Frost dates for ZIP 77987 (Lavaca County, TX)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Yoakum, TX (7 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMar 250% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 3050% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)276 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone9a20 to 25°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 17, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
72°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 71°F, as of Oct 17, 11:00 PM CDT
Measured at TexMesonet (TWDB) station STXRR Camp Williams, 11 mi away. Daily averages: Thu 80°, Fri 76°.
4-inch depth
74°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 75°F, as of Oct 17, 11:00 PM CDT
Measured at TexMesonet (TWDB) station STXRR Camp Williams, 11 mi away. Daily averages: Thu 82°, Fri 79°.
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 77987 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 74°F at 4 inches. Fall pre-emergent (annual bluegrass, winter weeds): window open as soil cools through the 70s and 60s.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: South Central plains. Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Bermudagrass (warm-season): Spring: Several weeks after the lawn is fully green (April–May) (about Apr 17 here, using green-up about 3–4 weeks after your average last frost); Summer: Every 4–6 weeks through mid-August (heaviest feeder of the group); Late: Light, low-nitrogen/high-potassium feeding about 4 weeks before first frost, or skip. Avoid: Heavy late-fall nitrogen (linked to spring dead spot).
- Tall fescue (cool-season): Early fall: September (main feeding); Late fall: November, while still green; Late winter: Optional light feeding February–March. Avoid: Feeding after mid-spring and through summer in the transition zone (stress and brown patch).
Plant now
- Lettuce: fall sowing Sep 21–Oct 19
- Lettuce: fall transplant Oct 5–26
- Spinach: fall sowing Oct 5–26
- Bok choy / Asian greens: fall sowing Oct 5–19
- Arugula: fall sowing Oct 5–Nov 2
- Mustard greens: fall sowing Oct 5–19
- Cilantro: fall sowing Oct 5–19
- Dill: fall sowing Oct 5–19
- Strawberry (plants): fall transplant Sep 21–Oct 19
Coming up in the next 3 weeks
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 30: skip heavy pruning in the 6–8 weeks before it, because new growth may not harden off in time.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Jan 31 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Mar 2 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Mar 23 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Nov 7 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 30 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Dec 26 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Mar 14 | Nov 16 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 2 | Nov 30 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Feb 11 | Dec 17 |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 77987
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Mar 2) and first fall frost (Nov 30). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Jan 5–19 | Mar 9–23 (transplant) | Aug 3–31 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Dec 22–Jan 5 | Mar 16–30 (transplant) | Aug 10–31 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Dec 22–Jan 5 | Mar 16–30 (transplant) | Aug 10–31 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Jan 5–19 | Mar 9–23 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Jan 5–19 | Feb 9–Mar 2 (transplant) Feb 2–Mar 16 (sow outdoors) | Oct 5–26 (transplant) Sep 21–Oct 19 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Jan 19–Feb 9 (sow outdoors) | Oct 5–26 (sowing) |
| Kale | Jan 5–19 | Feb 2–16 (transplant) Feb 2–16 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–Oct 5 (transplant) Aug 24–Sep 21 (sowing) |
| Collards | Jan 5–19 | Feb 2–Mar 2 (transplant) Feb 2–Mar 2 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–Oct 5 (transplant) Aug 24–Sep 21 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Dec 22–Jan 5 | Feb 2–16 (transplant) | Aug 24–Sep 21 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Dec 22–Jan 5 | Feb 2–16 (transplant) | Aug 24–Sep 21 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Dec 22–Jan 5 | Feb 16–Mar 2 (transplant) | Aug 24–Sep 21 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Dec 8–22 | Feb 2–16 (transplant) | Aug 10–31 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Jan 5–19 | Feb 2–16 (transplant) Feb 2–16 (sow outdoors) | Sep 21–Oct 5 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Feb 2–16 (sow outdoors) | Oct 5–19 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Feb 2–Mar 2 (sow outdoors) | Oct 5–Nov 2 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Feb 2–23 (sow outdoors) | Oct 5–19 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Jan 19–Feb 2 | Feb 16–Mar 9 (transplant) Feb 16–Mar 16 (sow outdoors) | Sep 21–Oct 5 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Feb 2–Mar 2 (sow outdoors) | Sep 21–Oct 5 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Feb 9–Mar 9 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–21 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Jan 26–Mar 9 (sow outdoors) | Oct 19–Nov 2 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Feb 2–23 (sow outdoors) | Sep 21–Oct 5 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Feb 9–Mar 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Jan 5–Feb 2 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–21 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Dec 8–22 | Jan 19–Feb 2 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Jan 19–Feb 16 (sow outdoors) | Sep 21–Oct 5 (sowing) |
| Leek | Dec 8–22 | Feb 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 19–Nov 16 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Jan 19–Feb 2 (transplant) | Oct 19–Nov 16 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Feb 2–16 (transplant) | Aug 10–24 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Mar 23–Apr 6 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 9–23 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Mar 9–23 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–21 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Mar 9–23 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Mar 16–30 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Mar 23–Apr 13 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Feb 2–9 | Mar 9–23 (transplant) Mar 9–23 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–21 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Feb 2–9 | Mar 9–23 (transplant) Mar 9–23 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–21 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Feb 2–9 | Mar 9–23 (transplant) Mar 9–23 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Mar 9–23 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Feb 2–9 | Mar 16–30 (transplant) Mar 16–30 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Feb 2–9 | Mar 16–30 (transplant) Mar 16–30 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Jan 19–Feb 2 | Mar 16–30 (transplant) Mar 16–30 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Dec 8–22 | Mar 9–16 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Jan 19–Feb 2 | Mar 9–23 (transplant) Mar 9–23 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Feb 16–Mar 16 (sow outdoors) | Oct 5–19 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Dec 22–Jan 5 | Feb 16–Mar 2 (transplant) Feb 9–Mar 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Mar 2–16 (sow outdoors) | Oct 5–19 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Mar 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Feb 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Feb 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Feb 2–16 (transplant) | Sep 21–Oct 19 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Plants that do well here
Texas A&M AgriLife trials name plants that handle Texas conditions: the Texas Superstar® list and the low-care roses from AgriLife trials. Plant frost-tender annuals after March 2 here (the average last frost). More on plants for Texas. Not affiliated with Texas A&M AgriLife.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Yoakum, TX (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00419952), elevation 295 ft, 6.7 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hallettsville 2 N, TX | 12 mi | Feb 17 | Dec 4 |
| Cheapside, TX | 20 mi | Feb 21 | Dec 1 |
| Flatonia 4SE, TX | 20 mi | Mar 2 | Nov 27 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 16 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 77987
When is the last frost in 77987?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 77987 is March 2. For a more cautious planting date, use March 23, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 77987?
The average first fall freeze is November 30. In 1 year in 10 it comes by November 7.
What hardiness zone is 77987?
ZIP 77987 is in USDA zone 9a (20 to 25°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 77987 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
77995 Yoakum 77984 Shiner 77964 Hallettsville 77975 Moulton 77986 77954 Cuero 78629 Gonzales 78951
Other ZIP codes in Lavaca County
77964 77975 77984 77986 All Lavaca County frost dates · Texas frost dates
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