Santa Barbara, California: planting zone & frost dates
Santa Barbara is in USDA plant hardiness zone 10b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 35 to 40°F (1.7 to 4.4°C). The typical last spring frost is around Jan 27 and the first fall frost around Dec 29.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Feb 24 | Dec 12 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Jan 27 | Dec 29 |
| Median (50%) | Jan 13 | Jan 6 |
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 SANTA BARBARA, CA (USC00047902), 1.9 mi (3.1 km) from the city center and 302 ft lower than the city center (-92 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 27 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 7 ZIP codes): 10b (66%), 10a (34%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Santa Barbara
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Jan 27, first frost Dec 29). 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 2 – Dec 16 | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | — | — |
| Pepper | Nov 18 – Dec 2 | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | — | — |
| Lettuce Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 16 – Dec 30 | Jan 13 – Feb 3 | Dec 30 – Feb 10 | Oct 20 – Nov 17 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Feb 3 – Mar 10 | Oct 6 – Oct 20 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Feb 3 – Mar 3 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Dec 30 – Jan 6 | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | Feb 3 – Feb 24 | Oct 6 – Oct 20 |
| Cucumber | Dec 30 – Jan 6 | Feb 10 – Feb 17 | Feb 3 – Feb 24 | Oct 6 – Oct 20 |
| Carrot Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 6 – Feb 10 | Oct 6 – Oct 20 |
| Onion Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Nov 4 – Nov 18 | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | — | — |
| Potato Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | Dec 30 – Jan 20 | — | — |
| Basil | Dec 16 – Dec 30 | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | Feb 10 – Mar 3 | — |
| Spinach Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 16 – Jan 13 | Nov 3 – Dec 1 |
| Kale Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 2 – Dec 16 | Dec 30 – Jan 20 | Dec 30 – Jan 20 | Oct 20 – Nov 17 |
| Broccoli Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 2 – Dec 16 | Jan 13 – Feb 3 | — | Oct 6 – Oct 20 |
| Peas Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 16 – Jan 6 | Oct 20 – Nov 3 |
| Eggplant | Nov 18 – Dec 2 | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | — | — |
| Cabbage Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | Dec 2 – Dec 16 | Dec 30 – Jan 13 | — | Oct 6 – Oct 20 |
| Radish Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Dec 23 – Feb 10 | Nov 17 – Dec 15 |
| Strawberry | — | Dec 30 – Jan 20 | — | — |
| Beets Mild winters: fall and winter plantings are usually more reliable than spring. | — | — | Jan 6 – Feb 17 | Oct 20 – Nov 3 |
Nearby cities in California
- Ventura — zone 10a, frost rare
- Oxnard — zone 10b, frost rare
- Thousand Oaks — zone 10a, last frost Feb 12, first frost Dec 6
- Santa Maria — zone 9b, last frost Feb 18, first frost Dec 5
- Simi Valley — zone 10a, last frost Feb 12, first frost Dec 6
- Bakersfield — zone 9b, last frost Feb 12, first frost Dec 1
More: all California cities · other zone 10b cities: San Diego, CA, San Francisco, CA, Long Beach, CA, Anaheim, CA, Irvine, CA, Santa Ana, CA, Chula Vista, CA, St. Petersburg, FL
Santa Barbara gardening questions
When is the last frost in Santa Barbara, CA?
Plan around Jan 27. At NOAA's Santa Barbara, CA station, 1.9 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 13, and after Feb 24 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. Springs here are erratic: 74 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 Santa Barbara, CA?
Start seeds indoors Dec 2 – Dec 16 and set transplants outside Feb 3 – Feb 17, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. With about 336 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 Santa Barbara?
About 365 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 360 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 365 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Dec 12 and a 30% chance by Dec 29. That ranks 24th longest of 84 California cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Santa Barbara?
Count back from the first fall frost (Dec 29): transplant broccoli Oct 6 – Oct 20; sow kale Oct 20 – Nov 17; sow lettuce Oct 20 – Nov 17; sow radishes Nov 17 – Dec 15. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Santa Barbara's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Santa Barbara was zone 10a on the 2012 map and is zone 10b 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 Santa Barbara in zone 10b?
No. Zone 10b covers about 66% of the city's land; the rest is in 10a (34%), measured across the city's 7 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.