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When to plant in Seaside, CA

USDA Zone 10a

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

Seaside enjoys a long ~355-day frost-free season — you can succession-sow, fit in a second crop, and grow long-season heat-lovers with room to spare. In zone 10a, frost is a minor factor for Seaside — most perennials thrive, and annual vegetables can go out early and stay late.

Station · MONTEREY PENINSUL AP · 4.8 km
Last spring frost
January 2
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
December 23
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
355 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for SeasideA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Seaside: last spring frost around January 2, first fall frost around December 23, about 355 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

The average last spring frost in Seaside is now 8 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →

Frost probability

MONTEREY PENINSUL AP · 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 Seaside’s own odds, recorded at MONTEREY PENINSUL AP.

Frost-probability curves for SeasideProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around January 2 and the first fall frost around December 23, giving about 355 frost-free days.
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°FMar 11Jan 27Dec 27Nov 18Dec 7Jan 3
32°FJan 20Jan 2Dec 6Dec 1Dec 23Jan 12

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

Nearby weather stations

3 within 9 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.

MONTEREY PENINSUL AP
Primary
5 km · 50 m elevation
SPRING
Jan 2
FALL
Dec 23
MONTEREY WFO
5 km · 37 m elevation
SPRING
Jan 3
FALL
Dec 28
MONTEREY
9 km · 79 m elevation
SPRING
Jan 1
FALL
Dec 30

Seaside planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Seaside, CA?

Plan for the last spring frost in Seaside around January 2 (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 Seaside, CA?

Expect Seaside's first fall frost near December 23 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Seaside in?

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

How long is the growing season in Seaside?

Seaside has about 355 frost-free days — a long growing season — between the average last spring frost (January 2) and first fall frost (December 23).

When should I plant tomatoes in Seaside?

For Seaside, sow tomatoes indoors about November 7–November 21 and move the seedlings out around January 9, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Seaside

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at MONTEREY PENINSUL AP, 5 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 Seaside, CA — Frost Dates & Zone 10a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00023259. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/california/seaside.
When to Plant in Seaside, CA — Frost Dates & Zone 10a — BlissGarden