Monthly Tip

The first and last frost dates for Santa Clara County are November 15 and March 15. These are important—but approximate—dates for gardeners to remember.

• First frost date—this is the earliest date you should expect frost to occur. If you have plants that need to be brought in for the winter, or crops you need to pick before frost, this date will be important to you.
• Last frost date—after this date, you wouldn't expect any more frosts. It's generally used as a milestone when planting outdoors, or pruning frost sensitive plants (such as citrus where you don't want to stimulate delicate new growth until danger of frost is past).

 Also see: Frost—Avoidance and Dealing with Damage