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Vacaville, California planting calendar and frost dates

Vacaville is in USDA hardiness zone 9b. The last spring frost typically comes around January 15 and the first fall frost around December 14, giving about 336 frost-free days a year.

Hardiness zone
Zone 9b
Typical last frost
January 15
Typical first frost
December 14
Frost-free season
336 days

Frost dates in Vacaville

Last spring frost

  • December 22Risky: frost later than this in 9 years out of 10
  • January 15Typical: a later frost in half of years
  • February 16Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10

First fall frost

  • November 29Risky: frost earlier than this 1 year in 10
  • December 14Typical: 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 336 days. Frost here means a low of 32°F at the weather station.

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Fairfield, 2.3 miles NW of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers. Vacaville shares this station with Fairfield, so the two cities have the same frost dates and planting calendar.

What to plant each month in Vacaville

  1. 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

  2. February

    Start indoors: celery, eggplants, peppers, tomatoes

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

  3. March

    Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, celery, cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, pumpkins, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

    Plant or sow outdoors: ginger, st. augustinegrass

  4. April

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

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

  5. May

    Start indoors: zinnias

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

  6. June

    Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, okra, zinnias, zoysiagrass

  7. August

    Plant for fall: peppers, potatoes, tomatoes

  8. September

    Start indoors: onions

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

  9. October

    Start indoors: broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, 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

  10. 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

  11. December

    Start indoors: black-eyed susans, cabbages, chives, cilantro, collard greens, 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 Vacaville

All 3 of Vacaville's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Fairfield, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 9b.

ZIP codeZoneWeather stationTypical last frostTypical first frost
945339bFairfield, 2.3 mi NWJan 15Dec 14
956879bFairfield, 2.3 mi NWJan 15Dec 14
956889bFairfield, 2.3 mi NWJan 15Dec 14

Fairfield also supplies the frost dates for Fairfield, so their planting calendars match Vacaville's.

Planting dates for popular crops in Vacaville

PlantStart indoorsPlant or sow outdoorsFall planting
TomatoesFeb 22 to Mar 8Apr 19 to May 3Aug 31 to Sep 7
Strawberries—Dec 4 to 18—
LettuceNov 20 to Dec 4Jan 8 to 22Sep 14 to Oct 19
CilantroDec 4 to 18Jan 15 to 22—
BasilMar 1 to 15Apr 19 to 26—
Potatoes—Dec 25 to Jan 1Aug 24 to 31
Garlic—Dec 4 to 18Dec 14 to 28
OnionsSep 25 to Nov 6Dec 18 to Jan 1—
CucumbersMar 22 to Apr 5Apr 19 to May 3Sep 14 to 28
PumpkinsMar 22 to Apr 5Apr 19 to May 3—
PeppersFeb 1 to Mar 1Apr 19 to May 3Aug 24 to Sep 21
Carrots—Dec 25 to Jan 15Sep 21 to Oct 12
Sweet Potatoes—May 17 to 24—
WatermelonsMar 15 to 29Apr 19 to May 3—
Sweet Corn—Jan 31 to Feb 14Sep 7 to 21
Green Beans—Apr 19 to May 3Sep 21 to 28
ZucchiniMar 22 to Apr 5Apr 19 to May 3Sep 21 to Oct 5
BroccoliOct 30 to Nov 20Dec 18 to Jan 1Sep 28 to Oct 26
Peas—Dec 4 to 18Sep 21 to Oct 5
SpinachDec 4 to 11Jan 8 to 22Oct 5 to Nov 9
Sunflowers—Jan 31 to Feb 21—
ZinniasMay 14 to 21Jun 11 to 25—
Tulips——Nov 2 to Dec 28
Daffodils——Nov 2 to Dec 14
Grass Seed—Dec 4 to 18Nov 2 to 16

Nearby cities

Planting in CaliforniaAbout zone 9bPrintable calendar for Vacaville

Questions

When is the last frost in Vacaville?

Around January 15 in a typical year, based on NOAA's 1991-2020 records for Fairfield. There is still a 1 in 10 chance of frost after February 16.

What planting zone is Vacaville 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 Vacaville?

Start seeds indoors February 22 to March 8 and set plants out April 19 to May 3.

When is the first frost in Vacaville?

Around December 14 in a typical year, and before November 29 about 1 year in 10.