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When to plant in Santa Clarita, CA

USDA Zone 10a

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

Santa Clarita's growing season is short at roughly -7 days, so succession planting is limited; lean on transplants over direct sowing for anything slow to mature. Zone 10a is warm enough that Santa Clarita can grow subtropical perennials, and the short (or absent) frost period barely limits the annual calendar.

Station · NEWHALL 5NW · 8.9 km
Last spring frost
January 8
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
January 1
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
-7 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Santa ClaritaA year-band from January to December for Santa Clarita: Santa Clarita is effectively frost-free at 32°F — no distinct frost season.
Santa Clarita is effectively frost-free at 32°F — no distinct frost season.

Frost probability

NEWHALL 5NW · 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 Santa Clarita’s own odds, recorded at NEWHALL 5NW.

Frost-probability curves for Santa ClaritaProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around January 8 and the first fall frost around January 1, 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°FApr 8Feb 22Dec 21Nov 23Dec 19Feb 8
32°FMar 10Jan 8Dec 8Nov 30Jan 1Feb 25

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 Santa Clarita, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 23 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.

NEWHALL 5NW
Primary
9 km · 538 m elevation
SPRING
Jan 8
FALL
Jan 1
NORTHRIDGE CAL STATE
19 km · 276 m elevation
SPRING
Jan 2
FALL
Jan 1
VAN NUYS AP
23 km · 235 m elevation
SPRING
Dec 31
FALL
Dec 30

Santa Clarita planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Santa Clarita, CA?

On average, the last spring frost in Santa Clarita is around January 8 (50% probability at 32°F, from 1991–2020 NOAA normals). Wait until after this date to set out tender plants like tomatoes and peppers.

When is the first fall frost in Santa Clarita, CA?

The first fall frost in Santa Clarita typically arrives around January 1 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is Santa Clarita in?

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

How long is the growing season in Santa Clarita?

There are roughly -7 frost-free days in Santa Clarita (a short growing season), running from the average last frost around January 8 to the first fall frost near January 1.

When should I plant tomatoes in Santa Clarita?

In Santa Clarita, start tomato seeds indoors around November 13–November 27, then transplant seedlings outdoors around January 15 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Santa Clarita

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at NEWHALL 5NW, 9 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 Santa Clarita, CA — Frost Dates & Zone 10a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00046161. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/california/santa-clarita.
When to Plant in Santa Clarita, CA — Frost Dates & Zone 10a — BlissGarden