When to plant in Los Gatos, CA
USDA Zone 9bEverything below — frost dates, hardiness zone, and what to plant when in Los Gatos, California — is derived from the closest NOAA station with complete climate normals.
A generous ~307-day season lets Los Gatos gardeners direct-sow more and still ripen long-maturity crops like melons and winter squash. In zone 9b, frost is a minor factor for Los Gatos — most perennials thrive, and annual vegetables can go out early and stay late.
The average last spring frost in Los Gatos is now 12 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
LOS GATOS · 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 Los Gatos’s own odds, recorded at LOS GATOS.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 16 | Mar 20 | Feb 16 | Nov 4 | Nov 20 | Dec 5 |
| 32°F | Mar 14 | Feb 2 | Dec 31 | Nov 16 | Dec 6 | Jan 7 |
| 28°F | Jan 26 | Jan 1 | Dec 9 | Nov 28 | Dec 19 | Jan 13 |
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 Los Gatos, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 15 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.
Los Gatos planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Los Gatos, CA?
Los Gatos's average last spring frost falls near February 2 — the 50% mark at 32°F in the 1991–2020 normals. Hold tender transplants until the risk has passed, then plant out.
When is the first fall frost in Los Gatos, CA?
The first fall frost in Los Gatos typically arrives around December 6 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.
What hardiness zone is Los Gatos in?
Los Gatos is in USDA hardiness zone 9b. In zone 9b, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.
How long is the growing season in Los Gatos?
Los Gatos has about 307 frost-free days — a long growing season — between the average last spring frost (February 2) and first fall frost (December 6).
When should I plant tomatoes in Los Gatos?
For Los Gatos, sow tomatoes indoors about December 8–December 22 and move the seedlings out around February 9, after the last spring frost.
Never miss a window in Los Gatos
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Los Gatos’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reachFrost dates recorded at LOS GATOS, 0 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 Los Gatos, CA — Frost Dates & Zone 9b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00045123. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/california/los-gatos.