Rancho Cucamonga, California planting calendar and frost dates
Rancho Cucamonga is in USDA hardiness zone 10a, and frost is rare: a 32°F night happens in about 41% of years.
Frost dates in Rancho Cucamonga
A 32°F night is rare here: it happens in about 41% of years, so median frost dates do not describe a typical year.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ontario International Airport, 2.9 miles E of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers. Rancho Cucamonga shares this station with Ontario, so the two cities have the same frost dates and planting calendar.
What to plant each month in Rancho Cucamonga
Cool-season crops are planted from late summer through winter, but the window is shorter than on the coast because summers are too hot for lettuce, peas and cole crops and occasional winter frosts can nip tender growth. Warm-season crops go in from April, after frost danger, through June; hot, dry summers ripen tomatoes, melons and peppers well but heat above the mid-90s can stop fruit set in July and August. Rain comes almost entirely November to March. The months below follow the planting calendar for Southern California Inland Valleys from the Cooperative Extension sources listed.
January
Plant: asparagus, azaleas, beets, blackberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, daffodils, grapes, green onions, hyacinths, kale, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, radishes, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, spinach, strawberries, sweet peas, swiss chard, tulips, turnips, wildflowers
February
Plant: asparagus, azaleas, beets, blackberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, dill, gladioli, grapes, green onions, kale, lavenders, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, potatoes, radishes, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, turnips, wildflowers
March
Plant: avocados, beets, blackberries, carrots, chives, cilantro, dahlias, dill, gladioli, grapes, green onions, kale, lavenders, lettuce, mints, oregano, parsley, peas, potatoes, radishes, raspberries, rhubarb, rosemary, sage, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, thyme, turnips
April
Plant: avocados, basil, beets, cantaloupes, chives, cilantro, cosmos, cucumbers, dahlias, dill, eggplants, gladioli, green beans, green onions, kale, lavenders, marigolds, mints, okra, oregano, parsley, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, rosemary, sage, strawberries, sunflowers, sweet corn, swiss chard, thyme, tomatoes, turnips, watermelons, winter squash, zinnias, zucchini
May
Plant: avocados, basil, cantaloupes, chives, cilantro, cosmos, cucumbers, dahlias, eggplants, gladioli, green beans, marigolds, okra, parsley, peppers, pumpkins, rosemary, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zinnias, zucchini
June
Plant: avocados, cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, dahlias, eggplants, gladioli, green beans, marigolds, okra, peppers, pumpkins, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zinnias, zucchini
July
Plant: cosmos, cucumbers, green beans, marigolds, sunflowers, sweet corn, zinnias, zucchini
August
Plant: broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, green beans, potatoes
September
Plant: beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, green onions, kale, lettuce, parsley, poppies, potatoes, radishes, snapdragons, spinach, sweet peas, swiss chard, turnips
October
Plant: asparagus, azaleas, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, crocuses, daffodils, garlic, green onions, hyacinths, kale, lettuce, onions, parsley, poppies, radishes, sage, snapdragons, spinach, strawberries, sweet peas, swiss chard, thyme, tulips, turnips, wildflowers
November
Plant: asparagus, azaleas, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, cilantro, crocuses, daffodils, garlic, green onions, hyacinths, kale, lettuce, onions, parsley, poppies, radishes, snapdragons, spinach, strawberries, sweet peas, swiss chard, tulips, turnips, wildflowers
December
Plant: asparagus, azaleas, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, daffodils, green onions, hyacinths, kale, lettuce, onions, parsley, radishes, spinach, strawberries, sweet peas, swiss chard, tulips, turnips, wildflowers
Sources for the Southern California Inland Valleys calendar
- Vegetable Garden Planting Guide for San Diego County (coastal and inland dates) · UC Master Gardeners of San Diego County / UC Cooperative Extension (V. Lazaneo)
- Gardening Tips: What to Plant (month by month) · UCCE Master Gardeners of San Bernardino County
- Garden Tips for Los Angeles County (monthly gardening tips, January-December) · UC Cooperative Extension Los Angeles County (Y. Savio)
Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Rancho Cucamonga
All 4 of Rancho Cucamonga's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Ontario International Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 10a.
| ZIP code | Zone | Weather station | Typical last frost | Typical first frost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91701 | 10a | Ontario International Airport, 2.9 mi E | Rare | Rare |
| 91730 | 10a | Ontario International Airport, 2.9 mi E | Rare | Rare |
| 91737 | 10a | Ontario International Airport, 2.9 mi E | Rare | Rare |
| 91739 | 10a | Ontario International Airport, 2.9 mi E | Rare | Rare |
Ontario International Airport also supplies the frost dates for Ontario, Chino and Upland, so their planting calendars match Rancho Cucamonga's.
Nearby cities
- Upland, CA zone 10a
- Fontana, CA zone 10a, last frost Jan 9
- Ontario, CA zone 10a
- Rialto, CA zone 10a, last frost Jan 27
- Jurupa Valley, CA zone 10a, last frost Jan 9
- Eastvale, CA zone 10a, last frost Jan 17
Planting in CaliforniaAbout zone 10aSouthern California Inland Valleys planting calendarPrintable calendar for Rancho Cucamonga
Questions
When is the last frost in Rancho Cucamonga?
Frost is rare in Rancho Cucamonga: a 32°F night happens in about 41% of years, so planting follows the Southern California Inland Valleys calendar on this page rather than frost dates.
What planting zone is Rancho Cucamonga in?
USDA hardiness zone 10a (2023 map), with parts of the city in zone 8a. The zone tells you which perennials survive the winter; planting times follow the regional calendar instead.