McAllen, Texas: planting zone & frost dates
McAllen 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 30 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 12 | Dec 8 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Jan 30 | Dec 22 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 9 | 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 MCALLEN, TX (USC00415701), 2.3 mi (3.7 km) from the city center and 20 ft lower than the city center (-6 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 27 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across McAllen
All 7 ZIP codes covering McAllen are in zone 10a.
Vegetable planting calendar for McAllen
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Jan 30, 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 | Dec 5 – Dec 19 | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | — | — |
| Pepper | Nov 21 – Dec 5 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 19 – Jan 2 | Jan 16 – Feb 6 | Jan 2 – Feb 13 | Oct 13 – Nov 10 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 6 – Mar 13 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 6 – Mar 6 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 2 – Jan 9 | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Feb 6 – Feb 27 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Cucumber | Jan 2 – Jan 9 | Feb 13 – Feb 20 | Feb 6 – Feb 27 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 9 – Feb 13 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 7 – Nov 21 | Jan 2 – Jan 16 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 2 – Jan 23 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 19 – Jan 2 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 19 – Jan 16 | Oct 27 – Nov 24 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 5 – Dec 19 | Jan 2 – Jan 23 | Jan 2 – Jan 23 | Oct 13 – Nov 10 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 5 – Dec 19 | Jan 16 – Feb 6 | — | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 19 – Jan 9 | Oct 13 – Oct 27 |
| Eggplant | Nov 21 – Dec 5 | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 5 – Dec 19 | Jan 2 – Jan 16 | — | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 26 – Feb 13 | Nov 10 – Dec 8 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 2 – Jan 23 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 9 – Feb 20 | Oct 13 – Oct 27 |
Nearby cities in Texas
- Pharr — zone 10a, last frost Jan 29, first frost Dec 26
- Mission — zone 10a, last frost Jan 29, first frost Dec 26
- Edinburg — zone 10a, last frost Jan 27, first frost Dec 24
- Brownsville — zone 10a, last frost Jan 13, first frost Dec 24
- Laredo — zone 9b, last frost Feb 5, first frost Dec 6
- Corpus Christi — zone 10a, last frost Jan 31, first frost Jan 1
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
McAllen gardening questions
When is the last frost in McAllen, TX?
Plan around Jan 30. At NOAA's Mcallen, TX station, 2.3 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 9, and after Feb 12 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 4. Springs here are erratic: 60 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 McAllen, TX?
Start seeds indoors Dec 5 – Dec 19 and set transplants outside Feb 6 – Feb 20, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 326 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 McAllen?
About 365 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 324 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Dec 8 and a 30% chance by Dec 22. That ranks 3rd longest of 55 Texas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in McAllen?
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. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Jan 2. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did McAllen's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of McAllen 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 McAllen compare with Mission, TX?
Both are in zone 10a. The typical last spring frost in McAllen (Jan 30) comes about the same time as in Mission, TX (Jan 29), 5 miles away, and the first fall frost is Dec 22 versus Dec 26. The two cities use different NOAA stations.