Laredo, Texas: planting zone & frost dates
Laredo 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 5 and the first fall frost around Dec 6.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 25 | Nov 23 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Feb 5 | Dec 6 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 25 | Dec 17 |
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 LAREDO 2, TX (USC00415060), 0.8 mi (1.3 km) from the city center and 52 ft lower than the city center (-16 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 26 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Laredo
All 5 ZIP codes covering Laredo are in zone 9b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Laredo
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Feb 5, first frost Dec 6). 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 11 – Dec 25 | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | — | — |
| Pepper | Nov 27 – Dec 11 | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 25 – Jan 8 | Jan 22 – Feb 12 | Jan 8 – Feb 19 | Sep 27 – Oct 25 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 12 – Mar 19 | Sep 13 – Sep 27 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 12 – Mar 12 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 8 – Jan 15 | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Feb 12 – Mar 5 | Sep 13 – Sep 27 |
| Cucumber | Jan 8 – Jan 15 | Feb 19 – Feb 26 | Feb 12 – Mar 5 | Sep 13 – Sep 27 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 15 – Feb 19 | Sep 13 – Sep 27 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 13 – Nov 27 | Jan 8 – Jan 22 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 8 – Jan 29 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 25 – Jan 8 | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 25 – Jan 22 | Oct 11 – Nov 8 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 11 – Dec 25 | Jan 8 – Jan 29 | Jan 8 – Jan 29 | Sep 27 – Oct 25 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 11 – Dec 25 | Jan 22 – Feb 12 | — | Sep 13 – Sep 27 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 25 – Jan 15 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
| Eggplant | Nov 27 – Dec 11 | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 11 – Dec 25 | Jan 8 – Jan 22 | — | Sep 13 – Sep 27 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 1 – Feb 19 | Oct 25 – Nov 22 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 8 – Jan 29 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 15 – Feb 26 | Sep 27 – Oct 11 |
Nearby cities in Texas
- Mission — zone 10a, last frost Jan 29, first frost Dec 26
- Edinburg — zone 10a, last frost Jan 27, first frost Dec 24
- McAllen — zone 10a, last frost Jan 30, first frost Dec 22
- Pharr — zone 10a, last frost Jan 29, first frost Dec 26
- San Antonio — zone 9a, last frost Mar 5, first frost Nov 18
- Corpus Christi — zone 10a, last frost Jan 31, first frost Jan 1
More: all Texas cities · other zone 9b cities: Houston, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Jacksonville, FL, San Jose, CA, Fresno, CA, Sacramento, CA, Mesa, AZ, Bakersfield, CA
Laredo gardening questions
When is the last frost in Laredo, TX?
Plan around Feb 5. At NOAA's Laredo 2, TX station, 0.8 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 25, and after Feb 25 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 8. 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 Laredo, TX?
Start seeds indoors Dec 11 – Dec 25 and set transplants outside Feb 12 – Feb 26, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 304 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 Laredo?
About 329 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 288 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 362 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 23 and a 30% chance by Dec 6. That ranks 8th longest of 55 Texas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Laredo?
Count back from the first fall frost (Dec 6): transplant broccoli Sep 13 – Sep 27; sow kale Sep 27 – Oct 25; sow lettuce Sep 27 – Oct 25; sow radishes Oct 25 – Nov 22. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 30. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Laredo's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Laredo was zone 9a on the 2012 map and is zone 9b 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 Laredo compare with Mission, TX?
Laredo is zone 9b and Mission is zone 10a. The typical last spring frost in Laredo (Feb 5) comes about 7 days later than in Mission, TX (Jan 29), 118 miles away, and the first fall frost is Dec 6 versus Dec 26. Laredo sits about 368 ft higher, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.