Murrieta, California: planting zone & frost dates
Murrieta 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 Feb 14 and the first fall frost around Jan 3.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 24 | Dec 23 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Feb 14 | Jan 3 |
| Median (50%) | Feb 2 | Jan 30 |
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 FALLBROOK 5 NE, CA (USW00053151), 9.3 mi (14.9 km) from the city center and 98 ft lower than the city center (-30 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 13 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Murrieta
Murrieta spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 2 ZIP codes): 10a (62%), 9b (38%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Murrieta
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Feb 14, first frost Jan 3). 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 20 – Jan 3 | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | — | — |
| Pepper | Dec 6 – Dec 20 | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Jan 3 – Jan 17 | Jan 31 – Feb 21 | Jan 17 – Feb 28 | Oct 25 – Nov 22 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 21 – Mar 28 | Oct 11 – Oct 25 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 21 – Mar 21 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 17 – Jan 24 | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | Feb 21 – Mar 14 | Oct 11 – Oct 25 |
| Cucumber | Jan 17 – Jan 24 | Feb 28 – Mar 7 | Feb 21 – Mar 14 | Oct 11 – Oct 25 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 24 – Feb 28 | Oct 11 – Oct 25 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 22 – Dec 6 | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 17 – Feb 7 | — | — |
| Basil | Jan 3 – Jan 17 | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Feb 28 – Mar 21 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 3 – Jan 31 | Nov 8 – Dec 6 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Jan 17 – Feb 7 | Jan 17 – Feb 7 | Oct 25 – Nov 22 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Jan 31 – Feb 21 | — | Oct 11 – Oct 25 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 3 – Jan 24 | Oct 25 – Nov 8 |
| Eggplant | Dec 6 – Dec 20 | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 20 – Jan 3 | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | — | Oct 11 – Oct 25 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 10 – Feb 28 | Nov 22 – Dec 20 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 17 – Feb 7 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 24 – Mar 7 | Oct 25 – Nov 8 |
Nearby cities in California
- Temecula — zone 9b, last frost Feb 14, first frost Jan 3
- Menifee — zone 9b, last frost Feb 10, first frost Dec 10
- Perris — zone 9b, last frost Feb 10, first frost Dec 10
- Hemet — zone 9b, last frost Feb 14, first frost Dec 2
- Moreno Valley — zone 9b, last frost Feb 10, first frost Dec 11
- Oceanside — zone 10a, last frost Feb 4, first frost Dec 1
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
Murrieta gardening questions
When is the last frost in Murrieta, CA?
Plan around Feb 14. At NOAA's Fallbrook 5 NE, CA station, 9.3 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 Feb 2, and after Feb 24 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. 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 Murrieta, CA?
Start seeds indoors Dec 20 – Jan 3 and set transplants outside Feb 21 – Mar 7, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 323 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 Murrieta?
About 365 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 356 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Dec 23 and a 30% chance by Jan 3. That ranks 15th longest of 84 California cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Murrieta?
Count back from the first fall frost (Jan 3): transplant broccoli Oct 11 – Oct 25; sow kale Oct 25 – Nov 22; sow lettuce Oct 25 – Nov 22; sow radishes Nov 22 – Dec 20. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Murrieta's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Murrieta 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.
Is all of Murrieta in zone 10a?
No. Zone 10a covers about 62% of the city's land; the rest is in 9b (38%), measured across the city's 2 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.