Fall in zone 7aPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 79344 (Bailey 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, Muleshoe Ntl Wr, TX (15 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 2550% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 1950% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)177 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone7a0 to 5°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
58°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 53°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Muleshoe 19 S (16 mi), Lehman (22 mi), Crossroads (26 mi).
4-inch depth
60°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 58°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Muleshoe 19 S (16 mi), Lehman (22 mi), Crossroads (26 mi).
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 79344 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 60°F at 4 inches (estimated soil temperature, not a station reading). Fall pre-emergent (annual bluegrass, winter weeds): window open as soil cools through the 70s and 60s.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: Transition zone. Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Bermudagrass (warm-season): Spring: Several weeks after the lawn is fully green (April–May) (about Jun 10 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
No vegetable planting windows are open this week.
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Oct 19: 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) | Apr 11 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 25 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 6 |
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) | Oct 6 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 19 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 1 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | May 3 | Oct 10 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 25 | Oct 19 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 15 | Oct 28 |
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 79344
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 25) and first fall frost (Oct 19). 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 | Feb 28–Mar 14 | May 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 14–28 | May 9–23 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 14–28 | May 9–23 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Feb 28–Mar 14 | May 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 28–Mar 14 | Apr 4–25 (transplant) Mar 28–May 9 (sow outdoors) | Aug 24–Sep 14 (transplant) Aug 10–Sep 7 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 14–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 24–Sep 14 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 28–Mar 14 | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) Mar 28–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | Jul 27–Aug 24 (transplant) Jul 13–Aug 10 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 28–Mar 14 | Mar 28–Apr 25 (transplant) Mar 28–Apr 25 (sow outdoors) | Jul 27–Aug 24 (transplant) Jul 13–Aug 10 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 14–28 | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) | Jul 13–Aug 10 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 14–28 | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) | Jul 13–Aug 10 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 14–28 | Apr 11–25 (transplant) | Jul 13–Aug 10 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 31–Feb 14 | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) | Jun 29–Jul 20 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 28–Mar 14 | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) Mar 28–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–24 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 28–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | Aug 24–Sep 7 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 28–Apr 25 (sow outdoors) | Aug 24–Sep 21 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 28–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | Aug 24–Sep 7 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 14–28 | Apr 11–May 2 (transplant) Apr 11–May 9 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–24 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 28–Apr 25 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–24 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Apr 4–May 2 (sow outdoors) | Jul 27–Aug 10 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 21–May 2 (sow outdoors) | Sep 7–21 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 28–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–24 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Apr 4–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 28–Mar 28 (sow outdoors) | Jul 27–Aug 10 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 31–Feb 14 | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 14–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–24 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 31–Feb 14 | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 7–Oct 5 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 14–28 (transplant) | Sep 7–Oct 5 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) | Jun 29–Jul 13 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 16–30 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | May 9–23 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 16–Jun 6 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 28–Apr 4 | May 2–16 (transplant) May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 28–Apr 4 | May 2–16 (transplant) May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Mar 28–Apr 4 | May 2–16 (transplant) May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 28–Apr 4 | May 9–23 (transplant) May 9–23 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 28–Apr 4 | May 9–23 (transplant) May 9–23 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 14–28 | May 9–23 (transplant) May 9–23 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 31–Feb 14 | May 2–9 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 14–28 | May 2–16 (transplant) May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 11–May 9 (sow outdoors) | Aug 24–Sep 7 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 14–28 | Apr 11–25 (transplant) Apr 4–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | Aug 24–Sep 7 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 28–Apr 11 (transplant) | Aug 10–Sep 7 (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 April 25 here (the average last frost). More on plants for Texas. Not affiliated with Texas A&M AgriLife.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Muleshoe Ntl Wr, TX (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00416137), elevation 3,740 ft, 15.1 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: S (standard, 24+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muleshoe 19 S, TX | 15 mi | Apr 22 | Oct 21 |
| Morton, TX | 18 mi | Apr 11 | Oct 31 |
| Arch, NM | 20 mi | Apr 23 | Oct 21 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 14 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 79344
When is the last frost in 79344?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 79344 is April 25. For a more cautious planting date, use May 6, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 79344?
The average first fall freeze is October 19. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 6.
What hardiness zone is 79344?
ZIP 79344 is in USDA zone 7a (0 to 5°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 79344 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
88113 Causey 88132 79314 Bledsoe 88125 79324 79346 Morton 88115 Dora 79371 Sudan
Other ZIP codes in Bailey County
79324 79347 79371 All Bailey County frost dates · Texas frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
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Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.