Frost dates for ZIP 79834 (Brewster 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, Panther Junction, TX (11 miles away).
- Average last spring frostMar 550% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostNov 2550% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)264 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 17, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
4-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
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 79834 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
No soil reading near this ZIP. Typical extension timing for your region: spring mid-February to mid-March; fall September to early October.
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 20 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
- Lettuce: fall transplant Sep 30–Oct 21
- Spinach: fall sowing Sep 30–Oct 21
- Arugula: fall sowing Sep 30–Oct 28
- Radish: fall sowing Oct 14–28
- Garlic: fall sowing Oct 14–Nov 11
- Shallot: fall sowing Oct 14–Nov 11
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Nov 25: 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 5 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Mar 5 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Mar 29 |
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) | Nov 2 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Nov 25 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Dec 14 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Mar 19 | Nov 13 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Mar 5 | Nov 25 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Feb 17 | Dec 8 |
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 79834
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Mar 5) and first fall frost (Nov 25). 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 8–22 | Mar 12–26 (transplant) | Jul 29–Aug 26 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Dec 25–Jan 8 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | Aug 5–26 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Dec 25–Jan 8 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) | Aug 5–26 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Jan 8–22 | Mar 12–26 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Jan 8–22 | Feb 12–Mar 5 (transplant) Feb 5–Mar 19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 21 (transplant) Sep 16–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Jan 22–Feb 12 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 21 (sowing) |
| Kale | Jan 8–22 | Feb 5–19 (transplant) Feb 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–30 (transplant) Aug 19–Sep 16 (sowing) |
| Collards | Jan 8–22 | Feb 5–Mar 5 (transplant) Feb 5–Mar 5 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–30 (transplant) Aug 19–Sep 16 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Dec 25–Jan 8 | Feb 5–19 (transplant) | Aug 19–Sep 16 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Dec 25–Jan 8 | Feb 5–19 (transplant) | Aug 19–Sep 16 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Dec 25–Jan 8 | Feb 19–Mar 5 (transplant) | Aug 19–Sep 16 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Dec 11–25 | Feb 5–19 (transplant) | Aug 5–26 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Jan 8–22 | Feb 5–19 (transplant) Feb 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 16–30 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Feb 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Feb 5–Mar 5 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 28 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Feb 5–26 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Jan 22–Feb 5 | Feb 19–Mar 12 (transplant) Feb 19–Mar 19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 16–30 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Feb 5–Mar 5 (sow outdoors) | Sep 16–30 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Feb 12–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–16 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Jan 29–Mar 12 (sow outdoors) | Oct 14–28 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Feb 5–26 (sow outdoors) | Sep 16–30 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Feb 12–Mar 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Jan 8–Feb 5 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–16 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Dec 11–25 | Jan 22–Feb 5 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Jan 22–Feb 19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 16–30 (sowing) |
| Leek | Dec 11–25 | Feb 5–19 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 14–Nov 11 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Jan 22–Feb 5 (transplant) | Oct 14–Nov 11 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Feb 5–19 (transplant) | Aug 5–19 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Mar 26–Apr 9 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Mar 12–26 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–16 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Mar 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Mar 19–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Mar 26–Apr 16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Feb 5–12 | Mar 12–26 (transplant) Mar 12–26 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–16 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Feb 5–12 | Mar 12–26 (transplant) Mar 12–26 (sow outdoors) | Sep 2–16 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Feb 5–12 | Mar 12–26 (transplant) Mar 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Mar 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Feb 5–12 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) Mar 19–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Feb 5–12 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) Mar 19–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Jan 22–Feb 5 | Mar 19–Apr 2 (transplant) Mar 19–Apr 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Dec 11–25 | Mar 12–19 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Jan 22–Feb 5 | Mar 12–26 (transplant) Mar 12–26 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Feb 19–Mar 19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Dec 25–Jan 8 | Feb 19–Mar 5 (transplant) Feb 12–Mar 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Mar 5–19 (sow outdoors) | Sep 30–Oct 14 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Mar 5–19 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Feb 5–19 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Feb 5–19 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Feb 5–19 (transplant) | Sep 16–Oct 14 (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 5 here (the average last frost). More on plants for Texas. Not affiliated with Texas A&M AgriLife.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Panther Junction, TX (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00416792), elevation 3,740 ft, 10.6 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chisos Basin, TX | 6 mi | Mar 10 | Nov 19 |
| Panther Junction 2 N, TX | 12 mi | Mar 6 | Nov 22 |
| Castolon, TX | 16 mi | Feb 18 | Nov 29 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 23 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 79834
When is the last frost in 79834?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 79834 is March 5. For a more cautious planting date, use March 29, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 79834?
The average first fall freeze is November 25. In 1 year in 10 it comes by November 2.
What hardiness zone is 79834?
ZIP 79834 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 79834 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
79852 Terlingua 79846 Redford 79842 Marathon 79830 Alpine 79845 Presidio 79848 Sanderson 79843 Marfa 79832 Alpine
Other ZIP codes in Brewster County
79830 79832 79842 79852 All Brewster County frost dates · Texas frost dates
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