Average Frost Dates for San Diego?

[Flowers]

Hello! I'm moving to San Diego and having to leave my garden behind. Good news is that I get to build a whole new garden! However, I can't seem to find out what the average first and last frost dates are for San Diego. Some websites are saying that they don't freeze at all, and some are saying that they freeze from November to March. Does anyone know?

[imafan26]

The farmer's almanac has a planting calendar. Apparently there is more than one San Diego. This is for San Diego, California. You can look up most cities on this site, except frost free ones like mine, they have no data.

https://www.almanac.com/gardening/planti ... an%20Diego

[rainbowgardener]

Dave's garden has a handy feature where you can put in your zip code and it gives you first and last frost dates:

https://davesgarden.com/guides/freeze-frost-dates/#b

but I think you will find NO freezes except occasional brief ones in exceptional years. I grew up a bit north and inland of San Diego in Orange County and it was rare for us to have freezes. It would be even more rare in San Diego.

[imafan26]

I have been to San Diego in winter and it is true the ocean mitigates the temperature so snow is rare, but sometimes it does get cold enough for the water puddles to have a coating of ice on them in the morning depending on where you are. Most of the time it stays in the 50-80 degree range. Not too hot nor too cold.

They do have cayotes near the populated areas and it was the first time I saw and heard crows. They are big noisy birds.

https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/C ... verage.php

[Aqua Jon]

I'll toss in my experience, being from California. I'm just an hour north of SD (san diego). We honestly don't see frost that often here. However, its more likely to happen in late December to early February. I've seen it drop to 27 at lowest on the coast during the coldest winter I can remember. Another thing to keep in mind, even though we have a low of say 40 one week we could also have a high of 80 the next. On average we sit between 60-80.

Let me know if you have any more questions.

[Flowers]

Thanks guys! So now my problem is that I have this book and it tells me all of my planting dates based off of last spring frost. What date should I base it off of now do you think? The book doesn't give any suggestions. Does anyone know the average coldest day of the year in San Diego? Maybe I could base it off of that.

[Susan W]

Flowers, I am thinking your move is relationship or job related. Do you have a place to live? Even if you have a house there, need to live in it and learn-feel the sun and shade. Once moved, can buy some starts of instant gratification. You may also be able to have a good fall garden extending into winter.
Frost dates in San Diego should not be on your worry list! I suggest messing with some seeds, and also get to know your local garden centers. Try to learn the best soil/amendments for the location, and varieties of plants that do well there. You may also be overwhelmed by insects and other pests, fungus etc that multiply without freezing temps.
A challenge for sure, and you are up to it. Looking forward to the garden pics this time next year!

[imafan26]

This is a source for weather data for California.

I could only find historical data for San Diego up to 2006 and nothing after that so this was the most current.

It looks like the biggest challenge will be how to use water efficiently. Self watering containers may be the way to go as well as selecting drought tolerant plants.

https://www.calclim.dri.edu/index.html

[rainbowgardener]

San Diego is right on the coast, so has some different issues. It is not very hot in summer, cool and foggy much of the year. But it is being impacted by the drought partly just because other, hotter, drier parts of Calif and the SW generally are sucking up all the water and emptying lakes and reservoirs.

So yes water conservation and drought tolerant plants are definitely concerns.

[Aqua Jon]

I agree with rainbowgardner on the water conservation, although Sand Diego (SD as we call it out here) will have the first desalinization plant. I am unsure what the fiscal and other costs will be or of its availability if the drought progresses. Still it would be best to consider something along the lines of hydroponics.

I can say I do NOT agree that summers are not very hot last year alone we say a few days at or near 100F. Two or three summers ago we had a week of ~105 weather. On the flip side - the ocean was easily trunkable! (this is a surf term that translates to - no need for a wet suit, the water is warm as ever) I think ocean temp was 75 that week!

However, we do get cool and foggy often. Our marine layer is responsible for that. Usually hangs around till noon, but thats no hard science. Yesterday our marine fog stuck around till 4pm, today: none and was 75ish most of the day 8am till 6pm.