Sugar Land, Texas planting calendar and frost dates
Sugar Land is in USDA hardiness zone 9b. The last spring frost typically comes around February 2 and the first fall frost around December 11, giving about 318 frost-free days a year.
- Hardiness zone
- Zone 9b
- Typical last frost
- February 2
- Typical first frost
- December 11
- Frost-free season
- 318 days
Frost dates in Sugar Land
Last spring frost
- December 28Risky: frost later than this in 9 years out of 10
- February 2Typical: a later frost in half of years
- March 7Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
First fall frost
- November 20Risky: frost earlier than this 1 year in 10
- December 11Typical: 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 318 days. Frost here means a low of 32°F at the weather station.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Houston Sugarland Mem, 1.3 miles W 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 Sugar Land
January
Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, celery, cilantro, cucumbers, eggplants, marigolds, nasturtiums, peppers, pumpkins, ranunculus, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, dahlias, dill, figs, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, green onions, hollyhocks, kale, kentucky bluegrass, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, poppies, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, snapdragons, spinach, strawberries, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, turnips, wildflowers
February
Start indoors: cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, winter squash, zucchini
Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, avocados, basil, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, chives, cilantro, cucumbers, dahlias, dill, eggplants, figs, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green beans, green onions, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, pumpkins, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, swiss chard, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini
March
Start indoors: zinnias
Plant or sow outdoors: avocados, bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, garden mums, green beans, green onions, okra, peanuts, peppers, pumpkins, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zoysiagrass, zucchini
April
Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, okra, peanuts, st. augustinegrass, zinnias, zoysiagrass
August
September
Plant for fall: bearded irises, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, collard greens, cucumbers, green beans, lettuce, peas, peppers, snapdragons, sweet corn, swiss chard, tomatoes, zucchini
October
Start indoors: onions
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, zucchini
November
Start indoors: broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, 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, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, eggplants, ginger, kale, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes
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 Sugar Land
All 3 of Sugar Land's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Houston Sugarland Mem, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 9b.
| ZIP code | Zone | Weather station | Typical last frost | Typical first frost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 77478 | 9b | Houston Sugarland Mem, 1.3 mi W | Feb 2 | Dec 11 |
| 77479 | 9b | Houston Sugarland Mem, 1.3 mi W | Feb 2 | Dec 11 |
| 77498 | 9b | Houston Sugarland Mem, 1.3 mi W | Feb 2 | Dec 11 |
Houston Sugarland Mem also supplies the frost dates for Missouri City, so their planting calendars match Sugar Land's.
Planting dates for popular crops in Sugar Land
| Plant | Start indoors | Plant or sow outdoors | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Dec 27 to Jan 10 | Feb 21 to Mar 7 | Aug 28 to Sep 4 |
| Strawberries | — | Dec 22 to Jan 5 | — |
| Lettuce | Dec 8 to 22 | Jan 26 to Feb 9 | Sep 11 to Oct 16 |
| Cilantro | Dec 22 to Jan 5 | Feb 2 to 9 | — |
| Basil | Jan 3 to 17 | Feb 21 to 28 | — |
| Potatoes | — | Jan 12 to 19 | Aug 21 to 28 |
| Garlic | — | Dec 22 to Jan 5 | Dec 11 to 25 |
| Onions | Oct 13 to Nov 24 | Jan 5 to 19 | — |
| Cucumbers | Jan 24 to Feb 7 | Feb 21 to Mar 7 | Sep 11 to 25 |
| Pumpkins | Jan 24 to Feb 7 | Feb 21 to Mar 7 | — |
| Peppers | Dec 6 to Jan 3 | Feb 21 to Mar 7 | Aug 21 to Sep 18 |
| Carrots | — | Jan 12 to Feb 2 | Sep 18 to Oct 9 |
| Sweet Potatoes | — | Mar 18 to 25 | — |
| Watermelons | Jan 17 to 31 | Feb 21 to Mar 7 | — |
| Sweet Corn | — | Feb 2 to 16 | Sep 4 to 18 |
| Green Beans | — | Feb 21 to Mar 7 | Sep 18 to 25 |
| Zucchini | Jan 24 to Feb 7 | Feb 21 to Mar 7 | Sep 18 to Oct 2 |
| Broccoli | Nov 17 to Dec 8 | Jan 5 to 19 | Sep 25 to Oct 23 |
| Peas | — | Dec 22 to Jan 5 | Sep 18 to Oct 2 |
| Spinach | Dec 22 to 29 | Jan 26 to Feb 9 | Oct 2 to Nov 6 |
| Sunflowers | — | Feb 2 to 23 | — |
| Zinnias | Mar 18 to 25 | Apr 15 to 29 | — |
| Tulips | — | — | Oct 30 to Dec 25 |
| Daffodils | — | — | Oct 30 to Dec 11 |
| Grass Seed | — | Dec 22 to Jan 5 | Oct 30 to Nov 13 |
Nearby cities
- Missouri City, TX zone 9b, last frost Feb 2
- Fulshear, TX zone 9a, last frost Jan 30
- Pearland, TX zone 9b, last frost Jan 30
- Houston, TX zone 9b, last frost Jan 30
- Pasadena, TX zone 9b, last frost Jan 30
- League City, TX zone 9b, last frost Jan 31
Planting in TexasAbout zone 9bPrintable calendar for Sugar Land
Questions
When is the last frost in Sugar Land?
Around February 2 in a typical year, based on NOAA's 1991-2020 records for Houston Sugarland Mem. There is still a 1 in 10 chance of frost after March 7.
What planting zone is Sugar Land 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 Sugar Land?
Start seeds indoors December 27 to January 10 and set plants out February 21 to March 7; the safest date to plant out is after March 7.
When is the first frost in Sugar Land?
Around December 11 in a typical year, and before November 20 about 1 year in 10.