Victorville, California: planting zone & frost dates
Victorville 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 31 and the first fall frost around Nov 5.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 12 | Oct 27 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 31 | Nov 5 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 18 | Nov 11 |
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 VICTORVILLE, CA (USC00049325), 3.5 mi (5.6 km) from the city center and 75 ft lower than the city center (-23 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 25 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Victorville
All 5 ZIP codes covering Victorville are in zone 8b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Victorville
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 31, first frost Nov 5). 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 3 – Feb 17 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Apr 14 – Apr 28 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Mar 17 – Apr 7 | Mar 3 – Apr 14 | Aug 27 – Sep 24 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 7 – May 12 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 7 – May 5 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 3 – Mar 10 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 | Apr 7 – Apr 28 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Cucumber | Mar 3 – Mar 10 | Apr 14 – Apr 21 | Apr 7 – Apr 28 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 10 – Apr 14 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Onion | Jan 6 – Jan 20 | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 3 – Mar 24 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | Apr 14 – Apr 28 | Apr 14 – May 5 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 17 – Mar 17 | Sep 10 – Oct 8 |
| Kale | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | Mar 3 – Mar 24 | Mar 3 – Mar 24 | Aug 27 – Sep 24 |
| Broccoli | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | Mar 17 – Apr 7 | — | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 17 – Mar 10 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Eggplant | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Apr 14 – Apr 28 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | — | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 24 – Apr 14 | Sep 24 – Oct 22 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 3 – Mar 24 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 10 – Apr 21 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
Nearby cities in California
- Hesperia — zone 8b, last frost Mar 12, first frost Nov 23
- San Bernardino — zone 10a, last frost Feb 10, first frost Dec 11
- Rialto — zone 10a, last frost Feb 10, first frost Dec 11
- Fontana — zone 10a, last frost Jan 13, first frost Dec 22
- Rancho Cucamonga — zone 10a, last frost Jan 13, first frost Dec 22
- Upland — zone 10a, last frost Jan 26, first frost Dec 19
More: all California cities · other zone 8b cities: Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX, El Paso, TX, Virginia Beach, VA, Arlington, TX, Plano, TX, Irving, TX, Garland, TX
Victorville gardening questions
When is the last frost in Victorville, CA?
Plan around Mar 31. At NOAA's Victorville, CA station, 3.5 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 18, and after Apr 12 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Feb 22. Springs here are erratic: 48 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 Victorville, CA?
Start seeds indoors Feb 3 – Feb 17 and set transplants outside Apr 7 – Apr 21, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 219 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 Victorville?
About 233 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 203 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 262 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 27 and a 30% chance by Nov 5. That ranks 83rd longest of 84 California cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Victorville?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 5): transplant broccoli Aug 13 – Aug 27; sow kale Aug 27 – Sep 24; sow lettuce Aug 27 – Sep 24; sow radishes Sep 24 – Oct 22. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 24. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Victorville's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Victorville 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.
How does Victorville compare with Hesperia, CA?
Both are in zone 8b. The typical last spring frost in Victorville (Mar 31) comes about 19 days later than in Hesperia, CA (Mar 12), 9 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 5 versus Nov 23. Victorville sits about 398 ft lower, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.