 9b, last frost Jan 17
- Visalia, CA zone 9b, last frost Jan 23
- Hanford, CA zone 9a, last frost Feb 7
- Fresno, CA zone 9b, last frost Jan 14
Planting in CaliforniaAbout zone 9bPrintable calendar for Delano
Questions
When is the last frost in Delano?
Around January 31 in a typical year, based on NOAA's 1991-2020 records for Wasco. There is still a 1 in 10 chance of frost after February 27.
What planting zone is Delano in?
USDA hardiness zone 9b (2023 map). The zone tells you which perennials survive the winter; planting dates depend on frost dates instead.
When should I plant tomatoes in Delano?
Start seeds indoors January 29 to February 12 and set plants out March 26 to April 9.
When is the first frost in Delano?
Around December 5 in a typical year, and before November 21 about 1 year in 10.