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When to plant in Arcadia, CA

USDA Zone 10a

Here are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for Arcadia, California — all computed from Arcadia's nearest NOAA weather station.

Arcadia's growing season is short at roughly -2 days, so succession planting is limited; lean on transplants over direct sowing for anything slow to mature. In zone 10a, frost is a minor factor for Arcadia — most perennials thrive, and annual vegetables can go out early and stay late.

Station · SAN GABRIEL FIRE DEPT · 8.0 km
Last spring frost
January 4
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
January 2
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
-2 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for ArcadiaA year-band from January to December for Arcadia: Arcadia is effectively frost-free at 32°F — no distinct frost season.
Arcadia is effectively frost-free at 32°F — no distinct frost season.

Frost probability

SAN GABRIEL FIRE DEPT · 1991–2020

The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Arcadia’s own odds, recorded at SAN GABRIEL FIRE DEPT.

Frost-probability curves for ArcadiaProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around January 4 and the first fall frost around January 2, where a 32°F freeze is rare enough that there is effectively no distinct frost season.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FFeb 20Jan 17Dec 20Dec 6Dec 26Jan 30
32°FJan 28Jan 4Dec 19Dec 18Jan 2Jan 26

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19

Nothing new to sow or transplant outdoors in the next few weeks — a seasonal lull. Check the full-year calendar below for the next window.

Add the next planting windows to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Arcadia, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 11 km · complete 32°F normals

When stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.

SAN GABRIEL FIRE DEPT
Primary
8 km · 111 m elevation
SPRING
Jan 4
FALL
Jan 2
PASADENA
10 km · 263 m elevation
SPRING
Jan 8
FALL
Jan 7
MT WILSON CBS
11 km · 1740 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 28
FALL
Nov 15

Arcadia planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Arcadia, CA?

Plan for the last spring frost in Arcadia around January 4 (the date it has a 50% chance of a 32°F freeze). Anything frost-sensitive should go out after it.

When is the first fall frost in Arcadia, CA?

In Arcadia, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around January 2 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.

What hardiness zone is Arcadia in?

Arcadia is in USDA hardiness zone 10a. In zone 10a, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.

How long is the growing season in Arcadia?

Arcadia has about -2 frost-free days — a short growing season — between the average last spring frost (January 4) and first fall frost (January 2).

When should I plant tomatoes in Arcadia?

For Arcadia, sow tomatoes indoors about November 9–November 23 and move the seedlings out around January 11, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Arcadia

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Arcadia’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at SAN GABRIEL FIRE DEPT, 8 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Arcadia, CA — Frost Dates & Zone 10a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00047785. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/california/arcadia.