Baytown, Texas planting calendar and frost dates
Baytown is in USDA hardiness zone 9b. The last spring frost typically comes around February 20 and the first fall frost around December 4, giving about 292 frost-free days a year.
- Hardiness zone
- Zone 9b
- Typical last frost
- February 20
- Typical first frost
- December 4
- Frost-free season
- 292 days
Frost dates in Baytown
Last spring frost
- January 23Risky: frost later than this in 9 years out of 10
- February 20Typical: a later frost in half of years
- March 14Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
First fall frost
- November 12Risky: frost earlier than this 1 year in 10
- December 4Typical: 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 292 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 30 and returns around December 28.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Baytown, 7.3 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 Baytown
January
Start indoors: basil, black-eyed susans, cabbages, cantaloupes, cauliflower, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, eggplants, ginger, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, peppers, ranunculus, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes, watermelons
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, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, poppies, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, turnips, wildflowers
February
Start indoors: cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, ranunculus, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, turnips
March
Start indoors: cosmos, okra, zinnias
Plant or sow outdoors: basil, cantaloupes, cucumbers, eggplants, garden mums, ginger, grapes, green beans, green onions, lavenders, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, pumpkins, rosemary, sage, st. augustinegrass, sunflowers, sweet corn, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
April
Start indoors: zinnias
Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, okra, peanuts, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, zinnias, zoysiagrass
May
Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, st. augustinegrass, 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: collard greens, leeks, onions, petunias, ranunculus
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, collard greens, ginger, kale, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons
Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips
Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Baytown
Baytown's 3 main ZIP codes take their frost dates from 3 different NOAA stations: the typical last frost ranges from January 30 in 77520 to February 20 in 77521. Every one of them is in zone 9b.
Planting dates for popular crops in Baytown
| Plant | Start indoors | Plant or sow outdoors | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Jan 9 to 23 | Mar 6 to 20 | Aug 21 to 28 |
| Strawberries | — | Jan 9 to 23 | — |
| Lettuce | Dec 26 to Jan 9 | Feb 13 to 27 | Sep 4 to Oct 9 |
| Cilantro | Jan 9 to 23 | Feb 20 to 27 | — |
| Basil | Jan 16 to 30 | Mar 6 to 13 | — |
| Potatoes | — | Jan 30 to Feb 6 | Aug 14 to 21 |
| Garlic | — | Jan 9 to 23 | Dec 4 to 18 |
| Onions | Oct 31 to Dec 12 | Jan 23 to Feb 6 | — |
| Cucumbers | Feb 6 to 20 | Mar 6 to 20 | Sep 4 to 18 |
| Pumpkins | Feb 6 to 20 | Mar 6 to 20 | — |
| Peppers | Dec 19 to Jan 16 | Mar 6 to 20 | Aug 14 to Sep 11 |
| Carrots | — | Jan 30 to Feb 20 | Sep 11 to Oct 2 |
| Sweet Potatoes | — | Apr 1 to 8 | — |
| Watermelons | Jan 30 to Feb 13 | Mar 6 to 20 | — |
| Sweet Corn | — | Feb 20 to Mar 6 | Aug 28 to Sep 11 |
| Green Beans | — | Mar 6 to 20 | Sep 11 to 18 |
| Zucchini | Feb 6 to 20 | Mar 6 to 20 | Sep 11 to 25 |
| Broccoli | Dec 5 to 26 | Jan 23 to Feb 6 | Sep 18 to Oct 16 |
| Peas | — | Jan 9 to 23 | Sep 11 to 25 |
| Spinach | Jan 9 to 16 | Feb 13 to 27 | Sep 25 to Oct 30 |
| Sunflowers | — | Feb 20 to Mar 13 | — |
| Zinnias | Mar 28 to Apr 4 | Apr 25 to May 9 | — |
| Tulips | — | — | Oct 23 to Dec 18 |
| Daffodils | — | — | Oct 23 to Dec 4 |
| Grass Seed | — | Jan 9 to 23 | Oct 23 to Nov 6 |
Nearby cities
- Pasadena, TX zone 9b, last frost Jan 30
- League City, TX zone 9b, last frost Jan 31
- Texas City, TX zone 10a
- Houston, TX zone 9b, last frost Jan 30
- Pearland, TX zone 9b, last frost Jan 30
- Missouri City, TX zone 9b, last frost Feb 2
Planting in TexasAbout zone 9bPrintable calendar for Baytown
Questions
When is the last frost in Baytown?
Around February 20 in a typical year, based on NOAA's 1991-2020 records for Baytown. There is still a 1 in 10 chance of frost after March 14.
What planting zone is Baytown 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 Baytown?
Start seeds indoors January 9 to 23 and set plants out March 6 to 20; the safest date to plant out is after March 14.
When is the first frost in Baytown?
Around December 4 in a typical year, and before November 12 about 1 year in 10.