Fall in zone 11aPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 90403 (Santa Monica, 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, Woodland Hills Pierce College, CA (11 miles away).
- Average last spring frostJan 2450% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostDec 1550% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)329 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone11a40 to 45°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
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
4-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
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 90403 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
No soil reading near this ZIP. Typical extension timing for your region: spring February to March; fall September to October.
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 Mar 11 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 Oct 6–Nov 3
- Kale: fall transplant Sep 22–Oct 20
- Collards: fall transplant Sep 22–Oct 20
- Kohlrabi: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Swiss chard: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Beet: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Turnip: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Green onion / scallion: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Strawberry (plants): fall transplant Oct 6–Nov 3
Coming up in the next 3 weeks
- Lettuce: fall transplant Oct 20–Nov 10
- Spinach: fall sowing Oct 20–Nov 10
- Brussels sprouts: start seeds indoors Nov 1–15
- Bok choy / Asian greens: fall sowing Oct 20–Nov 3
- Arugula: fall sowing Oct 20–Nov 17
- Mustard greens: fall sowing Oct 20–Nov 3
- Radish: fall sowing Nov 3–17
- Onion (bulbing): start seeds indoors Nov 1–15
- Leek: start seeds indoors Nov 1–15
- Garlic: fall sowing Nov 3–Dec 1
- Shallot: fall sowing Nov 3–Dec 1
- Celery: start seeds indoors Nov 1–15
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) | Dec 21 (prior Dec) |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Jan 24 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Mar 5 |
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 27 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Dec 15 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Jan 26 (next year) |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Mar 2 | Nov 29 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Jan 24 | Dec 15 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Dec 31 (prior Dec) | Dec 26 |
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 90403
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Jan 24) and first fall frost (Dec 15). 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 | Nov 29–Dec 13 | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | Aug 18–Sep 15 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Nov 15–29 | Feb 7–21 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 15 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Nov 15–29 | Feb 7–21 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 15 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Nov 29–Dec 13 | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Nov 29–Dec 13 | Jan 3–24 (transplant) Dec 27–Feb 7 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 10 (transplant) Oct 6–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Dec 13–Jan 3 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 10 (sowing) |
| Kale | Nov 29–Dec 13 | Dec 27–Jan 10 (transplant) Dec 27–Jan 10 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 20 (transplant) Sep 8–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Collards | Nov 29–Dec 13 | Dec 27–Jan 24 (transplant) Dec 27–Jan 24 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 20 (transplant) Sep 8–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Nov 15–29 | Dec 27–Jan 10 (transplant) | Sep 8–Oct 6 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Nov 15–29 | Dec 27–Jan 10 (transplant) | Sep 8–Oct 6 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Nov 15–29 | Jan 10–24 (transplant) | Sep 8–Oct 6 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Nov 1–15 | Dec 27–Jan 10 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 15 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Nov 29–Dec 13 | Dec 27–Jan 10 (transplant) Dec 27–Jan 10 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Dec 27–Jan 10 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Dec 27–Jan 24 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 17 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Dec 27–Jan 17 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Dec 13–27 | Jan 10–31 (transplant) Jan 10–Feb 7 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Dec 27–Jan 24 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Jan 3–31 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Dec 20–Jan 31 (sow outdoors) | Nov 3–17 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Dec 27–Jan 17 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Jan 3–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Nov 29–Dec 27 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Nov 1–15 | Dec 13–27 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Dec 13–Jan 10 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Leek | Nov 1–15 | Dec 27–Jan 10 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 3–Dec 1 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Dec 13–27 (transplant) | Nov 3–Dec 1 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Dec 27–Jan 10 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 8 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Feb 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Jan 31–Feb 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Jan 31–Feb 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Jan 31–Feb 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Feb 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Feb 14–Mar 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Dec 27–Jan 3 | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) Jan 31–Feb 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Dec 27–Jan 3 | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) Jan 31–Feb 14 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Dec 27–Jan 3 | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) Jan 31–Feb 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Jan 31–Feb 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Dec 27–Jan 3 | Feb 7–21 (transplant) Feb 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Dec 27–Jan 3 | Feb 7–21 (transplant) Feb 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Dec 13–27 | Feb 7–21 (transplant) Feb 7–21 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Nov 1–15 | Jan 31–Feb 7 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Dec 13–27 | Jan 31–Feb 14 (transplant) Jan 31–Feb 14 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Jan 10–Feb 7 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Nov 15–29 | Jan 10–24 (transplant) Jan 3–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Jan 24–Feb 7 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Jan 24–Feb 7 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Dec 27–Jan 10 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Dec 27–Jan 10 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Dec 27–Jan 10 (transplant) | Oct 6–Nov 3 (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: Woodland Hills Pierce College, CA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00049785), elevation 790 ft, 11.4 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Van Nuys AP, CA | 12 mi | Dec 31 (prior Dec) | Dec 30 |
| Burbank Valley Pump Plt, CA | 14 mi | Jan 2 | Dec 26 |
| Burbank Glendale Pasadena AP, CA | 14 mi | Dec 31 (prior Dec) | Dec 28 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 24 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 90403
When is the last frost in 90403?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 90403 is January 24. For a more cautious planting date, use March 5, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 90403?
The average first fall freeze is December 15. In 1 year in 10 it comes by November 27.
What hardiness zone is 90403?
ZIP 90403 is in USDA zone 11a (40 to 45°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 90403 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
90402 Santa Monica 90401 Santa Monica 90404 Santa Monica 90405 Santa Monica 90073 90025 Los Angeles 90291 Los Angeles 90064 Los Angeles
Other ZIP codes in Los Angeles County
90001 90002 90003 90004 90005 90006 90007 90008 90010 90011 90012 90013 90014 90015 90016 90017 90018 90019 90020 90021 90022 90023 90024 90025 All Los Angeles County frost dates · California frost dates
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- 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.