blissgarden.

When to plant in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, CA

USDA Zone 10a

Everything below — frost dates, hardiness zone, and what to plant when in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, California — is derived from the closest NOAA station with complete climate normals.

Tamalpais-Homestead Valley enjoys a long ~336-day frost-free season — you can succession-sow, fit in a second crop, and grow long-season heat-lovers with room to spare. Zone 10a is warm enough that Tamalpais-Homestead Valley can grow subtropical perennials, and the short (or absent) frost period barely limits the annual calendar.

Station · KENTFIELD · 8.6 km
Last spring frost
January 16
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
December 18
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
336 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Tamalpais-Homestead ValleyA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Tamalpais-Homestead Valley: last spring frost around January 16, first fall frost around December 18, about 336 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

The average last spring frost in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley is now 10 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →

Frost probability

KENTFIELD · 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 Tamalpais-Homestead Valley’s own odds, recorded at KENTFIELD.

Frost-probability curves for Tamalpais-Homestead ValleyProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around January 16 and the first fall frost around December 18, giving about 336 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°FApr 5Mar 5Jan 29Nov 12Nov 29Dec 21
32°FFeb 25Jan 16Dec 21Nov 30Dec 18Jan 19
28°FJan 23Dec 30Dec 9Dec 4Dec 24Jan 21

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 Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 15 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.

KENTFIELD
Primary
9 km · 44 m elevation
SPRING
Jan 16
FALL
Dec 18
SAN RAFAEL CIVIC CTR
13 km · 37 m elevation
SPRING
Jan 11
FALL
Dec 21
RICHMOND
15 km · 6 m elevation
SPRING
Jan 4
FALL
Jan 2

Tamalpais-Homestead Valley planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, CA?

Plan for the last spring frost in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley around January 16 (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 Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, CA?

Expect Tamalpais-Homestead Valley's first fall frost near December 18 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Tamalpais-Homestead Valley in?

Tamalpais-Homestead Valley is in USDA hardiness zone 10a. In zone 10a, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.

How long is the growing season in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley?

There are roughly 336 frost-free days in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley (a long growing season), running from the average last frost around January 16 to the first fall frost near December 18.

When should I plant tomatoes in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley?

In Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, start tomato seeds indoors around November 21–December 5, then transplant seedlings outdoors around January 23 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at KENTFIELD, 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 Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, CA — Frost Dates & Zone 10a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00044500. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/california/tamalpais-homestead-valley.
When to Plant in Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, CA — Frost Dates & Zone 10a — BlissGarden