USDA hardiness zone lookup
Grass Valley, CA — USDA Zone 8a
Grass Valley, California · 183-day growing season
Frost dates and growing season in Grass Valley
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 8a |
|---|---|
| Average last spring frost | April 25 |
| Average first fall frost | October 25 |
| Growing season length | ~183 days |
| Temperature range (F) | 10 to 20°F |
| Temperature range (C) | -12 to -7°C |
All of Grass Valley's mapped ZIP codes fall in the same hardiness band, Zone 8a.
These are 50%-probability averages modeled from Grass Valley's USDA hardiness zone and regional climate normals — not a single-station reading. In a typical year the last spring frost will have passed by April 25, but a colder-than-average year can run 1-2 weeks later. Plant tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) once both soil and night temperatures are consistently warm — a thermometer beats the calendar.
Growing season in Grass Valley
Grass Valley, California sits in USDA Zone 8a, with roughly 183 frost-free days between an average last spring frost around April 25 and a first fall frost around October 25. That is a long season — succession-sow through summer and run a full fall crop; heat-sensitive greens still need spring/autumn timing.
What grows in Grass Valley
Grass Valley falls in USDA Zone 8a, so the same hardiness constraints apply as the full Zone 8 guide. Vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees rated to Zone 8a (or hardier) will overwinter here in a typical year.
- Tomatoes (spring + fall plantings)
- Peppers (sweet + hot)
- Okra
- Sweet potatoes
- Southern peas
- Melons, watermelon
- Figs
- Pomegranates
- Citrus (in protected spots — Meyer lemon)
- Pecans
What to plant in Grass Valley this week
Grass Valley is in high summer — most spring plantings are in. Keep an eye on watering and start planning your fall crop. Cool-season seedlings (broccoli, cabbage, lettuce) can be started indoors for a fall transplant.
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 8
- When to plant peppers in zone 8
- When to plant bush beans in zone 8
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 8
- When to plant basil in zone 8
Full planting calendar for Grass Valley
Crop-by-crop sowing, transplant, and harvest dates calibrated to zone 8 averages:
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 8
- When to plant peppers in zone 8
- When to plant basil in zone 8
- When to plant garlic in zone 8
- When to plant lettuce in zone 8
- When to plant bush beans in zone 8
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 8
- When to plant summer squash in zone 8
- When to plant peas in zone 8
- When to plant carrots in zone 8
ZIP codes in Grass Valley
Drill down to the precise frost window and planting calendar for a specific ZIP in Grass Valley:
Local microclimate notes
Zone tables give you the average — but Grass Valleygardens vary. South-facing walls and paved areas can run a full half-zone warmer than the published rating. Low-lying spots, frost pockets, and shaded north sides can run colder. If you've gardened here a few seasons, your own frost record — the last time you actually got frost damage — beats any national average.
Source and methodology
Hardiness zone from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 revision). Frost-date and growing-season figures are modeled from Grass Valley's USDA hardiness zone and regional NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals — zone-level estimates, not a per-station record, so treat them as planning guidance and confirm against your own local frost history. Crop recommendations draw on US Cooperative Extension references, curated by the Growli editorial team. Last reviewed June 2026.
Other cities in California
- Adelanto, CA — USDA Zone 8b
- Anaheim, CA — USDA Zone 10b
- Bakersfield, CA — USDA Zone 9b
- Bell Gardens, CA — USDA Zone 10b
- Berkeley, CA — USDA Zone 10a
- Beverly Hills, CA — USDA Zone 10b
- Carlsbad, CA — USDA Zone 10b
- Chino, CA — USDA Zone 10a
- Chula Vista, CA — USDA Zone 10b
- Clovis, CA — USDA Zone 9b
- Costa Mesa, CA — USDA Zone 10b
- Crescent City, CA — USDA Zone 9a
- All of California by zone