Oxnard, CA Frost Dates
Average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and growing season length for Oxnard, California.
Gardening in Oxnard
Ventura County's agricultural powerhouse grows strawberries commercially and everything else in backyard gardens.
Zone 10a with 329 frost-free days. Coastal moderation keeps temperatures mild. The Oxnard Plain is some of the most productive farmland in California.
Oxnard's strawberry fields are commercially famous. The surrounding agricultural community provides expertise that home gardeners inherit.
What This Means for Oxnard Gardeners
The average last spring frost in Oxnard is around January 20, and the average first fall frost arrives around December 15. That gives you approximately 329 frost-free days to work with.
Oxnard's growing season is essentially year-round. Frost is a rare event, not a seasonal boundary. Traditional cool-season crops grow through your mild winter, while tropical and subtropical plants thrive permanently outdoors. Your challenge isn't length of season — it's managing summer heat and humidity. Plant warm-season vegetables from September through February and shift to heat-tolerant crops for the summer months.
These dates are based on NOAA 30-year Climate Normal data for the Oxnard 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 Oxnard
With 329 frost-free days, Oxnard 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 California planting guide for all 40 plants: California Planting Calendar. Or enter your zip code for exact planting dates personalized to Oxnard.
More About Zone 10A
Oxnard is in USDA Hardiness Zone 10A, which means average annual extreme minimum temperatures between 30°F to 35°F. View the full Zone 10A planting guide.
See the complete planting calendar for California: California Planting Calendar.
Other Cities in California
Frequently Asked Questions
These dates are based on NOAA's 30-year Climate Normal data for the Oxnard 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 Oxnard (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 15 through January 20 — 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.