When to plant in Palmdale, CA
USDA Zone 8bHere are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for Palmdale, California — all computed from Palmdale's nearest NOAA weather station.
A generous ~254-day season lets Palmdale gardeners direct-sow more and still ripen long-maturity crops like melons and winter squash. In zone 8b, Palmdale supports a wide range of perennials year-round; the frost dates above are what set your annual vegetable timing.
The average last spring frost in Palmdale is now 12 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
PALMDALE · 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 Palmdale’s own odds, recorded at PALMDALE.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Apr 26 | Apr 5 | Mar 11 | Oct 24 | Nov 7 | Nov 21 |
| 32°F | Apr 11 | Mar 10 | Feb 12 | Nov 3 | Nov 19 | Dec 4 |
| 28°F | Mar 17 | Feb 13 | Jan 14 | Nov 15 | Dec 1 | Dec 23 |
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 Palmdale, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 19 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.
Palmdale planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Palmdale, CA?
Plan for the last spring frost in Palmdale around March 10 (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 Palmdale, CA?
In Palmdale, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around November 19 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.
What hardiness zone is Palmdale in?
Palmdale is in USDA hardiness zone 8b. In zone 8b, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.
How long is the growing season in Palmdale?
Palmdale has about 254 frost-free days — a long growing season — between the average last spring frost (March 10) and first fall frost (November 19).
When should I plant tomatoes in Palmdale?
For Palmdale, sow tomatoes indoors about January 13–January 27 and move the seedlings out around March 17, after the last spring frost.
Never miss a window in Palmdale
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Palmdale’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Quartz Hill · 12 km
- Lancaster · 13 km
- Sun Village · 14 km
- Lake Los Angeles · 25 km
- Rosamond · 32 km
- Santa Clarita · 41 km
- La Crescenta-Montrose · 42 km
- La Cañada Flintridge · 43 km
Frost dates recorded at PALMDALE, 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 Palmdale, CA — Frost Dates & Zone 8b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00046624. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/california/palmdale.