Berkeley, California: planting zone & frost dates
Berkeley is in USDA plant hardiness zone 10a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 30 to 35°F (-1.1 to 1.7°C). The typical last spring frost is around Jan 12 and the first fall frost around Dec 25.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 14 | Dec 10 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Jan 12 | Dec 25 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 3 | Jan 1 |
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 BERKELEY, CA (USC00040693), 2.2 mi (3.5 km) from the city center and 282 ft higher than the city center (+86 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 22 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Berkeley
All 10 ZIP codes covering Berkeley are in zone 10a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Berkeley
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Jan 12, first frost Dec 25). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Nov 17 – Dec 1 | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | — | — |
| Pepper | Nov 3 – Nov 17 | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 1 – Dec 15 | Dec 29 – Jan 19 | Dec 15 – Jan 26 | Oct 16 – Nov 13 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Jan 19 – Feb 23 | Oct 2 – Oct 16 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Jan 19 – Feb 16 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Dec 15 – Dec 22 | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Jan 19 – Feb 9 | Oct 2 – Oct 16 |
| Cucumber | Dec 15 – Dec 22 | Jan 26 – Feb 2 | Jan 19 – Feb 9 | Oct 2 – Oct 16 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 22 – Jan 26 | Oct 2 – Oct 16 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Oct 20 – Nov 3 | Dec 15 – Dec 29 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Dec 15 – Jan 5 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 1 – Dec 15 | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Jan 26 – Feb 16 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 1 – Dec 29 | Oct 30 – Nov 27 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 17 – Dec 1 | Dec 15 – Jan 5 | Dec 15 – Jan 5 | Oct 16 – Nov 13 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 17 – Dec 1 | Dec 29 – Jan 19 | — | Oct 2 – Oct 16 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 1 – Dec 22 | Oct 16 – Oct 30 |
| Eggplant | Nov 3 – Nov 17 | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 17 – Dec 1 | Dec 15 – Dec 29 | — | Oct 2 – Oct 16 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 8 – Jan 26 | Nov 13 – Dec 11 |
| Strawberry | — | Dec 15 – Jan 5 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 22 – Feb 2 | Oct 16 – Oct 30 |
Nearby cities in California
- Richmond — zone 10a, last frost Jan 14, first frost Dec 27
- Oakland — zone 10a, frost rare
- Alameda — zone 10a, last frost Jan 22, first frost Dec 10
- San Francisco — zone 10b, frost rare
- San Leandro — zone 10a, last frost Jan 22, first frost Dec 10
- Daly City — zone 10a, last frost Jan 23, first frost Dec 12
More: all California cities · other zone 10a cities: Los Angeles, CA, Oakland, CA, Tampa, FL, Orlando, FL, Riverside, CA, Corpus Christi, TX, Port St. Lucie, FL, Scottsdale, AZ
Berkeley gardening questions
When is the last frost in Berkeley, CA?
Plan around Jan 12. At NOAA's Berkeley, CA station, 2.2 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 3, and after Feb 14 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. Springs here are erratic: 62 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 Berkeley, CA?
Start seeds indoors Nov 17 – Dec 1 and set transplants outside Jan 19 – Feb 2, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 347 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 Berkeley?
About 365 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 347 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Dec 10 and a 30% chance by Dec 25. That ranks 13th longest of 84 California cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Berkeley?
Count back from the first fall frost (Dec 25): transplant broccoli Oct 2 – Oct 16; sow kale Oct 16 – Nov 13; sow lettuce Oct 16 – Nov 13; sow radishes Nov 13 – Dec 11. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Berkeley's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Berkeley is zone 10a 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 Berkeley compare with Richmond, CA?
Both are in zone 10a. The typical last spring frost in Berkeley (Jan 12) comes about the same time as in Richmond, CA (Jan 14), 7 miles away, and the first fall frost is Dec 25 versus Dec 27. The two cities use different NOAA stations.