Redwood City, California planting calendar and frost dates
Redwood City is in USDA hardiness zone 10a. The last spring frost typically comes around January 17 and the first fall frost around December 12, giving about 333 frost-free days a year.
- Hardiness zone
- Zone 10a
- Typical last frost
- January 17
- Typical first frost
- December 12
- Frost-free season
- 333 days
Frost dates in Redwood City
Last spring frost
- December 20Risky: frost later than this in 9 years out of 10
- January 17Typical: a later frost in half of years
- February 16Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
First fall frost
- November 24Risky: frost earlier than this 1 year in 10
- December 12Typical: 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 333 days. Frost here means a low of 32°F at the weather station.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Redwood City, 2.6 miles WSW 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 Redwood City
January
Start indoors: ginger, 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, zinnias
February
Start indoors: peppers
Plant or sow outdoors: avocados, garden mums, green onions, st. augustinegrass, sunflowers, sweet corn
March
Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, celery, eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, watermelons
Plant or sow outdoors: ginger, st. augustinegrass
April
Start indoors: cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
May
Plant or sow outdoors: basil, cantaloupes, cucumbers, eggplants, green beans, peppers, pumpkins, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
June
Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, okra, peanuts, sweet potatoes, zoysiagrass
July
Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, zoysiagrass
August
Plant for fall: potatoes
September
Start indoors: onions
Plant for fall: bearded irises, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, collard greens, lettuce, peas, snapdragons, sweet corn, swiss chard
October
Start indoors: collard greens, leeks, onions, petunias, ranunculus
Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, collard greens, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lettuce, lilies, ornamental alliums, peas, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tall fescue, tulips, turnips
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: cabbages, cauliflower, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, saffron, spinach, tall fescue, tulips
December
Start indoors: black-eyed susans, cabbages, chives, cilantro, collard greens, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, ranunculus, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, zinnias
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 Redwood City
Redwood City's 4 main ZIP codes take their frost dates from 2 different NOAA stations: the typical last frost ranges from January 17 in 94061 to February 25 in 94062. Every one of them is in zone 10a.
Planting dates for popular crops in Redwood City
| Plant | Start indoors | Plant or sow outdoors | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Mar 10 to 24 | May 5 to 19 | — |
| Strawberries | — | Dec 6 to 20 | — |
| Lettuce | Nov 22 to Dec 6 | Jan 10 to 24 | Sep 12 to Oct 17 |
| Cilantro | Dec 6 to 20 | Jan 17 to 24 | — |
| Basil | Mar 17 to 31 | May 5 to 12 | — |
| Potatoes | — | Dec 27 to Jan 3 | Aug 22 to 29 |
| Garlic | — | Dec 6 to 20 | Dec 12 to 26 |
| Onions | Sep 27 to Nov 8 | Dec 20 to Jan 3 | — |
| Cucumbers | Apr 7 to 21 | May 5 to 19 | — |
| Pumpkins | Apr 7 to 21 | May 5 to 19 | — |
| Peppers | Feb 17 to Mar 17 | May 5 to 19 | — |
| Carrots | — | Dec 27 to Jan 17 | Sep 19 to Oct 10 |
| Sweet Potatoes | — | Jun 7 to 14 | — |
| Watermelons | Mar 31 to Apr 14 | May 5 to 19 | — |
| Sweet Corn | — | Jan 23 to Feb 6 | Sep 5 to 19 |
| Green Beans | — | May 5 to 19 | — |
| Zucchini | Apr 7 to 21 | May 5 to 19 | — |
| Broccoli | Nov 1 to 22 | Dec 20 to Jan 3 | Sep 26 to Oct 24 |
| Peas | — | Dec 6 to 20 | Sep 19 to Oct 3 |
| Spinach | Dec 6 to 13 | Jan 10 to 24 | Oct 3 to Nov 7 |
| Sunflowers | — | Jan 23 to Feb 13 | — |
| Zinnias | Dec 20 to 27 | Jan 17 to 31 | — |
| Tulips | — | — | Oct 31 to Dec 26 |
| Daffodils | — | — | Oct 31 to Dec 12 |
| Grass Seed | — | Dec 6 to 20 | Oct 31 to Nov 14 |
Nearby cities
- San Mateo, CA zone 10a
- Palo Alto, CA zone 10a, last frost Jan 6
- Hayward, CA zone 10a
- Mountain View, CA zone 10a, last frost Jan 6
- Union City, CA zone 10a
- South San Francisco, CA zone 10a
Planting in CaliforniaAbout zone 10aPrintable calendar for Redwood City
Questions
When is the last frost in Redwood City?
Around January 17 in a typical year, based on NOAA's 1991-2020 records for Redwood City. There is still a 1 in 10 chance of frost after February 16.
What planting zone is Redwood City in?
USDA hardiness zone 10a (2023 map). The zone tells you which perennials survive the winter; planting dates depend on frost dates instead.
When should I plant tomatoes in Redwood City?
Start seeds indoors March 10 to 24 and set plants out May 5 to 19.
When is the first frost in Redwood City?
Around December 12 in a typical year, and before November 24 about 1 year in 10.