Fall in zone 8bPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 79766 (Ector County, TX)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Crane 10N, TX (4 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMar 1550% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 1250% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)242 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone8b15 to 20°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
63°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 57°F, as of Oct 18, 1:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Monahans 6 ENE (26 mi).
4-inch depth
65°F 55°F or warmer
24-hour average · latest 64°F, as of Oct 18, 1:00 AM CDT
Estimate Not a measurement at this ZIP: distance-weighted average of Monahans 6 ENE (26 mi).
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 79766 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
Soil is 65°F at 4 inches (estimated soil temperature, not a station reading). Fall pre-emergent (annual bluegrass, winter weeds): window open as soil cools through the 70s and 60s.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: South Central plains. Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Bermudagrass (warm-season): Spring: Several weeks after the lawn is fully green (April–May) (about Apr 30 here, using green-up about 3–4 weeks after your average last frost); Summer: Every 4–6 weeks through mid-August (heaviest feeder of the group); Late: Light, low-nitrogen/high-potassium feeding about 4 weeks before first frost, or skip. Avoid: Heavy late-fall nitrogen (linked to spring dead spot).
- Tall fescue (cool-season): Early fall: September (main feeding); Late fall: November, while still green; Late winter: Optional light feeding February–March. Avoid: Feeding after mid-spring and through summer in the transition zone (stress and brown patch).
Plant now
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 12: skip heavy pruning in the 6–8 weeks before it, because new growth may not harden off in time.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Feb 26 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Mar 15 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Apr 2 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Oct 28 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 12 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 29 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Mar 30 | Nov 4 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 15 | Nov 12 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Mar 3 | Nov 24 |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 79766
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Mar 15) and first fall frost (Nov 12). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Jan 18–Feb 1 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | Jul 16–Aug 13 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Jan 4–18 | Mar 29–Apr 12 (transplant) | Jul 23–Aug 13 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Jan 4–18 | Mar 29–Apr 12 (transplant) | Jul 23–Aug 13 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Jan 18–Feb 1 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Jan 18–Feb 1 | Feb 22–Mar 15 (transplant) Feb 15–Mar 29 (sow outdoors) | Sep 17–Oct 8 (transplant) Sep 3–Oct 1 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Feb 1–22 (sow outdoors) | Sep 17–Oct 8 (sowing) |
| Kale | Jan 18–Feb 1 | Feb 15–Mar 1 (transplant) Feb 15–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | Aug 20–Sep 17 (transplant) Aug 6–Sep 3 (sowing) |
| Collards | Jan 18–Feb 1 | Feb 15–Mar 15 (transplant) Feb 15–Mar 15 (sow outdoors) | Aug 20–Sep 17 (transplant) Aug 6–Sep 3 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Jan 4–18 | Feb 15–Mar 1 (transplant) | Aug 6–Sep 3 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Jan 4–18 | Feb 15–Mar 1 (transplant) | Aug 6–Sep 3 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Jan 4–18 | Mar 1–15 (transplant) | Aug 6–Sep 3 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Feb 15–Mar 1 (transplant) | Jul 23–Aug 13 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Jan 18–Feb 1 | Feb 15–Mar 1 (transplant) Feb 15–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | Sep 3–17 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Feb 15–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | Sep 17–Oct 1 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Feb 15–Mar 15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 17–Oct 15 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Feb 15–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | Sep 17–Oct 1 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Feb 1–15 | Mar 1–22 (transplant) Mar 1–29 (sow outdoors) | Sep 3–17 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Feb 15–Mar 15 (sow outdoors) | Sep 3–17 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Feb 22–Mar 22 (sow outdoors) | Aug 20–Sep 3 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Feb 8–Mar 22 (sow outdoors) | Oct 1–15 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Feb 15–Mar 8 (sow outdoors) | Sep 3–17 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Feb 22–Mar 15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Jan 18–Feb 15 (sow outdoors) | Aug 20–Sep 3 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Feb 1–15 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Feb 1–Mar 1 (sow outdoors) | Sep 3–17 (sowing) |
| Leek | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Feb 15–Mar 1 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 1–29 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Feb 1–15 (transplant) | Oct 1–29 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Feb 15–Mar 1 (transplant) | Jul 23–Aug 6 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Apr 5–19 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 22–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Mar 22–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | Aug 20–Sep 3 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Mar 22–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Mar 29–Apr 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Apr 5–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Feb 15–22 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) Mar 22–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | Aug 20–Sep 3 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Feb 15–22 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) Mar 22–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | Aug 20–Sep 3 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Feb 15–22 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) Mar 22–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Mar 22–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Feb 15–22 | Mar 29–Apr 12 (transplant) Mar 29–Apr 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Feb 15–22 | Mar 29–Apr 12 (transplant) Mar 29–Apr 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Feb 1–15 | Mar 29–Apr 12 (transplant) Mar 29–Apr 12 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Dec 21–Jan 4 | Mar 22–29 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Feb 1–15 | Mar 22–Apr 5 (transplant) Mar 22–Apr 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Mar 1–29 (sow outdoors) | Sep 17–Oct 1 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Jan 4–18 | Mar 1–15 (transplant) Feb 22–Mar 15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Mar 15–29 (sow outdoors) | Sep 17–Oct 1 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Mar 15–29 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Feb 15–Mar 1 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Feb 15–Mar 1 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Feb 15–Mar 1 (transplant) | Sep 3–Oct 1 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Plants that do well here
Texas A&M AgriLife trials name plants that handle Texas conditions: the Texas Superstar® list and the low-care roses from AgriLife trials. Plant frost-tender annuals after March 15 here (the average last frost). More on plants for Texas. Not affiliated with Texas A&M AgriLife.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Crane 10N, TX (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00412084), elevation 2,927 ft, 3.7 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odessa, TX | 11 mi | Mar 15 | Nov 16 |
| Penwell, TX | 13 mi | Mar 14 | Nov 14 |
| Odessa Schlemeyer Fld, TX | 14 mi | Mar 19 | Nov 11 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 5 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 79766
When is the last frost in 79766?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 79766 is March 15. For a more cautious planting date, use April 2, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 79766?
The average first fall freeze is November 12. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 28.
What hardiness zone is 79766?
ZIP 79766 is in USDA zone 8b (15 to 20°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 79766 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
79763 West Odessa 79761 Odessa 79776 79764 West Odessa 79765 Odessa 79762 Odessa 79769 79759
Other ZIP codes in Ector County
79741 79758 79759 79761 79762 79763 79764 79769 79776 All Ector County frost dates · Texas frost dates
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Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.