When to plant Watermelon and cantaloupe in California
In spring, from Feb 15 – Mar 15 in Agoura Hills to June 15 – July 1 in Susanville.
For a fall crop, from May 1 – June 15 in Truckee to July 15 – 30 in Victorville.
Cantaloupe (muskmelon) dates are the same as watermelon except where the table notes them.
USDA's earliest safe spring and latest safe fall planting dates, matched to each place's average frost dates.
| Place | Spring | Fall |
|---|---|---|
| Adelanto | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Agoura Hills | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Alameda | — | Not listed |
| Albany | — | Not listed |
| Alhambra | — | Not listed |
| Aliso Viejo | — | Not listed |
| American Canyon | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Anaheim | — | Not listed |
| Anderson | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Antioch | — | Not listed |
| Apple Valley | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Arcadia | — | Not listed |
| Arcata | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Arroyo Grande | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Artesia | — | Not listed |
| Arvin | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Atascadero | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Atwater | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Auburn | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Avenal | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Azusa | — | Not listed |
| Bakersfield | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Baldwin Park | — | Not listed |
| Banning | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Barstow | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Beaumont | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Belmont | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Benicia | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Berkeley | — | Not listed |
| Blythe | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Brawley | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Brea | — | Not listed |
| Brentwood | — | Not listed |
| Burbank | — | Not listed |
| Burlingame | — | Not listed |
| Calabasas | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Calexico | — | Not listed |
| California City | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Calimesa | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Camarillo | — | Not listed |
| Campbell | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Canyon Lake | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Carlsbad | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Ceres | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Cerritos | — | Not listed |
| Chico | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Chino | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Chino Hills | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Chowchilla | Feb 15 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Chula Vista | — | Not listed |
| Citrus Heights | — | Not listed |
| Claremont | — | Not listed |
| Clayton | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Clearlake | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Clovis | — | Not listed |
| Coachella | — | Not listed |
| Coalinga | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Colton | — | Not listed |
| Concord | — | Not listed |
| Corcoran | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Corona | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Corte Madera | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Covina | — | Not listed |
| Cupertino | — | Not listed |
| Daly City | — | Not listed |
| Dana Point | — | Not listed |
| Danville | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Davis | Feb 15 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Delano | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Desert Hot Springs | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Diamond Bar | — | Not listed |
| Dinuba | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Dixon | Feb 15 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Duarte | May 15 – June 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Dublin | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| East Palo Alto | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Eastvale | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| El Cajon | — | Not listed |
| El Centro | — | Not listed |
| El Cerrito | — | Not listed |
| El Monte | — | Not listed |
| El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles) | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Elk Grove | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Emeryville | — | Not listed |
| Encinitas | — | Not listed |
| Escondido | — | Not listed |
| Eureka | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Exeter | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Fairfield | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Farmersville | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Fillmore | — | Not listed |
| Folsom | — | Not listed |
| Fontana | — | Not listed |
| Fortuna | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Foster City | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Fremont | — | Not listed |
| Fresno | — | Not listed |
| Galt | Feb 15 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Gilroy | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Glendale | — | Not listed |
| Glendora | — | Not listed |
| Goleta | — | Not listed |
| Grand Terrace | — | Not listed |
| Grass Valley | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Greenfield | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Grover Beach | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Half Moon Bay | Feb 15 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Hanford | Feb 15 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Hayward | — | Not listed |
| Healdsburg | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Hemet | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Hercules | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Hesperia | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Highland | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Hillsborough | — | Not listed |
| Hollister | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Imperial | — | Not listed |
| Imperial Beach | — | Not listed |
| Indio | — | Not listed |
| Irvine | — | Not listed |
| Jurupa Valley | — | Not listed |
| Kerman | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| King City | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Kingsburg | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| La Habra | — | Not listed |
| La Mesa | — | Not listed |
| La Mirada | — | Not listed |
| La Puente | — | Not listed |
| La Quinta | — | Not listed |
| La Verne | — | Not listed |
| Lafayette | — | Not listed |
| Laguna Beach | — | Not listed |
| Laguna Hills | — | Not listed |
| Laguna Niguel | — | Not listed |
| Laguna Woods | — | Not listed |
| Lake Elsinore | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Lake Forest | — | Not listed |
| Lancaster | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Larkspur | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Lathrop | Feb 15 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Lemon Grove | — | Not listed |
| Lemoore | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Lincoln | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Lindsay | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Livermore | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Livingston | — | Not listed |
| Lodi | Feb 15 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Loma Linda | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Lompoc | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Los Altos | — | Not listed |
