Temple, Texas: planting zone & frost dates
Temple is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 15 to 20°F (-9.4 to -6.7°C). The typical last spring frost is around Mar 22 and the first fall frost around Nov 11.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 4 | Oct 29 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 22 | Nov 11 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 14 | Nov 20 |
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 STILLHOUSE HOLLOW DAM, TX (USC00418646), 9.5 mi (15.3 km) from the city center and 98 ft higher than the city center (+30 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 24 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Temple
Temple spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 4 ZIP codes): 8b (79%), 9a (21%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Temple
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 22, first frost Nov 11). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 11 – Jan 25 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Mar 8 – Mar 29 | Feb 22 – Apr 5 | Sep 2 – Sep 30 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 29 – May 3 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 29 – Apr 26 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 22 – Mar 1 | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | Mar 29 – Apr 19 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Cucumber | Feb 22 – Mar 1 | Apr 5 – Apr 12 | Mar 29 – Apr 19 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 1 – Apr 5 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Onion | Dec 28 – Jan 11 | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 8 – Feb 22 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | Apr 5 – Apr 26 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 8 – Mar 8 | Sep 16 – Oct 14 |
| Kale | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | Sep 2 – Sep 30 |
| Broccoli | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Mar 8 – Mar 29 | — | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 8 – Mar 1 | Sep 2 – Sep 16 |
| Eggplant | Jan 11 – Jan 25 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 25 – Feb 8 | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | — | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 15 – Apr 5 | Sep 30 – Oct 28 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 1 – Apr 12 | Sep 2 – Sep 16 |
Nearby cities in Texas
- Killeen — zone 8b, last frost Mar 24, first frost Nov 8
- Waco — zone 8b, last frost Mar 19, first frost Nov 13
- Georgetown — zone 9a, last frost Mar 15, first frost Nov 16
- Round Rock — zone 9a, last frost Mar 19, first frost Nov 13
- Leander — zone 9a, last frost Mar 15, first frost Nov 16
- Cedar Park — zone 9a, last frost Mar 19, first frost Nov 13
More: all Texas cities · other zone 8b cities: Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX, El Paso, TX, Virginia Beach, VA, Arlington, TX, Plano, TX, Irving, TX, Garland, TX
Temple gardening questions
When is the last frost in Temple, TX?
Plan around Mar 22. At NOAA's Stillhouse Hollow Dam, TX station, 9.5 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 Mar 14, and after Apr 4 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 1. The 90% and 10% dates are 41 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Temple, TX?
Start seeds indoors Jan 25 – Feb 8 and set transplants outside Mar 29 – Apr 12, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 234 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 Temple?
About 251 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 218 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 276 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 29 and a 30% chance by Nov 11. That ranks 42nd longest of 55 Texas cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Temple?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 11): transplant broccoli Aug 19 – Sep 2; sow kale Sep 2 – Sep 30; sow lettuce Sep 2 – Sep 30; sow radishes Sep 30 – Oct 28. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 1. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Temple's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Temple is zone 8b 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.
Is all of Temple in zone 8b?
No. Zone 8b covers about 79% of the city's land; the rest is in 9a (21%), measured across the city's 4 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.