blissgarden.

When to plant in Richmond, TX

USDA Zone 9b

Everything below — frost dates, hardiness zone, and what to plant when in Richmond, Texas — is derived from the closest NOAA station with complete climate normals.

A generous ~307-day season lets Richmond gardeners direct-sow more and still ripen long-maturity crops like melons and winter squash. In zone 9b, frost is a minor factor for Richmond — most perennials thrive, and annual vegetables can go out early and stay late.

Station · SUGAR LAND · 11.0 km
Last spring frost
February 9
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
December 13
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
307 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for RichmondA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Richmond: last spring frost around February 9, first fall frost around December 13, about 307 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

SUGAR LAND · 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 Richmond’s own odds, recorded at SUGAR LAND.

Frost-probability curves for RichmondProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around February 9 and the first fall frost around December 13, giving about 307 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 25Mar 2Feb 2Nov 9Nov 29Dec 20
32°FMar 11Feb 9Jan 13Nov 19Dec 13Jan 13
28°FFeb 28Jan 28Dec 26Nov 30Jan 1Feb 2

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

Nearby weather stations

3 within 17 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.

SUGAR LAND
Primary
11 km · 26 m elevation
SPRING
Feb 9
FALL
Dec 13
HOUSTON SUGARLAND MEM
11 km · 25 m elevation
SPRING
Feb 2
FALL
Dec 11
THOMPSONS 3 WSW
17 km · 21 m elevation
SPRING
Feb 15
FALL
Dec 6

Richmond planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Richmond, TX?

Plan for the last spring frost in Richmond around February 9 (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 Richmond, TX?

In Richmond, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around December 13 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.

What hardiness zone is Richmond in?

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

How long is the growing season in Richmond?

Richmond has about 307 frost-free days — a long growing season — between the average last spring frost (February 9) and first fall frost (December 13).

When should I plant tomatoes in Richmond?

For Richmond, sow tomatoes indoors about December 15–December 29 and move the seedlings out around February 16, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Richmond

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at SUGAR LAND, 11 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 Richmond, TX — Frost Dates & Zone 9b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00418728. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/texas/richmond.