Fall in zone 9bPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 93204 (Avenal, 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, Kettleman City, CA (9 miles away).
- Average last spring frostFeb 1950% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 2950% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)281 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 75°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Monocline Ridge (51 mi), Vallecitos (51 mi), Cochora Ranch (61 mi).
4-inch depth
76°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 78°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Monocline Ridge (51 mi), Vallecitos (51 mi), Cochora Ranch (61 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 93204 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 76°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 6 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 Sep 20–Oct 18
- Lettuce: fall transplant Oct 4–25
- Spinach: fall sowing Oct 4–25
- Bok choy / Asian greens: fall sowing Oct 4–18
- Arugula: fall sowing Oct 4–Nov 1
- Mustard greens: fall sowing Oct 4–18
- Radish: fall sowing Oct 18–Nov 1
- Garlic: fall sowing Oct 18–Nov 15
- Shallot: fall sowing Oct 18–Nov 15
- Cilantro: fall sowing Oct 4–18
- Dill: fall sowing Oct 4–18
- Strawberry (plants): fall transplant Sep 20–Oct 18
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 29: skip heavy pruning in the 6–8 weeks before it, because new growth may not harden off in time.
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 21 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Feb 19 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Mar 15 |
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 14 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 29 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Dec 17 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Mar 17 | Nov 15 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Feb 19 | Nov 29 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Jan 24 | Dec 12 |
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 93204
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Feb 19) and first fall frost (Nov 29). 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 25–Jan 8 | Feb 26–Mar 12 (transplant) | Aug 2–30 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Dec 11–25 | Mar 5–19 (transplant) | Aug 9–30 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Dec 11–25 | Mar 5–19 (transplant) | Aug 9–30 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Dec 25–Jan 8 | Feb 26–Mar 12 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Dec 25–Jan 8 | Jan 29–Feb 19 (transplant) Jan 22–Mar 5 (sow outdoors) | Oct 4–25 (transplant) Sep 20–Oct 18 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Jan 8–29 (sow outdoors) | Oct 4–25 (sowing) |
| Kale | Dec 25–Jan 8 | Jan 22–Feb 5 (transplant) Jan 22–Feb 5 (sow outdoors) | Sep 6–Oct 4 (transplant) Aug 23–Sep 20 (sowing) |
| Collards | Dec 25–Jan 8 | Jan 22–Feb 19 (transplant) Jan 22–Feb 19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 6–Oct 4 (transplant) Aug 23–Sep 20 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Dec 11–25 | Jan 22–Feb 5 (transplant) | Aug 23–Sep 20 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Dec 11–25 | Jan 22–Feb 5 (transplant) | Aug 23–Sep 20 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Dec 11–25 | Feb 5–19 (transplant) | Aug 23–Sep 20 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Nov 27–Dec 11 | Jan 22–Feb 5 (transplant) | Aug 9–30 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Dec 25–Jan 8 | Jan 22–Feb 5 (transplant) Jan 22–Feb 5 (sow outdoors) | Sep 20–Oct 4 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Jan 22–Feb 5 (sow outdoors) | Oct 4–18 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Jan 22–Feb 19 (sow outdoors) | Oct 4–Nov 1 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Jan 22–Feb 12 (sow outdoors) | Oct 4–18 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Jan 8–22 | Feb 5–26 (transplant) Feb 5–Mar 5 (sow outdoors) | Sep 20–Oct 4 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Jan 22–Feb 19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 20–Oct 4 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Jan 29–Feb 26 (sow outdoors) | Sep 6–20 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Jan 15–Feb 26 (sow outdoors) | Oct 18–Nov 1 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Jan 22–Feb 12 (sow outdoors) | Sep 20–Oct 4 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Jan 29–Feb 19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Dec 25–Jan 22 (sow outdoors) | Sep 6–20 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Nov 27–Dec 11 | Jan 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Jan 8–Feb 5 (sow outdoors) | Sep 20–Oct 4 (sowing) |
| Leek | Nov 27–Dec 11 | Jan 22–Feb 5 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 18–Nov 15 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Jan 8–22 (transplant) | Oct 18–Nov 15 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Jan 22–Feb 5 (transplant) | Aug 9–23 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Mar 12–26 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Feb 26–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Feb 26–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | Sep 6–20 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Feb 26–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Mar 5–19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Mar 12–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Jan 22–29 | Feb 26–Mar 12 (transplant) Feb 26–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | Sep 6–20 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Jan 22–29 | Feb 26–Mar 12 (transplant) Feb 26–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | Sep 6–20 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Jan 22–29 | Feb 26–Mar 12 (transplant) Feb 26–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Feb 26–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Jan 22–29 | Mar 5–19 (transplant) Mar 5–19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Jan 22–29 | Mar 5–19 (transplant) Mar 5–19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Jan 8–22 | Mar 5–19 (transplant) Mar 5–19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Nov 27–Dec 11 | Feb 26–Mar 5 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Jan 8–22 | Feb 26–Mar 12 (transplant) Feb 26–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Feb 5–Mar 5 (sow outdoors) | Oct 4–18 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Dec 11–25 | Feb 5–19 (transplant) Jan 29–Feb 19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Feb 19–Mar 5 (sow outdoors) | Oct 4–18 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Feb 19–Mar 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Jan 22–Feb 5 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Jan 22–Feb 5 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Jan 22–Feb 5 (transplant) | Sep 20–Oct 18 (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: Kettleman City, CA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00044534), elevation 240 ft, 9.4 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coalinga, CA | 22 mi | Feb 14 | Nov 30 |
| Lemoore Reeves NAS, CA | 30 mi | Feb 24 | Nov 22 |
| Corcoran Irrig Dist, CA | 31 mi | Feb 15 | Nov 27 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 10 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 93204
When is the last frost in 93204?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 93204 is February 19. For a more cautious planting date, use March 15, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 93204?
The average first fall freeze is November 29. In 1 year in 10 it comes by November 14.
What hardiness zone is 93204?
ZIP 93204 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 93204 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
93239 Kettleman City 93234 Huron 93266 Stratford 93461 Shandon 93249 Lost Hills 93210 Coalinga 93451 San Miguel 93246 Lemoore Station
Other ZIP codes in Kings County
93202 93212 93230 93239 93245 93246 93266 All Kings County frost dates · California frost dates
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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.