Fall in zone 10aPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 93430 (Cayucos, 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, Morro Bay Fire Dept, CA (10 miles away).
Freezes are uncommon here
NOAA's normals for this station show a 32°F night in about 15% of years (about 2 freezing night(s) a year on average). The dates below describe freeze timing for the station's record; in many years there may be no 32°F freeze at all.
- Average last spring frostJan 1950% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostJan 14 (next year)50% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)year-round in a typical yearmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone10a30 to 35°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
Freezes are uncommon here, so frost-based timing is rough. Local extension calendars for frost-free areas use months.
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
4-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
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 93430 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
No soil reading near this ZIP. Typical extension timing for your region: spring February to March; fall 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 Mar 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
- Kale: fall sowing Oct 8–Nov 5
- Collards: fall sowing Oct 8–Nov 5
- Broccoli: fall transplant Oct 8–Nov 5
- Cabbage: fall transplant Oct 8–Nov 5
- Cauliflower: fall transplant Oct 8–Nov 5
Coming up in the next 3 weeks
- Lettuce: fall sowing Nov 5–Dec 3
- Kale: fall transplant Oct 22–Nov 19
- Collards: fall transplant Oct 22–Nov 19
- Brussels sprouts: start seeds indoors Oct 27–Nov 10
- Kohlrabi: fall sowing Nov 5–19
- Swiss chard: fall sowing Nov 5–19
- Beet: fall sowing Nov 5–19
- Carrot: fall sowing Oct 22–Nov 5
- Turnip: fall sowing Nov 5–19
- Pea (garden, snap, snow): fall sowing Oct 22–Nov 5
- Onion (bulbing): start seeds indoors Oct 27–Nov 10
- Green onion / scallion: fall sowing Nov 5–19
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) | Dec 30 (prior Dec) |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Jan 19 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Feb 9 |
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) | Dec 25 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Jan 14 (next year) |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Feb 8 (next year) |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Jan 21 | Dec 31 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Jan 19 | Jan 14 (next year) |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | n/a | n/a |
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 93430
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Jan 19) and first fall frost (Jan 14). 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 | Nov 24–Dec 8 | Jan 26–Feb 9 (transplant) | Sep 17–Oct 15 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Nov 10–24 | Feb 2–16 (transplant) | Sep 24–Oct 15 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Nov 10–24 | Feb 2–16 (transplant) | Sep 24–Oct 15 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Nov 24–Dec 8 | Jan 26–Feb 9 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Nov 24–Dec 8 | Dec 29–Jan 19 (transplant) Dec 22–Feb 2 (sow outdoors) | Nov 19–Dec 10 (transplant) Nov 5–Dec 3 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Dec 8–29 (sow outdoors) | Nov 19–Dec 10 (sowing) |
| Kale | Nov 24–Dec 8 | Dec 22–Jan 5 (transplant) Dec 22–Jan 5 (sow outdoors) | Oct 22–Nov 19 (transplant) Oct 8–Nov 5 (sowing) |
| Collards | Nov 24–Dec 8 | Dec 22–Jan 19 (transplant) Dec 22–Jan 19 (sow outdoors) | Oct 22–Nov 19 (transplant) Oct 8–Nov 5 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Nov 10–24 | Dec 22–Jan 5 (transplant) | Oct 8–Nov 5 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Nov 10–24 | Dec 22–Jan 5 (transplant) | Oct 8–Nov 5 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Nov 10–24 | Jan 5–19 (transplant) | Oct 8–Nov 5 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Oct 27–Nov 10 | Dec 22–Jan 5 (transplant) | Sep 24–Oct 15 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Nov 24–Dec 8 | Dec 22–Jan 5 (transplant) Dec 22–Jan 5 (sow outdoors) | Nov 5–19 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Dec 22–Jan 5 (sow outdoors) | Nov 19–Dec 3 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Dec 22–Jan 19 (sow outdoors) | Nov 19–Dec 17 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Dec 22–Jan 12 (sow outdoors) | Nov 19–Dec 3 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Dec 8–22 | Jan 5–26 (transplant) Jan 5–Feb 2 (sow outdoors) | Nov 5–19 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Dec 22–Jan 19 (sow outdoors) | Nov 5–19 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Dec 29–Jan 26 (sow outdoors) | Oct 22–Nov 5 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Dec 15–Jan 26 (sow outdoors) | Dec 3–17 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Dec 22–Jan 12 (sow outdoors) | Nov 5–19 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Dec 29–Jan 19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Nov 24–Dec 22 (sow outdoors) | Oct 22–Nov 5 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Oct 27–Nov 10 | Dec 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Dec 8–Jan 5 (sow outdoors) | Nov 5–19 (sowing) |
| Leek | Oct 27–Nov 10 | Dec 22–Jan 5 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Dec 3–31 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Dec 8–22 (transplant) | Dec 3–31 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Dec 22–Jan 5 (transplant) | Sep 24–Oct 8 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Feb 9–23 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jan 26–Feb 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Jan 26–Feb 9 (sow outdoors) | Oct 22–Nov 5 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Jan 26–Feb 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Feb 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Feb 9–Mar 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Dec 22–29 | Jan 26–Feb 9 (transplant) Jan 26–Feb 9 (sow outdoors) | Oct 22–Nov 5 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Dec 22–29 | Jan 26–Feb 9 (transplant) Jan 26–Feb 9 (sow outdoors) | Oct 22–Nov 5 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Dec 22–29 | Jan 26–Feb 9 (transplant) Jan 26–Feb 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Jan 26–Feb 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Dec 22–29 | Feb 2–16 (transplant) Feb 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Dec 22–29 | Feb 2–16 (transplant) Feb 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Dec 8–22 | Feb 2–16 (transplant) Feb 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Oct 27–Nov 10 | Jan 26–Feb 2 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Dec 8–22 | Jan 26–Feb 9 (transplant) Jan 26–Feb 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Jan 5–Feb 2 (sow outdoors) | Nov 19–Dec 3 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Nov 10–24 | Jan 5–19 (transplant) Dec 29–Jan 19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Jan 19–Feb 2 (sow outdoors) | Nov 19–Dec 3 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Jan 19–Feb 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Dec 22–Jan 5 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Dec 22–Jan 5 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Dec 22–Jan 5 (transplant) | Nov 5–Dec 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: Morro Bay Fire Dept, CA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00045866), elevation 118 ft, 9.9 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paso Robles, CA | 18 mi | Mar 15 | Nov 10 |
| Hearst Castle, CA | 19 mi | Feb 13 | Feb 1 (next year) |
| San Luis Obispo Poly, CA | 20 mi | Jan 16 | Dec 25 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 61 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 93430
When is the last frost in 93430?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 93430 is January 19. For a more cautious planting date, use February 9, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 93430?
The average first fall freeze is January 14 (next year). In 1 year in 10 it comes by December 25.
What hardiness zone is 93430?
ZIP 93430 is in USDA zone 10a (30 to 35°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 93430 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
93428 Cambria 93442 Morro Bay 93465 Templeton 93422 Atascadero 93402 Los Osos 93408 93405 San Luis Obispo 93446 El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles)
Other ZIP codes in San Luis Obispo County
93401 93402 93405 93407 93408 93409 93410 93420 93422 93424 93428 93432 93433 93442 93444 93445 93446 93449 93452 93453 93461 93465 All San Luis Obispo 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.