Fall in zone 8aPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 96034 (Gazelle, CA)
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, Callahan, CA (14 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMay 2050% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 550% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)135 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone8a10 to 15°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
72°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 69°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of French Gulch (45 mi), Redding 12 WNW (55 mi).
4-inch depth
73°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 74°F, as of Oct 18, 2:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of French Gulch (45 mi), Redding 12 WNW (55 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 96034 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 73°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: California coastal and valleys. Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Bermudagrass (warm-season): Spring: Several weeks after the lawn is fully green (April–May) (about Jul 5 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.
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) | May 2 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | May 20 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Jun 12 |
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) | Sep 20 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 5 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Oct 22 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Jun 11 | Sep 17 |
| 32°F (freeze) | May 20 | Oct 5 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 28 | Oct 22 |
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 96034
Dates count from your average last spring frost (May 20) and first fall frost (Oct 5). 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 | Mar 25–Apr 8 | May 27–Jun 10 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Mar 11–25 | Jun 3–17 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Mar 11–25 | Jun 3–17 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Mar 25–Apr 8 | May 27–Jun 10 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Mar 25–Apr 8 | Apr 29–May 20 (transplant) Apr 22–Jun 3 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–31 (transplant) Jul 27–Aug 24 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Apr 8–29 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–31 (sowing) |
| Kale | Mar 25–Apr 8 | Apr 22–May 6 (transplant) Apr 22–May 6 (sow outdoors) | Jul 13–Aug 10 (transplant) Jun 29–Jul 27 (sowing) |
| Collards | Mar 25–Apr 8 | Apr 22–May 20 (transplant) Apr 22–May 20 (sow outdoors) | Jul 13–Aug 10 (transplant) Jun 29–Jul 27 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Mar 11–25 | Apr 22–May 6 (transplant) | Jun 29–Jul 27 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Mar 11–25 | Apr 22–May 6 (transplant) | Jun 29–Jul 27 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Mar 11–25 | May 6–20 (transplant) | Jun 29–Jul 27 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Feb 25–Mar 11 | Apr 22–May 6 (transplant) | Jun 15–Jul 6 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Mar 25–Apr 8 | Apr 22–May 6 (transplant) Apr 22–May 6 (sow outdoors) | Jul 27–Aug 10 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Apr 22–May 6 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–24 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Apr 22–May 20 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–Sep 7 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Apr 22–May 13 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–24 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Apr 8–22 | May 6–27 (transplant) May 6–Jun 3 (sow outdoors) | Jul 27–Aug 10 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Apr 22–May 20 (sow outdoors) | Jul 27–Aug 10 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Apr 29–May 27 (sow outdoors) | Jul 13–27 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Apr 15–May 27 (sow outdoors) | Aug 24–Sep 7 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Apr 22–May 13 (sow outdoors) | Jul 27–Aug 10 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Apr 29–May 20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Mar 25–Apr 22 (sow outdoors) | Jul 13–27 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Feb 25–Mar 11 | Apr 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Apr 8–May 6 (sow outdoors) | Jul 27–Aug 10 (sowing) |
| Leek | Feb 25–Mar 11 | Apr 22–May 6 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 24–Sep 21 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Apr 8–22 (transplant) | Aug 24–Sep 21 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Apr 22–May 6 (transplant) | Jun 15–29 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Jun 10–24 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 27–Jun 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | May 27–Jun 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | May 27–Jun 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Jun 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Jun 10–Jul 1 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Apr 22–29 | May 27–Jun 10 (transplant) May 27–Jun 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Apr 22–29 | May 27–Jun 10 (transplant) May 27–Jun 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Apr 22–29 | May 27–Jun 10 (transplant) May 27–Jun 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | May 27–Jun 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Apr 22–29 | Jun 3–17 (transplant) Jun 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Apr 22–29 | Jun 3–17 (transplant) Jun 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Apr 8–22 | Jun 3–17 (transplant) Jun 3–17 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Feb 25–Mar 11 | May 27–Jun 3 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Apr 8–22 | May 27–Jun 10 (transplant) May 27–Jun 10 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | May 6–Jun 3 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–24 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Mar 11–25 | May 6–20 (transplant) Apr 29–May 20 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | May 20–Jun 3 (sow outdoors) | Aug 10–24 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | May 20–Jun 3 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Apr 22–May 6 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Apr 22–May 6 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Apr 22–May 6 (transplant) | Jul 27–Aug 24 (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.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Callahan, CA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00041316), elevation 3,085 ft, 13.5 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mt Shasta, CA | 16 mi | May 6 | Oct 12 |
| Mt Shasta, CA | 17 mi | May 15 | Oct 6 |
| Yreka, CA | 18 mi | Apr 30 | Oct 18 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 21 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 96034
When is the last frost in 96034?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 96034 is May 20. For a more cautious planting date, use June 12, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 96034?
The average first fall freeze is October 5. In 1 year in 10 it comes by September 20.
What hardiness zone is 96034?
ZIP 96034 is in USDA zone 8a (10 to 15°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 96034 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
96014 96038 Grenada 96094 Weed 96067 Mount Shasta 96037 Greenview 96032 Fort Jones 96097 Yreka 96025 Dunsmuir
Other ZIP codes in Siskiyou County
95568 96014 96023 96025 96027 96031 96032 96037 96038 96039 96044 96050 96057 96058 96064 96067 96085 96086 96094 96097 All Siskiyou County frost dates · California 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.