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

Planting zone for 93221 — Exeter, CA

ZIP code 93221 (Exeter, Tulare County) is in USDA zone 9b: the coldest winter night averages 25 to 30 °F. The median last spring frost is February 5 and the first fall frost December 8.

Where ZIP 93221 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.

Zone9b25 to 30 °F
Coldest night−3.9 to −1.1 °C
Last frostFeb 5
First frostDec 8
2012 zone9b

Same zone as on the 2012 map. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 9b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Exeter, CA…

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 Exeter, CA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostFebruary 5median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMarch 20only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostDecember 8median — 10% chance by Nov 23
Growing season307 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around January 5 and returns around December 22.

From the NOAA station Lemon Cove, CA — 6 miles away, elevation 512 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 93221

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Dec 25 – Jan 8
SpinachSow outdoors · Dec 25 – Jan 15
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Nov 27 – Dec 11
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Jan 15 – Jan 29
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Jan 8 – Jan 22
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Jan 15 – Jan 29
LettuceSow outdoors · Jan 8 – Jan 22
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Jan 15 – Jan 29
TomatoesStart indoors · Dec 11 – Dec 25
TomatoesTransplant · Feb 12 – Feb 26
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Nov 27 – Dec 11
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Feb 19 – Mar 5
BeansSow outdoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Oct 13 – Oct 27
GarlicPlant cloves · Nov 24 – Dec 29
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Feb 5) and first fall frost (Dec 8) 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 93221 came on Jan 29 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Jan 29).

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).

Soil in Exeter, CA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 93221 is Las Posas — loam, well drained.

TextureLoama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.7neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.5%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Las Posas-Rock outcrop complex, 9 to 50 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 93221; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Exeter, CA

Summer high100 °Faverage high, July
Winter low37 °Faverage low, December
Hot days125days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights16nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days5,719base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 38 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 41 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation14.1 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°110°32 °FJanuary: average high 60 °F, low 38 °F 60°38° JanFebruary: average high 65 °F, low 41 °F 65°41° FebMarch: average high 71 °F, low 45 °F 71°45° MarApril: average high 77 °F, low 47 °F 77°47° AprMay: average high 86 °F, low 54 °F 86°54° MayJune: average high 94 °F, low 59 °F 94°59° JunJuly: average high 100 °F, low 65 °F 100°65° JulAugust: average high 99 °F, low 63 °F 99°63° AugSeptember: average high 94 °F, low 59 °F 94°59° SepOctober: average high 83 °F, low 51 °F 83°51° OctNovember: average high 69 °F, low 43 °F 69°43° NovDecember: average high 59 °F, low 37 °F 59°37° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″January: 2.68 in precipitation 2.7 JanFebruary: 2.33 in precipitation 2.3 FebMarch: 2.48 in precipitation 2.5 MarApril: 1.42 in precipitation 1.4 AprMay: 0.62 in precipitation 0.6 MayJune: 0.15 in precipitation 0.1 JunJuly: 0.02 in precipitation 0.0 JulAugust: 0.00 in precipitation 0.0 AugSeptember: 0.06 in precipitation 0.1 SepOctober: 0.67 in precipitation 0.7 OctNovember: 1.33 in precipitation 1.3 NovDecember: 2.29 in precipitation 2.3 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Lemon Cove, CA (6 mi away); precipitation: Lemon Cove, CA (6 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 9b.

932449b
Lemon Cove, CA · 7 mi
932479b
Lindsay, CA · 7 mi
932239b
Farmersville, CA · 10 mi
932679b
Strathmore, CA · 11 mi
932929b
Visalia, CA · 11 mi
932869b
Woodlake, CA · 12 mi
932359b
Ivanhoe, CA · 12 mi
932719b
Three Rivers, CA · 13 mi

California planting zones →

Questions about 93221

What planting zone is ZIP code 93221?

ZIP code 93221 (Exeter, CA) is in USDA hardiness zone 9b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 25 to 30 °F (−3.9 to −1.1 °C).

When is the last frost in Exeter, CA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 93221 is February 5; after March 20 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Lemon Cove station.

When is the first frost in Exeter, CA?

The median first fall frost near 93221 is December 8, giving a median frost-free growing season of 307 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 93221?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Dec 11 – Dec 25 and set transplants outside around Feb 12 – Feb 26, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 93221 get?

About 14.1 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Lemon Cove station).

How hot do summers get in Exeter, CA?

The average high peaks at 100 °F in July, with about 125 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 93221 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Las Posas at the center of ZIP 93221: loam, well drained, pH about 6.7 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Exeter, CA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 93221 came on Jan 29 in 2026, about the same as the 1991–2020 average (Jan 29), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Exeter, CA?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 93221 is 14 h 38 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.