Pearland, Texas: planting zone & frost dates
Pearland 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 15 and the first fall frost around Dec 10.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 5 | Nov 28 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Feb 15 | Dec 10 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 31 | Dec 27 |
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 HOUSTON CLOVER FLD, TX (USW00012975), 5.5 mi (8.9 km) from the city center and 7 ft lower than the city center (-2 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 17 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Pearland
All 5 ZIP codes covering Pearland are in zone 9b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Pearland
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Feb 15, first frost Dec 10). 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 21 – Jan 4 | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | — | — |
| Pepper | Dec 7 – Dec 21 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Jan 4 – Jan 18 | Feb 1 – Feb 22 | Jan 18 – Mar 1 | Oct 1 – Oct 29 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 22 – Mar 29 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 22 – Mar 22 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Jan 18 – Jan 25 | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Cucumber | Jan 18 – Jan 25 | Mar 1 – Mar 8 | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 25 – Mar 1 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 23 – Dec 7 | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Jan 18 – Feb 8 | — | — |
| Basil | Jan 4 – Jan 18 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | Mar 1 – Mar 22 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 4 – Feb 1 | Oct 15 – Nov 12 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 21 – Jan 4 | Jan 18 – Feb 8 | Jan 18 – Feb 8 | Oct 1 – Oct 29 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 21 – Jan 4 | Feb 1 – Feb 22 | — | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 4 – Jan 25 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
| Eggplant | Dec 7 – Dec 21 | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 21 – Jan 4 | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | — | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 11 – Mar 1 | Oct 29 – Nov 26 |
| Strawberry | — | Jan 18 – Feb 8 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 25 – Mar 8 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 |
Nearby cities in Texas
- Pasadena — zone 9b, last frost Feb 10, first frost Dec 10
- Missouri City — zone 9b, last frost Mar 1, first frost Nov 27
- League City — zone 9b, last frost Feb 15, first frost Dec 3
- Houston — zone 9b, last frost Feb 18, first frost Dec 8
- Sugar Land — zone 9b, last frost Feb 20, first frost Dec 3
- Baytown — zone 9b, last frost Mar 2, first frost Nov 25
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
Pearland gardening questions
When is the last frost in Pearland, TX?
Plan around Feb 15. At NOAA's Houston Clover Field, TX station, 5.5 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 31, and after Mar 5 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Jan 18. Springs here are erratic: 63 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 Pearland, TX?
Start seeds indoors Dec 21 – Jan 4 and set transplants outside Feb 22 – Mar 8, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 298 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 Pearland?
About 328 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 286 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Nov 28 and a 30% chance by Dec 10. That ranks 9th longest of 55 Texas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Pearland?
Count back from the first fall frost (Dec 10): transplant broccoli Sep 17 – Oct 1; sow kale Oct 1 – Oct 29; sow lettuce Oct 1 – Oct 29; sow radishes Oct 29 – Nov 26. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Jan 8. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Pearland's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Pearland 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 Pearland compare with Pasadena, TX?
Both are in zone 9b. The typical last spring frost in Pearland (Feb 15) comes about 5 days later than in Pasadena, TX (Feb 10), 12 miles away, and the first fall frost is Dec 10 versus Dec 10. The two cities use different NOAA stations.