USDA hardiness zone lookup
South Lake Tahoe, CA — USDA Zone 6b
South Lake Tahoe, California · 99-day growing season
Frost dates and growing season in South Lake Tahoe
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 6b |
|---|---|
| Average last spring frost | June 5 |
| Average first fall frost | September 12 |
| Growing season length | ~99 days |
| Temperature range (F) | -10 to 0°F |
| Temperature range (C) | -23 to -18°C |
All of South Lake Tahoe's mapped ZIP codes fall in the same hardiness band, Zone 6b.
These are 50%-probability averages modeled from South Lake Tahoe'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 June 5, 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 South Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe, California sits in USDA Zone 6b, with roughly 99 frost-free days between an average last spring frost around June 5 and a first fall frost around September 12. That is a short season — start warm-season crops indoors 6-8 weeks early and lean on quick-maturing, cold-tolerant cultivars to beat the first fall frost.
What grows in South Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe falls in USDA Zone 6b, so the same hardiness constraints apply as the full Zone 6 guide. Vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees rated to Zone 6b (or hardier) will overwinter here in a typical year.
- Tomatoes (all types)
- Peppers, eggplant
- Squash, melons, cucumbers
- Beans, peas
- Sweet corn
- Apples, pears, peaches, plums
- Cherries, blueberries
- Asparagus, rhubarb
- Garlic (fall-planted)
- Strawberries
What to plant in South Lake Tahoe this week
South Lake Tahoe's last frost is around June 5. This is the spring transplant window — start tomatoes and peppers indoors if you haven't, and direct-sow cold-tolerant crops now.
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 6
- When to plant peppers in zone 6
- When to plant basil in zone 6
- When to plant bush beans in zone 6
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 6
Full planting calendar for South Lake Tahoe
Crop-by-crop sowing, transplant, and harvest dates calibrated to zone 6 averages:
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 6
- When to plant peppers in zone 6
- When to plant basil in zone 6
- When to plant garlic in zone 6
- When to plant lettuce in zone 6
- When to plant bush beans in zone 6
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 6
- When to plant summer squash in zone 6
- When to plant peas in zone 6
- When to plant carrots in zone 6
ZIP codes in South Lake Tahoe
Drill down to the precise frost window and planting calendar for a specific ZIP in South Lake Tahoe:
Local microclimate notes
Zone tables give you the average — but South Lake Tahoegardens 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 South Lake Tahoe'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