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

Planting zone for 95696 — Vacaville, CA

ZIP code 95696 (Vacaville, Solano County) is in USDA zone 9b: the coldest winter night averages 25 to 30 °F. The median last spring frost is January 31 and the first fall frost December 11.

Where ZIP 95696 is

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 frostJan 31
First frostDec 11
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 Vacaville, 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 Vacaville, CA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostJanuary 31median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMarch 11only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostDecember 11median — 10% chance by Nov 24
Growing season318 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around January 6 and returns around December 23.

From the NOAA station Vacaville, CA — 4 miles away, elevation 112 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 95696

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Dec 20 – Jan 3
SpinachSow outdoors · Dec 20 – Jan 10
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Nov 22 – Dec 6
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Jan 10 – Jan 24
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Jan 3 – Jan 17
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Jan 10 – Jan 24
LettuceSow outdoors · Jan 3 – Jan 17
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Jan 10 – Jan 24
TomatoesStart indoors · Dec 6 – Dec 20
TomatoesTransplant · Feb 7 – Feb 21
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Nov 22 – Dec 6
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Feb 14 – Feb 28
BeansSow outdoors · Feb 7 – Feb 21
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Feb 7 – Feb 21
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Feb 7 – Feb 21
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Oct 16 – Oct 30
GarlicPlant cloves · Nov 27 – Jan 1
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Jan 31) and first fall frost (Dec 11) 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 95696 came on Jan 29 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Jan 31).

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 Vacaville, CA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 95696 is Dibble — loam, well drained.

TextureLoama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.1slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter0.75%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Dibble-Los Osos loams, 30 to 50 percent slopes, eroded.

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 95696; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Vacaville, CA

Summer high97 °Faverage high, July
Winter low40 °Faverage low, January
Hot days102days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights14nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days5,214base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 51 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 29 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation25.6 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 58 °F, low 40 °F 58°40° JanFebruary: average high 63 °F, low 42 °F 63°42° FebMarch: average high 69 °F, low 45 °F 69°45° MarApril: average high 75 °F, low 48 °F 75°48° AprMay: average high 83 °F, low 53 °F 83°53° MayJune: average high 91 °F, low 58 °F 91°58° JunJuly: average high 97 °F, low 60 °F 97°60° JulAugust: average high 97 °F, low 60 °F 97°60° AugSeptember: average high 92 °F, low 58 °F 92°58° SepOctober: average high 81 °F, low 52 °F 81°52° OctNovember: average high 67 °F, low 45 °F 67°45° NovDecember: average high 58 °F, low 40 °F 58°40° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 5.55 in precipitation 5.5 JanFebruary: 5.14 in precipitation 5.1 FebMarch: 3.37 in precipitation 3.4 MarApril: 1.23 in precipitation 1.2 AprMay: 0.78 in precipitation 0.8 MayJune: 0.22 in precipitation 0.2 JunJuly: 0.00 in precipitation 0.0 JulAugust: 0.06 in precipitation 0.1 AugSeptember: 0.13 in precipitation 0.1 SepOctober: 1.01 in precipitation 1.0 OctNovember: 2.44 in precipitation 2.4 NovDecember: 5.67 in precipitation 5.7 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Vacaville, CA (4 mi away); precipitation: Vacaville, CA (4 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 9b.

956889b
Vacaville, CA · <1 mi
956259b
Elmira, CA · 8 mi
956879b
Vacaville, CA · 8 mi
945589b
Napa, CA · 10 mi
956949b
Winters, CA · 10 mi
945339b
Fairfield, CA · 10 mi
945359b
Travis Afb, CA · 12 mi
945349b
Fairfield, CA · 14 mi

All 3 ZIP codes in Vacaville → · California planting zones →

Questions about 95696

What planting zone is ZIP code 95696?

ZIP code 95696 (Vacaville, 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 Vacaville, CA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 95696 is January 31; after March 11 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Vacaville station.

When is the first frost in Vacaville, CA?

The median first fall frost near 95696 is December 11, giving a median frost-free growing season of 318 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 95696?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Dec 6 – Dec 20 and set transplants outside around Feb 7 – Feb 21, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 95696 get?

About 25.6 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Vacaville station).

How hot do summers get in Vacaville, CA?

The average high peaks at 97 °F in July, with about 102 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 95696 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Dibble at the center of ZIP 95696: loam, well drained, pH about 6.1 (slightly acidic).

Did spring come early in Vacaville, CA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 95696 came on Jan 29 in 2026, about the same as the 1991–2020 average (Jan 31), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Vacaville, CA?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 95696 is 14 h 51 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.