Frost dates · USDA zone 9b
Frost dates for Lodi, CA
Lodi, CA sees its last 32 °F night of spring around February 9 and its first of fall around December 5 — a 301-day freeze-free season in a typical year.
Pick a sauce; the Plan Builder runs this station's dates and hands back the calendar, plant count and gear list.
Freeze odds, by date
| Odds | Last spring freeze after | First fall freeze before |
|---|---|---|
| 9 years in 10 | Jan 2 | Jan 3 (next year) |
| Median — 1 year in 2 | Feb 9 | Dec 5 |
| 1 year in 10 | Mar 7 | Nov 17 |
The top row is the risky edge: in 9 years of 10 a spring freeze still comes after it, so tender transplants set out then need cover. The bottom row is the cautious date — only 1 year in 10 freezes after it — and the one to plan uncovered tender transplants against. Freeze-free season: 301 days median, at least 264 in 9 years of 10, at least 339 days in 1 year of 10. NOAA ranks season length year by year, so it is not the gap between two rows above. A hard freeze (28 °F) has a median last date of Jan 12 and first of Dec 20.
Lodi planting calendar, 2027
Every row runs from the median last frost (Feb 9) and median first frost (Dec 5) above, using each cultivar's days to maturity. Same engine as the Plan Builder.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant | First harvest | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardneck GarlicSiberian (porcelain hardneck) | — | Oct 15prior fall | Jun 12 | 240 from sow |
| Spanish OnionYellow Sweet Spanish (long-day) | Nov 17 | Jan 12 | May 2 | 110 from transplant |
| Mustard greensGarnet Giant (Brassica juncea) | Direct sow | Feb 9 | Mar 11 | 30 from sow |
| CilantroSlow Bolt (Coriandrum sativum) | Jan 26 | Jan 26 | Mar 12 | 45 from sow |
| Genovese BasilGenovese | Jan 12 | Feb 23 | Apr 24 | 60 from transplant |
| CayenneLong Slim Cayenne (Capsicum annuum) | Dec 15 | Feb 16 | May 2 | 75 from transplant |
| HabaneroOrange Habanero (Capsicum chinense) | Dec 1 | Feb 23 | May 29 | 95 from transplant |
| JalapeñoEarly Jalapeño (Capsicum annuum) | Dec 15 | Feb 16 | May 2 | 75 from transplant |
| Marconi Red PepperMarconi Red (Capsicum annuum) | Dec 15 | Feb 16 | May 7 | 80 from transplant |
| SerranoSerrano Tampiqueño (Capsicum annuum) | Dec 15 | Feb 16 | May 7 | 80 from transplant |
| Nantes CarrotScarlet Nantes | Jan 26 | Jan 26 | Apr 6 | 70 from sow |
| TomatilloToma Verde | Dec 29 | Feb 16 | Apr 27 | 70 from transplant |
| Roma TomatoRoma VF (determinate paste) | Dec 29 | Feb 16 | May 2 | 75 from transplant |
| San Marzano TomatoSan Marzano (indeterminate paste) | Dec 29 | Feb 16 | May 7 | 80 from transplant |
Tight means first harvest lands within two weeks of the median first fall frost: start that crop indoors on time or cover it in fall.
What sauce can Lodi grow?
Each sauce, scheduled for a Lodi container garden: when the first seeds go in and when enough fruit has ripened for one batch.
Lodi frost questions
When is the last frost in Lodi, CA?
The median last 32 °F freeze at LODI, CA is February 9: half of years see a later one. One year in ten, a freeze still comes after March 7; nine years in ten, it comes after January 2. Source: NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals.
When is the first frost in Lodi, CA?
The median first 32 °F freeze of fall is December 5. One year in ten it arrives before November 17; nine years in ten, before January 3 (next year).
How long is the growing season in Lodi, CA?
301 days between the last spring and first fall 32 °F freeze in a median year. Nine years in ten the season runs at least 264 days; one year in ten, at least 339 days.
What growing zone is Lodi, CA?
USDA hardiness zone 9b, per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for ZIP 95258. A zone describes the coldest winter night, not when frost ends, so it is the wrong number for a planting calendar — the frost dates on this page are the right one.
When should I plant tomatoes in Lodi, CA?
Start Roma VF (determinate paste) seeds indoors around Dec 29 and transplant around Feb 16, 1 week after the median last frost. To cut the freeze risk to one year in ten, wait for Mar 7. First ripe fruit lands around May 2.
When should I plant peppers in Lodi, CA?
Sow jalapeño indoors on a heat mat around Dec 15; transplant no earlier than Feb 16, and wait past it until nights hold above 50 °F — that can run weeks later. First green pods around May 2.
Nearby in California
- Stocktonlast frost Feb 5
- Elk Grovelast frost Feb 2
- Mantecalast frost Feb 6
- Oakleylast frost Jan 12
- Brentwoodlast frost Jan 12
- Tracylast frost Jan 19
All California frost dates → · How frost-date math drives a sowing calendar →