When to plant in Auburn, CA
USDA Zone 9bEverything below — frost dates, hardiness zone, and what to plant when in Auburn, California — is derived from the closest NOAA station with complete climate normals.
With about 283 frost-free days, Auburn supports back-to-back plantings; stagger sowings every few weeks to keep beds productive spring through fall. Zone 9b is warm enough that Auburn can grow subtropical perennials, and the short (or absent) frost period barely limits the annual calendar.
The average last spring frost in Auburn is now 10 days later than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
AUBURN · 1991–2020The 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 Auburn’s own odds, recorded at AUBURN.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 30 | Apr 5 | Mar 2 | Oct 30 | Nov 19 | Dec 7 |
| 32°F | Apr 7 | Feb 25 | Jan 15 | Nov 15 | Dec 5 | Dec 31 |
| 28°F | Feb 25 | Jan 13 | Dec 19 | Dec 1 | Dec 22 | Jan 22 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Auburn, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 24 km · complete 32°F normalsWhen 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.
Auburn planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Auburn, CA?
Plan for the last spring frost in Auburn around February 25 (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 Auburn, CA?
In Auburn, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around December 5 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.
What hardiness zone is Auburn in?
Auburn is in USDA hardiness zone 9b. In zone 9b, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.
How long is the growing season in Auburn?
There are roughly 283 frost-free days in Auburn (a long growing season), running from the average last frost around February 25 to the first fall frost near December 5.
When should I plant tomatoes in Auburn?
In Auburn, start tomato seeds indoors around December 31–January 14, then transplant seedlings outdoors around March 4 once the danger of frost has passed.
Never miss a window in Auburn
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Auburn’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- North Auburn · 4 km
- Granite Bay · 17 km
- Rocklin · 18 km
- Lincoln · 19 km
- El Dorado Hills · 24 km
- Roseville · 25 km
- Cameron Park · 26 km
- Folsom · 26 km
Frost dates recorded at AUBURN, 1 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Auburn, CA — Frost Dates & Zone 9b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00040383. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/california/auburn.