Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for 79739 — Garden City, TX

ZIP code 79739 (Garden City, Glasscock County) is in USDA zone 8a: the coldest winter night averages 10 to 15 °F. The median last spring frost is April 2 and the first fall frost November 5.

Where ZIP 79739 is

Outlined: the ZIP code area · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone8a10 to 15 °F
Coldest night−12.2 to −9.4 °C
Last frostApr 2
First frostNov 5
2012 zone7b

Was 7b on the 2012 map — half a zone warmer now. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 8a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Garden City, TX…

Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates in Garden City, TX

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 2median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 20only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 5median — 10% chance by Oct 21
Growing season215 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 21 and returns around November 14.

From the NOAA station Garden City, TX — 7 miles away, elevation 2,654 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in 79739

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 19 – Mar 5
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 19 – Mar 12
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 22 – Feb 5
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 12 – Mar 26
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 5 – Mar 19
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 12 – Mar 26
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 5 – Mar 19
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 12 – Mar 26
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 5 – Feb 19
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 9 – Apr 23
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 22 – Feb 5
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 16 – Apr 30
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 10 – Sep 24
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 22 – Nov 26
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 2) and first fall frost (Nov 5) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 79739 came on Feb 9 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Feb 8).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Native plants for zone 8a in Texas

601 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Texas, and rated by the USDA to survive 10 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 8a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 70

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican beech80 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −44 °FAmerican elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican sycamore100 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −34 °FArizona cypress50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °FArizona walnut50 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Shrubs 133

alderleaf mountain mahogany15 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −41 °Faloe yucca15 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −1 °FAmerican beautyberry6 ft · blooms early summer · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °FAmerican holly40 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −20 °FAmerican hornbeam30 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −34 °FAmerican snowbell10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −16 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 200

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine mountainsorrel1 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −43 °FAmerican bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican licorice4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °F

Grasses 177

alkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °FArizona cottontop4 ft · blooms late summer · high shade tolerance · to −13 °FArizona fescue2 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −23 °FArizona threeawn2 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −3 °Fautumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °F

Vines 14

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican wisteria50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fcatbird grape30 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −13 °Fcupseed30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °F

Source: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov), National Plant Data Team — state distribution, native status and the “Temperature, Minimum” characteristic. Check light, moisture and soil needs before buying; local nurseries and your state native plant society can confirm what thrives in Garden City, TX.

Soil in Garden City, TX

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 79739 is Reagan — silty clay loam, well drained.

TextureSilty clay loamholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH8.2alkaline; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.6%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classPrime farmland if irrigatedUSDA classification

Map unit: Reagan silty clay loam, 1 to 3 percent slopes.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 79739; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Garden City, TX

Summer high96 °Faverage high, July
Winter low29 °Faverage low, January
Hot days103days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights73nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days5,619base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 13 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day10 h 04 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growShort-daysummer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb
Precipitation19.1 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall3 inper year; 1 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°110°32 °FJanuary: average high 58 °F, low 29 °F 58°29° JanFebruary: average high 62 °F, low 33 °F 62°33° FebMarch: average high 70 °F, low 40 °F 70°40° MarApril: average high 78 °F, low 48 °F 78°48° AprMay: average high 87 °F, low 59 °F 87°59° MayJune: average high 92 °F, low 67 °F 92°67° JunJuly: average high 96 °F, low 69 °F 96°69° JulAugust: average high 93 °F, low 68 °F 93°68° AugSeptember: average high 86 °F, low 61 °F 86°61° SepOctober: average high 78 °F, low 50 °F 78°50° OctNovember: average high 66 °F, low 39 °F 66°39° NovDecember: average high 58 °F, low 30 °F 58°30° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″January: 0.91 in precipitation, 1 in snowfall 0.9❄1 JanFebruary: 0.90 in precipitation, 0.4 in snowfall 0.9 FebMarch: 1.07 in precipitation 1.1 MarApril: 1.24 in precipitation 1.2 AprMay: 1.81 in precipitation 1.8 MayJune: 2.65 in precipitation 2.6 JunJuly: 1.61 in precipitation 1.6 JulAugust: 2.60 in precipitation 2.6 AugSeptember: 2.31 in precipitation 2.3 SepOctober: 1.96 in precipitation 2.0 OctNovember: 1.10 in precipitation, 0.4 in snowfall 1.1 NovDecember: 0.89 in precipitation, 1 in snowfall 0.9❄1 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Garden City, TX (7 mi away); precipitation: Cope Rch, TX (21 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

3 of the 8 nearest ZIP codes are in a different zone — elevation and distance from water change winter lows quickly.

797338a
Forsan, TX · 25 mi
769518a
Sterling City, TX · 27 mi
797068a
Midland, TX · 28 mi
797208a
Big Spring, TX · 30 mi
797218a
Big Spring, TX · 32 mi
797048b
Midland, TX · 32 mi
797088b
Midland, TX · 32 mi
797108b
Midland, TX · 32 mi

Texas planting zones →

Questions about 79739

What planting zone is ZIP code 79739?

ZIP code 79739 (Garden City, TX) is in USDA hardiness zone 8a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 10 to 15 °F (−12.2 to −9.4 °C).

When is the last frost in Garden City, TX?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 79739 is April 2; after April 20 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Garden City station.

When is the first frost in Garden City, TX?

The median first fall frost near 79739 is November 5, giving a median frost-free growing season of 215 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 79739?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 5 – Feb 19 and set transplants outside around Apr 9 – Apr 23, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 79739 get?

About 19.1 inches of precipitation a year and 3 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Cope Rch station).

How hot do summers get in Garden City, TX?

The average high peaks at 96 °F in July, with about 103 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 79739 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Reagan at the center of ZIP 79739: silty clay loam, well drained, pH about 8.2 (alkaline).

Did spring come early in Garden City, TX in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 79739 came on Feb 9 in 2026, about the same as the 1991–2020 average (Feb 8), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Garden City, TX?

Short-day onions: the longest day near 79739 is 14 h 13 min, so summer days stay under about 14 h 20 min, so long-day varieties won’t bulb.

Did the zone for 79739 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 79739 in zone 7b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 8a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.