Edinburg, Texas: planting zone & frost dates
Edinburg 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 27 and the first fall frost around Dec 24.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 21 | Dec 11 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Jan 27 | Dec 24 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 8 | Jan 2 |
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 EDINBURG, TX (USC00412758), 1.4 mi (2.3 km) from the city center and about the same elevation as the city center (+0 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 15 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Edinburg
All 3 ZIP codes covering Edinburg are in zone 10a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Edinburg
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Jan 27, first frost Dec 24). 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 2 – Dec 16 | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | — | — |
| Pepper | Nov 18 – Dec 2 | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 16 – Dec 30 | Jan 13 – Feb 3 | Dec 30 – Feb 10 | Oct 15 – Nov 12 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 3 – Mar 10 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 3 – Mar 3 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Dec 30 – Jan 6 | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | Feb 3 – Feb 24 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Cucumber | Dec 30 – Jan 6 | Feb 10 – Feb 17 | Feb 3 – Feb 24 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 6 – Feb 10 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 4 – Nov 18 | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Dec 30 – Jan 20 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 16 – Dec 30 | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | Feb 10 – Mar 3 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 16 – Jan 13 | Oct 29 – Nov 26 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 2 – Dec 16 | Dec 30 – Jan 20 | Dec 30 – Jan 20 | Oct 15 – Nov 12 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 2 – Dec 16 | Jan 13 – Feb 3 | — | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 16 – Jan 6 | Oct 15 – Oct 29 |
| Eggplant | Nov 18 – Dec 2 | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 2 – Dec 16 | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | — | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 23 – Feb 10 | Nov 12 – Dec 10 |
| Strawberry | — | Dec 30 – Jan 20 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 6 – Feb 17 | Oct 15 – Oct 29 |
Nearby cities in Texas
- McAllen — zone 10a, last frost Jan 30, first frost Dec 22
- Pharr — zone 10a, last frost Jan 29, first frost Dec 26
- Mission — zone 10a, last frost Jan 29, first frost Dec 26
- Brownsville — zone 10a, last frost Jan 13, first frost Dec 24
- Corpus Christi — zone 10a, last frost Jan 31, first frost Jan 1
- Laredo — zone 9b, last frost Feb 5, first frost Dec 6
More: all Texas 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
Edinburg gardening questions
When is the last frost in Edinburg, TX?
Plan around Jan 27. At NOAA's Edinburg, TX station, 1.4 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 8, and after Feb 21 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 3. Springs here are erratic: 66 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 Edinburg, TX?
Start seeds indoors Dec 2 – Dec 16 and set transplants outside Feb 3 – Feb 17, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 331 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 Edinburg?
About 365 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 333 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 24. That ranks 4th longest of 55 Texas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Edinburg?
Count back from the first fall frost (Dec 24): transplant broccoli Oct 1 – Oct 15; sow kale Oct 15 – Nov 12; sow lettuce Oct 15 – Nov 12; sow radishes Nov 12 – Dec 10. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Jan 1. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Edinburg's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Edinburg was zone 9b on the 2012 map and is zone 10a 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 Edinburg compare with McAllen, TX?
Both are in zone 10a. The typical last spring frost in Edinburg (Jan 27) comes about the same time as in McAllen, TX (Jan 30), 9 miles away, and the first fall frost is Dec 24 versus Dec 22. The two cities use different NOAA stations.