Bakersfield, California: planting zone & frost dates
Bakersfield is in USDA plant hardiness zone 9b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 25 to 30°F (-3.9 to -1.1°C). The typical last spring frost is around Feb 12 and the first fall frost around Dec 1.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 27 | Nov 23 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Feb 12 | Dec 1 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 31 | Dec 8 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station BAKERSFIELD 5 NW, CA (USC00040444), 4.6 mi (7.4 km) from the city center and 89 ft higher than the city center (+27 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 14 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Bakersfield
All 11 ZIP codes covering Bakersfield are in zone 9b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Bakersfield
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Feb 12, first frost Dec 1). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | — | — |
| Pepper | Dec 4 – Dec 18 | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Jan 1 – Jan 15 | Jan 29 – Feb 19 | Jan 15 – Feb 26 | Sep 22 – Oct 20 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 19 – Mar 26 | Sep 8 – Sep 22 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 19 – Mar 19 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 15 – Jan 22 | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | Sep 8 – Sep 22 |
| Cucumber | Jan 15 – Jan 22 | Feb 26 – Mar 5 | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | Sep 8 – Sep 22 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 22 – Feb 26 | Sep 8 – Sep 22 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 20 – Dec 4 | Jan 15 – Jan 29 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | — | — |
| Basil | Jan 1 – Jan 15 | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Feb 26 – Mar 19 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 1 – Jan 29 | Oct 6 – Nov 3 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | Sep 22 – Oct 20 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Jan 29 – Feb 19 | — | Sep 8 – Sep 22 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 1 – Jan 22 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
| Eggplant | Dec 4 – Dec 18 | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 18 – Jan 1 | Jan 15 – Jan 29 | — | Sep 8 – Sep 22 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 8 – Feb 26 | Oct 20 – Nov 17 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 22 – Mar 5 | Sep 22 – Oct 6 |
Nearby cities in California
- Visalia — zone 9b, last frost Feb 2, first frost Dec 6
- Santa Clarita — zone 10a, last frost Jan 26, first frost Dec 20
- Lancaster — zone 8b, last frost Apr 11, first frost Oct 27
- Ventura — zone 10a, frost rare
- Simi Valley — zone 10a, last frost Feb 12, first frost Dec 6
- Santa Barbara — zone 10b, last frost Jan 27, first frost Dec 29
More: all California cities · other zone 9b cities: Houston, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Jacksonville, FL, San Jose, CA, Fresno, CA, Sacramento, CA, Mesa, AZ, New Orleans, LA
Bakersfield gardening questions
When is the last frost in Bakersfield, CA?
Plan around Feb 12. At NOAA's Bakersfield 5 NW, CA station, 4.6 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Jan 31, and after Feb 27 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 3. Springs here are erratic: 58 days separate the 90% and 10% dates, versus a median of 36 days for cities on this site, so watch the forecast rather than the calendar.
When should I plant tomatoes in Bakersfield, CA?
Start seeds indoors Dec 18 – Jan 1 and set transplants outside Feb 19 – Mar 5, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 292 frost-free days, frost is not the main limit — fruit set drops when nights stay above about 75°F, so early plantings tend to do best. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Bakersfield?
About 312 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 278 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 345 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 23 and a 30% chance by Dec 1. That ranks 65th longest of 84 California cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Bakersfield?
Count back from the first fall frost (Dec 1): transplant broccoli Sep 8 – Sep 22; sow kale Sep 22 – Oct 20; sow lettuce Sep 22 – Oct 20; sow radishes Oct 20 – Nov 17. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 20. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Bakersfield's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Bakersfield is zone 9b on both the 2012 and the 2023 USDA maps (PRISM/OSU ZIP listings). About 42% of U.S. ZIP codes kept their half-zone in 2023. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Bakersfield compare with Lancaster, CA?
Bakersfield is zone 9b and Lancaster is zone 8b. The typical last spring frost in Bakersfield (Feb 12) comes about 58 days earlier than in Lancaster, CA (Apr 11), 67 miles away, and the first fall frost is Dec 1 versus Oct 27. Bakersfield sits about 1,946 ft lower, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.