Last and first frost dates in Reno

When is the last frost in Reno?

The last frost in Reno usually comes around 16 April: that is the median of 2016–2025, so in about half of those years the last night at or below 0 °C came later. Hardy crops start before it and frost-tender ones only after it: in the table below arugula can go into open ground from 26 March, while corn waits until 23 April. The first autumn frost follows around 28 October, about 195 days later: harvest or cover frost-tender crops before then.

When to sow and plant

Planting out: a week after the last frost once the soil is warm enough for the crop; frost-hardy crops three weeks before it; an unheated greenhouse three weeks earlier. Seedlings are sown so they are ready on that day. Each window starts on the Greenly calendar date and ends on the last day that still leaves the crop’s days to harvest (from its card) before the average first autumn frost, plus six weeks of picking for crops harvested over weeks (tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, cucumbers, courgettes, pumpkins, watermelons, beans) — our rule; earlier in the window is safer.

What planting zone is Reno?

The official USDA map (2023, 1991–2020 data) puts the centre of Reno (ZIP 89501) in zone 7b. Zone 7b stands for an average coldest night of 5 to 10 °F (-15 to -12.2 °C), so perennials hardy to zone 7b or a colder zone should come through a typical winter here.

Check the official USDA map for Reno: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

When the soil warms up in Reno

The day the top 7 cm of soil first averages each temperature over a week, median of 2016–2025 (ERA5 via Open-Meteo). The soil reaches 10 °C 14 days before the last spring frost and 15 °C 7 days after it.

Frost dates near Reno

Of the nearest cities on our list, the last spring frost ends earliest in Stockton (4 February) and latest in Carson City (1 May).

Seeds, seedlings and markets in Reno

Within 15 km of Reno OpenStreetMap lists 8 garden centres, 1 farm-supply shop and 3 markets (collected 20 October 2026). The nearest garden centre to the city centre is Micano Home & Garden Decor, 2 km away.

• Micano Home & Garden Decor — garden centre
  South Virginia Street 1350, 89502 Reno · 2 km
• Rancher's Feed and Supply — farm supply
  Surge Street 30, 89506 Reno · 12 km
• Great Basin Community Food Co-op — market
  Court Street 240, 89501 Reno · Mon–Sun 07:30–21:00 · 1 km · greatbasinfood.coop
• Walmart Garden Center — garden centre
  West 7th Street 5260, 89523 Reno · Mon–Sun 06:00–24:00 · 5 km · walmart.com
• Aladin's Market & Kitchen — market
  Holcomb Avenue 1180, 89502 Reno · 2 km · aladdinsmarketreno.com
• Outdoor Power — garden centre
  Mon–Fri 07:30–16:30; Sat–Sun closed · 7 km

• Where to buy seeds and seedlings in Reno
• Selling your own harvest in the United States

Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Weather in Reno by month

Average weather in Reno over 2016–2025: the warmest month is July. Months that average 20 °C or more by day: May–October (20.3–34.2 °C). Months that average 30 °C or more by day: July (34.2 °C) and August (32.7 °C). Nights average below 0 °C in January (-1.8 °C), February (-1.5 °C) and December (-1.1 °C). About 450 mm of rain falls in a year, on 62 days; January is the wettest month (81 mm) and July the driest (3 mm).

Average of the daily highs and lows, rain per month and days with at least 1 mm (ERA5 via Open-Meteo, the same grid cell as the frost dates).

Planted in autumn

From a month before the first autumn frost, so the roots grow before winter, to the late-planting limit on each crop’s page (about two weeks before the ground freezes, by ten years of weather).