Laredo, TX Frost Dates
Average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and growing season length for Laredo, Texas.
Gardening in Laredo
The border city's binational character creates food gardens that grow Mexican and American traditions side by side in subtropical conditions.
Zone 9b with 318 frost-free days — one of the longest seasons in Texas. The Rio Grande provides water. Summer heat above 100°F is routine. Winter is prime growing season.
Laredo's location on the Mexican border means backyard gardens grow chiles, tomatillos, nopales, and herbs that supply both cuisines.
What This Means for Laredo Gardeners
The average last spring frost in Laredo is around January 28, and the average first fall frost arrives around December 12. That gives you approximately 318 frost-free days to work with.
318 days is a long, productive season that supports two full rounds of warm-season crops plus continuous cool-season production through your mild winter. Most frost-sensitive crops can be transplanted by January 28, giving them months to produce before fall. Your winter garden is the real advantage — growing fresh vegetables in December and January while northern gardeners browse seed catalogs.
These dates are based on NOAA 30-year Climate Normal data for the Laredo area. Your actual frost dates could shift 2-3 weeks in either direction in any given year. Learn more about our data sources.
What to Grow in Laredo
With 318 frost-free days, Laredo can grow nearly anything — including tropical and subtropical plants that most of the country can only dream about. Your prime vegetable season runs from fall through spring; summer is for heat-lovers like okra, sweet potatoes, and peppers. Recommended starting points: cherry tomatoes, jalapeños, okra, sweet potatoes, basil, collard greens, tomatillos, and lemongrass.
See the full Texas planting guide for all 40 plants: Texas Planting Calendar. Or enter your zip code for exact planting dates personalized to Laredo.
More About Zone 9B
Laredo is in USDA Hardiness Zone 9B, which means average annual extreme minimum temperatures between 25°F to 30°F. View the full Zone 9B planting guide.
See the complete planting calendar for Texas: Texas Planting Calendar.
Other Cities in Texas
Frequently Asked Questions
These dates are based on NOAA's 30-year Climate Normal data for the Laredo area. They represent historical averages, not predictions. In any given year, the actual last frost could be 2-3 weeks earlier or later. Microclimates within Laredo (urban heat islands, hilltops, low-lying valleys) can also shift your local frost dates by a week or more.
You can plant cool-season crops (lettuce, kale, broccoli) from December 12 through January 28 — your cool season is your primary vegetable season. Warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers go out in early spring. Tropical plants grow year-round. Enter your zip code for exact dates for every plant.