Chula Vista, California: planting zone & frost dates
Chula Vista is in USDA plant hardiness zone 10b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 35 to 40°F (1.7 to 4.4°C). The typical last spring frost is around Jan 17 and the first fall frost around Dec 22.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 5 | Dec 11 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Jan 17 | Dec 22 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 6 | Dec 31 |
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 SAN DIEGO BROWN FLD, CA (USW00003178), 4.3 mi (7.0 km) from the city center and 79 ft higher than the city center (+24 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 23 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Chula Vista
All 7 ZIP codes covering Chula Vista are in zone 10b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Chula Vista
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Jan 17, first frost Dec 22). 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 22 – Dec 6 | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | — | — |
| Pepper | Nov 8 – Nov 22 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 6 – Dec 20 | Jan 3 – Jan 24 | Dec 20 – Jan 31 | Oct 13 – Nov 10 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Jan 24 – Feb 28 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Jan 24 – Feb 21 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Dec 20 – Dec 27 | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Jan 24 – Feb 14 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Cucumber | Dec 20 – Dec 27 | Jan 31 – Feb 7 | Jan 24 – Feb 14 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 27 – Jan 31 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Oct 25 – Nov 8 | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Dec 20 – Jan 10 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 6 – Dec 20 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Jan 31 – Feb 21 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 6 – Jan 3 | Oct 27 – Nov 24 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 22 – Dec 6 | Dec 20 – Jan 10 | Dec 20 – Jan 10 | Oct 13 – Nov 10 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 22 – Dec 6 | Jan 3 – Jan 24 | — | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 6 – Dec 27 | Oct 13 – Oct 27 |
| Eggplant | Nov 8 – Nov 22 | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 22 – Dec 6 | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | — | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 13 – Jan 31 | Nov 10 – Dec 8 |
| Strawberry | — | Dec 20 – Jan 10 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 27 – Feb 7 | Oct 13 – Oct 27 |
Nearby cities in California
- El Cajon — zone 10a, last frost Jan 21, first frost Dec 12
- San Diego — zone 10b, frost rare
- Escondido — zone 10a, last frost Jan 14, first frost Dec 23
- San Marcos — zone 10a, last frost Jan 14, first frost Dec 23
- Carlsbad — zone 10a, frost rare
- Vista — zone 10a, last frost Feb 24, first frost Dec 24
More: all California cities · other zone 10b cities: San Diego, CA, San Francisco, CA, Long Beach, CA, Anaheim, CA, Irvine, CA, Santa Ana, CA, St. Petersburg, FL, Cape Coral, FL
Chula Vista gardening questions
When is the last frost in Chula Vista, CA?
Plan around Jan 17. At NOAA's San Diego Brown Field, CA station, 4.3 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 6, and after Feb 5 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. Springs here are erratic: 54 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 Chula Vista, CA?
Start seeds indoors Nov 22 – Dec 6 and set transplants outside Jan 24 – Feb 7, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 339 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 Chula Vista?
About 365 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 345 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Dec 11 and a 30% chance by Dec 22. That ranks 2nd longest of 84 California cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Chula Vista?
Count back from the first fall frost (Dec 22): transplant broccoli Sep 29 – Oct 13; sow kale Oct 13 – Nov 10; sow lettuce Oct 13 – Nov 10; sow radishes Nov 10 – Dec 8. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Chula Vista's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Chula Vista was zone 10a on the 2012 map and is zone 10b on the 2023 map — half a zone warmer, like about 56% of U.S. ZIP codes. The shift comes from a newer 1991–2020 averaging period plus more weather stations and better mapping; it does not mean last frost comes earlier. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Chula Vista compare with El Cajon, CA?
Chula Vista is zone 10b and El Cajon is zone 10a. The typical last spring frost in Chula Vista (Jan 17) comes about 4 days earlier than in El Cajon, CA (Jan 21), 12 miles away, and the first fall frost is Dec 22 versus Dec 12. The two cities use different NOAA stations.