Fall in zone 9bPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 92256 (Morongo Valley, CA)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Morongo Valley N, CA (3 miles away).
- Average last spring frostFeb 2550% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostDec 1550% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)297 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone9b25 to 30°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
77°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 73°F, as of Oct 18, 1:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Fallbrook 5 NE (55 mi).
4-inch depth
78°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 76°F, as of Oct 18, 1:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Fallbrook 5 NE (55 mi).
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 92256 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 78°F at 4 inches (estimated soil temperature, not a station reading). Fall pre-emergent (annual bluegrass, winter weeds): not yet. Apply as soil cools toward 70°F (typically September to October).
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: California coastal and valleys. Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Bermudagrass (warm-season): Spring: Several weeks after the lawn is fully green (April–May) (about Apr 12 here, using green-up about 3–4 weeks after your average last frost); Summer: Every 4–6 weeks through mid-August (heaviest feeder of the group); Late: Light, low-nitrogen/high-potassium feeding about 4 weeks before first frost, or skip. Avoid: Heavy late-fall nitrogen (linked to spring dead spot).
- Tall fescue (cool-season): Early fall: September (main feeding); Late fall: November, while still green; Late winter: Optional light feeding February–March. Avoid: Feeding after mid-spring and through summer in the transition zone (stress and brown patch).
Plant now
- Lettuce: fall sowing Oct 6–Nov 3
- Kale: fall transplant Sep 22–Oct 20
- Collards: fall transplant Sep 22–Oct 20
- Kohlrabi: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Swiss chard: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Beet: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Turnip: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Green onion / scallion: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Strawberry (plants): fall transplant Oct 6–Nov 3
Coming up in the next 3 weeks
- Lettuce: fall transplant Oct 20–Nov 10
- Spinach: fall sowing Oct 20–Nov 10
- Bok choy / Asian greens: fall sowing Oct 20–Nov 3
- Arugula: fall sowing Oct 20–Nov 17
- Mustard greens: fall sowing Oct 20–Nov 3
- Radish: fall sowing Nov 3–17
- Garlic: fall sowing Nov 3–Dec 1
- Shallot: fall sowing Nov 3–Dec 1
- Cilantro: fall sowing Oct 20–Nov 3
- Dill: fall sowing Oct 20–Nov 3
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Jan 7 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Feb 25 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Apr 3 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Nov 23 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Dec 15 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Jan 16 (next year) |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Mar 31 | Dec 1 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Feb 25 | Dec 15 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Jan 25 | Jan 6 (next year) |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 92256
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Feb 25) and first fall frost (Dec 15). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Dec 31–Jan 14 | Mar 4–18 (transplant) | Aug 18–Sep 15 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Dec 17–31 | Mar 11–25 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 15 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Dec 17–31 | Mar 11–25 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 15 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Dec 31–Jan 14 | Mar 4–18 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Dec 31–Jan 14 | Feb 4–25 (transplant) Jan 28–Mar 11 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 10 (transplant) Oct 6–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Jan 14–Feb 4 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 10 (sowing) |
| Kale | Dec 31–Jan 14 | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) Jan 28–Feb 11 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 20 (transplant) Sep 8–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Collards | Dec 31–Jan 14 | Jan 28–Feb 25 (transplant) Jan 28–Feb 25 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 20 (transplant) Sep 8–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Dec 17–31 | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) | Sep 8–Oct 6 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Dec 17–31 | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) | Sep 8–Oct 6 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Dec 17–31 | Feb 11–25 (transplant) | Sep 8–Oct 6 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Dec 3–17 | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 15 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Dec 31–Jan 14 | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) Jan 28–Feb 11 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Jan 28–Feb 11 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Jan 28–Feb 25 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 17 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Jan 28–Feb 18 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Jan 14–28 | Feb 11–Mar 4 (transplant) Feb 11–Mar 11 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Jan 28–Feb 25 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Feb 4–Mar 4 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Jan 21–Mar 4 (sow outdoors) | Nov 3–17 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Jan 28–Feb 18 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Feb 4–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Dec 31–Jan 28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Dec 3–17 | Jan 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Jan 14–Feb 11 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Leek | Dec 3–17 | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 3–Dec 1 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Jan 14–28 (transplant) | Nov 3–Dec 1 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 8 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Mar 18–Apr 1 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Mar 4–18 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Mar 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Mar 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Mar 18–Apr 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Jan 28–Feb 4 | Mar 4–18 (transplant) Mar 4–18 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Jan 28–Feb 4 | Mar 4–18 (transplant) Mar 4–18 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Jan 28–Feb 4 | Mar 4–18 (transplant) Mar 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Mar 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Jan 28–Feb 4 | Mar 11–25 (transplant) Mar 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Jan 28–Feb 4 | Mar 11–25 (transplant) Mar 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Jan 14–28 | Mar 11–25 (transplant) Mar 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Dec 3–17 | Mar 4–11 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Jan 14–28 | Mar 4–18 (transplant) Mar 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Feb 11–Mar 11 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Dec 17–31 | Feb 11–25 (transplant) Feb 4–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Feb 25–Mar 11 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Feb 25–Mar 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) | Oct 6–Nov 3 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Morongo Valley N, CA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00045860), elevation 3,145 ft, 3.4 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yucca Valley, CA | 14 mi | Mar 14 | Nov 28 |
| Yucca Mesa, CA | 16 mi | Feb 16 | Dec 10 |
| Palm Springs, CA | 18 mi | Jan 1 | Dec 31 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 75 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 92256
When is the last frost in 92256?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 92256 is February 25. For a more cautious planting date, use April 3, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 92256?
The average first fall freeze is December 15. In 1 year in 10 it comes by November 23.
What hardiness zone is 92256?
ZIP 92256 is in USDA zone 9b (25 to 30°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 92256 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
92268 92282 Whitewater 92240 Desert Hot Springs 92258 Palm Springs 92339 92284 Yucca Valley 92230 Cabazon 92262 Palm Springs
Other ZIP codes in San Bernardino County
91701 91708 91709 91710 91730 91737 91739 91761 91762 91763 91764 91784 91786 92242 92252 92267 92268 92277 92278 92280 92284 92285 92301 92304 All San Bernardino County frost dates · California frost dates
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- Freeze alerts
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Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.