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When to plant in Ukiah, CA

USDA Zone 9a

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

Ukiah enjoys a long ~246-day frost-free season — you can succession-sow, fit in a second crop, and grow long-season heat-lovers with room to spare. Zone 9a is warm enough that Ukiah can grow subtropical perennials, and the short (or absent) frost period barely limits the annual calendar.

Station · UKIAH · 0.5 km
Last spring frost
March 19
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
November 20
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
246 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for UkiahA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Ukiah: last spring frost around March 19, first fall frost around November 20, about 246 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

UKIAH · 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 Ukiah’s own odds, recorded at UKIAH.

Frost-probability curves for UkiahProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around March 19 and the first fall frost around November 20, giving about 246 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°FMay 9Apr 17Mar 31Oct 18Nov 2Nov 19
32°FApr 15Mar 19Feb 13Nov 2Nov 20Dec 9
28°FMar 13Feb 6Dec 25Nov 17Dec 5Jan 6

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowin 12 days
Brussels Sprouts
July 31August 14
Fall sowin 26 days
Rutabaga
August 14August 28

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Ukiah, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 25 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.

UKIAH
Primary
1 km · 194 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 19
FALL
Nov 20
UKIAH MUNI AP
2 km · 183 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 5
FALL
Nov 21
POTTER VALLEY POWERHOUSE
25 km · 310 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 8
FALL
Nov 6

Ukiah planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Ukiah, CA?

Plan for the last spring frost in Ukiah around March 19 (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 Ukiah, CA?

Expect Ukiah's first fall frost near November 20 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Ukiah in?

Ukiah is in USDA hardiness zone 9a. In zone 9a, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.

How long is the growing season in Ukiah?

There are roughly 246 frost-free days in Ukiah (a long growing season), running from the average last frost around March 19 to the first fall frost near November 20.

When should I plant tomatoes in Ukiah?

In Ukiah, start tomato seeds indoors around January 22–February 5, then transplant seedlings outdoors around March 26 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Ukiah

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at UKIAH, 1 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 Ukiah, CA — Frost Dates & Zone 9a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00049122. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/california/ukiah.
When to Plant in Ukiah, CA — Frost Dates & Zone 9a — BlissGarden