When to plant cranberry in California
California spans USDA zones 6b–11a, so the right time to plant cranberry shifts by weeks across the state. The window to transplant seedlings outdoors runs from about December 1 in San Mateo to May 12 in Truckee — below are local dates for 497 cities, each computed from its own frost dates.
| City | Zone | Last frost | First frost | Transplant out |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 10b | January 2 | December 26 | December 5 – December 19 |
| San Diego | 10b | January 6 | December 21 | December 9 – December 23 |
| San Jose | 9b | January 2 | December 25 | December 5 – December 19 |
| San Francisco | 10a | December 30 | December 25 | December 2 – December 16 |
| Fresno | 9b | January 14 | December 14 | December 17 – December 31 |
| Sacramento | 9b | January 12 | December 16 | December 15 – December 29 |
| Long Beach | 10b | January 9 | January 5 | December 12 – December 26 |
| Oakland | 10a | January 7 | December 23 | December 10 – December 24 |
Cranberry in California: FAQ
When can I plant cranberry in California?
Across California, the time to transplant cranberry spans roughly December 1 in San Mateo to May 12 in Truckee, each following that city's local frost dates.
Does the cranberry planting date vary across California?
Yes. California publishes 497 cities with their own frost dates, so the right cranberry planting window shifts by weeks between the warmest and coldest parts of the state — use your city's page for the exact dates.
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