San Angelo, Texas: planting zone & frost dates
San Angelo is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 10 to 15°F (-12.2 to -9.4°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 1 and the first fall frost around Nov 4.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 12 | Oct 28 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 1 | Nov 4 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 20 | Nov 10 |
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 SAN ANGELO, TX (USW00023034), 5.4 mi (8.7 km) from the city center and 10 ft higher than the city center (+3 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 26 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across San Angelo
All 6 ZIP codes covering San Angelo are in zone 8a.
Vegetable planting calendar for San Angelo
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 1, first frost Nov 4). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | Mar 4 – Apr 15 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 8 – May 13 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 8 – May 6 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 4 – Mar 11 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | Apr 8 – Apr 29 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Cucumber | Mar 4 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – Apr 22 | Apr 8 – Apr 29 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 11 – Apr 15 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Onion | Jan 7 – Jan 21 | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | Apr 15 – May 6 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 18 – Mar 18 | Sep 9 – Oct 7 |
| Kale | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| Broccoli | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | — | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 18 – Mar 11 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Eggplant | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | — | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 25 – Apr 15 | Sep 23 – Oct 21 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 11 – Apr 22 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
Nearby cities in Texas
- Abilene — zone 8a, last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 5
- Midland — zone 8b, last frost Apr 3, first frost Nov 3
- Odessa — zone 8b, last frost Mar 27, first frost Nov 8
- Lubbock — zone 7b, last frost Apr 12, first frost Oct 28
- Leander — zone 9a, last frost Mar 15, first frost Nov 16
- Killeen — zone 8b, last frost Mar 24, first frost Nov 8
More: all Texas cities · other zone 8a cities: Charlotte, NC, Memphis, TN, Atlanta, GA, Raleigh, NC, Greensboro, NC, Durham, NC, Winston-Salem, NC, Chesapeake, VA
San Angelo gardening questions
When is the last frost in San Angelo, TX?
Plan around Apr 1. At NOAA's San Angelo, TX station, 5.4 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 Mar 20, and after Apr 12 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 6. The 90% and 10% dates are 42 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in San Angelo, TX?
Start seeds indoors Feb 4 – Feb 18 and set transplants outside Apr 8 – Apr 22, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 217 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in San Angelo?
About 232 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 205 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 258 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 28 and a 30% chance by Nov 4. That ranks 51st longest of 55 Texas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in San Angelo?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 4): transplant broccoli Aug 12 – Aug 26; sow kale Aug 26 – Sep 23; sow lettuce Aug 26 – Sep 23; sow radishes Sep 23 – Oct 21. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 22. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did San Angelo's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, San Angelo is zone 8a on both the 2012 and the 2023 USDA maps (PRISM/OSU ZIP listings). About 42% of U.S. ZIP codes kept their half-zone in 2023. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does San Angelo compare with Abilene, TX?
Both are in zone 8a. The typical last spring frost in San Angelo (Apr 1) comes about the same time as in Abilene, TX (Mar 29), 82 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 4 versus Nov 5. San Angelo sits about 163 ft higher, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.