| Los Banos | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Los Gatos | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Madera | Feb 15 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Manteca | Feb 15 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Marina | Feb 15 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Martinez | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Marysville | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| McFarland | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Mendota | Feb 15 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Menifee | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Menlo Park | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Merced | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Mill Valley | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Millbrae | — | Not listed |
| Milpitas | — | Not listed |
| Mission Viejo | — | Not listed |
| Modesto | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Monrovia | May 15 – June 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Montclair | — | Not listed |
| Montebello | — | Not listed |
| Monterey | — | Not listed |
| Monterey Park | — | Not listed |
| Moorpark | — | Not listed |
| Moraga | — | Not listed |
| Moreno Valley | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Morgan Hill | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Morro Bay | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | — |
| Mountain View | — | Not listed |
| Murrieta | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | — |
| Napa | Feb 15 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Newark | — | Not listed |
| Newman | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Norco | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Norwalk | — | Not listed |
| Novato | — | Not listed |
| Oakdale | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Oakland | — | Not listed |
| Oakley | — | Not listed |
| Oceanside | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Ontario | — | Not listed |
| Orinda | — | Not listed |
| Oroville | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Oxnard | — | Not listed |
| Pacific Grove | — | Not listed |
| Palm Desert | — | Not listed |
| Palm Springs | — | Not listed |
| Palmdale | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Palo Alto | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Parlier | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Patterson | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Perris | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Petaluma | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Pico Rivera | — | Not listed |
| Piedmont | — | Not listed |
| Pinole | — | Not listed |
| Pittsburg | — | Not listed |
| Placentia | — | Not listed |
| Placerville | Apr 10 – May 15 | Not listed |
| Pleasant Hill | — | Not listed |
| Pleasanton | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Pomona | — | Not listed |
| Port Hueneme | — | Not listed |
| Porterville | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Poway | — | Not listed |
| Rancho Cordova | — | Not listed |
| Rancho Cucamonga | — | Not listed |
| Rancho Santa Margarita | — | Not listed |
| Red Bluff | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Redding | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Redlands | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Redwood City | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Reedley | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Rialto | — | Not listed |
| Richmond | — | Not listed |
| Ridgecrest | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Rio Vista | — | Not listed |
| Ripon | Feb 15 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Riverbank | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Riverside | — | Not listed |
| Rocklin | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Rohnert Park | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Rosemead | — | Not listed |
| Roseville | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Sacramento | — | Not listed |
| Salinas | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| San Anselmo | — | Not listed |
| San Bernardino | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| San Buenaventura (Ventura) | — | Not listed |
| San Carlos | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| San Clemente | — | Not listed |
| San Dimas | — | Not listed |
| San Fernando | — | Not listed |
| San Francisco | — | Not listed |
| San Gabriel | — | Not listed |
| San Jacinto | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| San Jose | — | Not listed |
| San Juan Capistrano | — | Not listed |
| San Leandro | — | Not listed |
| San Luis Obispo | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| San Marcos | — | Not listed |
| San Mateo | — | Not listed |
| San Pablo | — | Not listed |
| San Rafael | — | Not listed |
| San Ramon | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Sanger | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Santa Clara | — | Not listed |
| Santa Clarita | — | Not listed |
| Santa Cruz | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Santa Fe Springs | — | Not listed |
| Santa Maria | Feb 15 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Santa Paula | — | Not listed |
| Santa Rosa | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Santee | — | Not listed |
| Saratoga | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Scotts Valley | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Seaside | — | Not listed |
| Selma | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Shafter | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Shasta Lake | Feb 15 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Sierra Madre | May 15 – June 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Simi Valley | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Solana Beach | — | Not listed |
| Soledad | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Sonoma | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| South El Monte | — | Not listed |
| South Lake Tahoe | Not listed | May 15 – June 1 |
| South San Francisco | — | Not listed |
| Stockton | Feb 15 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Suisun City | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Sunnyvale | — | Not listed |
| Susanville | June 15 – July 1Cantaloupe (muskmelon): not listed | June 1 – 15 |
| Tehachapi | May 15 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Temecula | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | — |
| Temple City | — | Not listed |
| Thousand Oaks | — | Not listed |
| Tracy | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Truckee | Not listed | May 1 – June 15 |
| Tulare | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Turlock | — | Not listed |
| Tustin | — | Not listed |
| Twentynine Palms | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Ukiah | Apr 1 – May 1 | Not listed |
| Union City | — | Not listed |
| Upland | — | Not listed |
| Vacaville | Feb 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Vallejo | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Victorville | Apr 1 – May 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Visalia | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Vista | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | — |
| Walnut | — | Not listed |
| Walnut Creek | — | Not listed |
| Wasco | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Watsonville | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| West Covina | — | Not listed |
| West Sacramento | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Whittier | — | Not listed |
| Wildomar | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Windsor | Mar 1 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
| Woodland | Feb 15 – Apr 1 | Not listed |
| Yorba Linda | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Yuba City | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Yucaipa | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Not listed |
| Yucca Valley | Mar 15 – Apr 15 | Not listed |
Planting dates: USDA Home and Garden Bulletin No. 9 (1967), tables 4 and 5. Frost dates: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. “—” means outside the table. 63 other places in California have frost dates outside the table. The full USDA table for watermelon.
Updated