Fall in zone 9bPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 94596 (Walnut Creek, 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, Mt Diablo Junction, CA (6 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMar 850% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostDec 2250% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)282 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone9b25 to 30°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 94596 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 Apr 23 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 13–Nov 10
- Kale: fall transplant Sep 29–Oct 27
- Collards: fall transplant Sep 29–Oct 27
- Kohlrabi: fall sowing Oct 13–27
- Swiss chard: fall sowing Oct 13–27
- Beet: fall sowing Oct 13–27
- Turnip: fall sowing Oct 13–27
- Green onion / scallion: fall sowing Oct 13–27
- Strawberry (plants): fall transplant Oct 13–Nov 10
Coming up in the next 3 weeks
- Lettuce: fall transplant Oct 27–Nov 17
- Spinach: fall sowing Oct 27–Nov 17
- Bok choy / Asian greens: fall sowing Oct 27–Nov 10
- Arugula: fall sowing Oct 27–Nov 24
- Mustard greens: fall sowing Oct 27–Nov 10
- Cilantro: fall sowing Oct 27–Nov 10
- Dill: fall sowing Oct 27–Nov 10
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) | Jan 12 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Mar 8 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Apr 15 |
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 23 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Dec 22 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Feb 11 (next year) |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Apr 19 | Nov 29 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 8 | Dec 22 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Feb 8 | Jan 16 (next year) |
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 94596
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Mar 8) and first fall frost (Dec 22). 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 11–25 | Mar 15–29 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 22 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Dec 28–Jan 11 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | Sep 1–22 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Dec 28–Jan 11 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | Sep 1–22 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Jan 11–25 | Mar 15–29 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Jan 11–25 | Feb 15–Mar 8 (transplant) Feb 8–Mar 22 (sow outdoors) | Oct 27–Nov 17 (transplant) Oct 13–Nov 10 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Jan 25–Feb 15 (sow outdoors) | Oct 27–Nov 17 (sowing) |
| Kale | Jan 11–25 | Feb 8–22 (transplant) Feb 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Sep 29–Oct 27 (transplant) Sep 15–Oct 13 (sowing) |
| Collards | Jan 11–25 | Feb 8–Mar 8 (transplant) Feb 8–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | Sep 29–Oct 27 (transplant) Sep 15–Oct 13 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Dec 28–Jan 11 | Feb 8–22 (transplant) | Sep 15–Oct 13 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Dec 28–Jan 11 | Feb 8–22 (transplant) | Sep 15–Oct 13 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Dec 28–Jan 11 | Feb 22–Mar 8 (transplant) | Sep 15–Oct 13 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Dec 14–28 | Feb 8–22 (transplant) | Sep 1–22 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Jan 11–25 | Feb 8–22 (transplant) Feb 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Oct 13–27 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Feb 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Oct 27–Nov 10 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Feb 8–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | Oct 27–Nov 24 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Feb 8–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | Oct 27–Nov 10 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Feb 22–Mar 15 (transplant) Feb 22–Mar 22 (sow outdoors) | Oct 13–27 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Feb 8–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | Oct 13–27 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Feb 15–Mar 15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 29–Oct 13 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Feb 1–Mar 15 (sow outdoors) | Nov 10–24 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Feb 8–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | Oct 13–27 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Feb 15–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Jan 11–Feb 8 (sow outdoors) | Sep 29–Oct 13 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Dec 14–28 | Jan 25–Feb 8 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Jan 25–Feb 22 (sow outdoors) | Oct 13–27 (sowing) |
| Leek | Dec 14–28 | Feb 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Nov 10–Dec 8 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Jan 25–Feb 8 (transplant) | Nov 10–Dec 8 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Feb 8–22 (transplant) | Sep 1–15 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Mar 29–Apr 12 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 15–29 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Mar 15–29 (sow outdoors) | Sep 29–Oct 13 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Mar 15–29 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Mar 22–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Mar 29–Apr 19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Feb 8–15 | Mar 15–29 (transplant) Mar 15–29 (sow outdoors) | Sep 29–Oct 13 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Feb 8–15 | Mar 15–29 (transplant) Mar 15–29 (sow outdoors) | Sep 29–Oct 13 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Feb 8–15 | Mar 15–29 (transplant) Mar 15–29 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Mar 15–29 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Feb 8–15 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) Mar 22–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Feb 8–15 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) Mar 22–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) Mar 22–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Dec 14–28 | Mar 15–22 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Jan 25–Feb 8 | Mar 15–29 (transplant) Mar 15–29 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Feb 22–Mar 22 (sow outdoors) | Oct 27–Nov 10 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Dec 28–Jan 11 | Feb 22–Mar 8 (transplant) Feb 15–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | Oct 27–Nov 10 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Mar 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Feb 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Feb 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Feb 8–22 (transplant) | Oct 13–Nov 10 (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: Mt Diablo Junction, CA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00045915), elevation 2,170 ft, 5.8 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concord Wwtp, CA | 7 mi | Jan 7 | Dec 19 |
| Concord Buchanan Fld, CA | 7 mi | Jan 9 | Dec 14 |
| Martinez WTP, CA | 10 mi | Feb 28 | Nov 22 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 63 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 94596
When is the last frost in 94596?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 94596 is March 8. For a more cautious planting date, use April 15, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 94596?
The average first fall freeze is December 22. In 1 year in 10 it comes by November 23.
What hardiness zone is 94596?
ZIP 94596 is in USDA zone 9b (25 to 30°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 94596 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
94595 Walnut Creek 94598 Walnut Creek 94597 Walnut Creek 94507 Alamo 94518 Concord 94549 Lafayette 94523 Pleasant Hill 94575 Moraga
Other ZIP codes in Contra Costa County
94505 94506 94507 94509 94511 94513 94514 94516 94517 94518 94519 94520 94521 94523 94525 94526 94528 94530 94531 94547 94548 94549 94553 94556 All Contra Costa County frost dates · California frost dates
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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.