Fall in zone 9bPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 96074 (Paskenta, 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, Stony Gorge Rsvr, CA (19 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 550% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 1350% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)220 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
73°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 70°F, as of Oct 18, 1:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Redding 12 WNW (54 mi).
4-inch depth
75°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 77°F, as of Oct 18, 1:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Redding 12 WNW (54 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 96074 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 75°F at 4 inches (estimated soil temperature, not a station reading). Fall pre-emergent (annual bluegrass, winter weeds): window open as soil cools through the 70s and 60s.
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 May 21 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
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 13: 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) | Mar 8 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 5 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Apr 24 |
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) | Oct 29 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 13 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 29 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Apr 24 | Oct 31 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 5 | Nov 13 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Mar 1 | Nov 29 |
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 96074
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 5) and first fall frost (Nov 13). 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 | Feb 8–22 | Apr 12–26 (transplant) | Jul 17–Aug 14 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Apr 19–May 3 (transplant) | Jul 24–Aug 14 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Apr 19–May 3 (transplant) | Jul 24–Aug 14 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Feb 8–22 | Apr 12–26 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 8–22 | Mar 15–Apr 5 (transplant) Mar 8–Apr 19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 18–Oct 9 (transplant) Sep 4–Oct 2 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Feb 22–Mar 15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 18–Oct 9 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 8–22 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 18 (transplant) Aug 7–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 8–22 | Mar 8–Apr 5 (transplant) Mar 8–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 18 (transplant) Aug 7–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | Aug 7–Sep 4 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | Aug 7–Sep 4 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | Aug 7–Sep 4 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 11–25 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | Jul 24–Aug 14 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 8–22 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Sep 4–18 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Sep 18–Oct 2 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 8–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | Sep 18–Oct 16 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 8–29 (sow outdoors) | Sep 18–Oct 2 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Mar 22–Apr 12 (transplant) Mar 22–Apr 19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 4–18 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 8–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | Sep 4–18 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 15–Apr 12 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 1–Apr 12 (sow outdoors) | Oct 2–16 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 8–29 (sow outdoors) | Sep 4–18 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 15–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 8–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 11–25 | Feb 22–Mar 8 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Feb 22–Mar 22 (sow outdoors) | Sep 4–18 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 11–25 | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 2–30 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Feb 22–Mar 8 (transplant) | Oct 2–30 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | Jul 24–Aug 7 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Apr 26–May 10 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Apr 19–May 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Apr 26–May 17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 8–15 | Apr 12–26 (transplant) Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 8–15 | Apr 12–26 (transplant) Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | Aug 21–Sep 4 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Mar 8–15 | Apr 12–26 (transplant) Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 8–15 | Apr 19–May 3 (transplant) Apr 19–May 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 8–15 | Apr 19–May 3 (transplant) Apr 19–May 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Apr 19–May 3 (transplant) Apr 19–May 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 11–25 | Apr 12–19 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Feb 22–Mar 8 | Apr 12–26 (transplant) Apr 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Mar 22–Apr 19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 18–Oct 2 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) Mar 15–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 18–Oct 2 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 5–19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 8–22 (transplant) | Sep 4–Oct 2 (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: Stony Gorge Rsvr, CA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00048587), elevation 800 ft, 19.3 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: S (standard, 24+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orland, CA | 22 mi | Feb 25 | Dec 2 |
| Red Bluff Muni AP, CA | 27 mi | Feb 22 | Nov 29 |
| Willows 6 W, CA | 28 mi | Feb 21 | Dec 6 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 46 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 96074
When is the last frost in 96074?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 96074 is April 5. For a more cautious planting date, use April 24, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 96074?
The average first fall freeze is November 13. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 29.
What hardiness zone is 96074?
ZIP 96074 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 96074 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
96029 Flournoy 95963 Orland 96021 Rancho Tehama Reserve 95939 Elk Creek 96080 Red Bluff 96035 Proberta 95913 Artois 96078 Proberta
Other ZIP codes in Tehama County
96021 96022 96029 96035 96055 96059 96061 96063 96075 96078 96080 96090 96092 All Tehama 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.