When to plant in Rio Vista, CA
USDA Zone 9bRio Vista, California frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.
Rio Vista enjoys a long ~341-day frost-free season — you can succession-sow, fit in a second crop, and grow long-season heat-lovers with room to spare. Heads up: the nearest complete-normals station is about 22 km from Rio Vista, so your yard's frost dates can differ — a low spot or a paved city center can shift them by a week. Zone 9b is warm enough that Rio Vista can grow subtropical perennials, and the short (or absent) frost period barely limits the annual calendar.
The average last spring frost in Rio Vista is now 15 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
ANTIOCH PUMPING PLT #3 · 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 Rio Vista’s own odds, recorded at ANTIOCH PUMPING PLT #3.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | Mar 12 | Feb 8 | Jan 11 | Nov 18 | Dec 4 | Dec 28 |
| 32°F | Feb 1 | Jan 12 | Dec 20 | Nov 29 | Dec 19 | Jan 12 |
| 28°F | Jan 22 | Jan 2 | Dec 16 | Dec 9 | Dec 29 | Jan 16 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Nothing new to sow or transplant outdoors in the next few weeks — a seasonal lull. Check the full-year calendar below for the next window.
Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Rio Vista, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 33 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.
Rio Vista planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Rio Vista, CA?
Rio Vista's average last spring frost falls near January 12 — 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 Rio Vista, CA?
Expect Rio Vista's first fall frost near December 19 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.
What hardiness zone is Rio Vista in?
Rio Vista is in USDA hardiness zone 9b. In zone 9b, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.
How long is the growing season in Rio Vista?
There are roughly 341 frost-free days in Rio Vista (a long growing season), running from the average last frost around January 12 to the first fall frost near December 19.
When should I plant tomatoes in Rio Vista?
In Rio Vista, start tomato seeds indoors around November 17–December 1, then transplant seedlings outdoors around January 19 once the danger of frost has passed.
Never miss a window in Rio Vista
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Rio Vista’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reachFrost dates recorded at ANTIOCH PUMPING PLT #3, 22 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 Rio Vista, CA — Frost Dates & Zone 9b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00040232. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/california/rio-vista.