PlantingWindowThe American Planting Almanac

When to plant garden cress in Sacramento, California

January 12 – January 26

Direct-sow outdoors · typical Sacramento year

Climate basis: NOAA station Sacramento 5 Ese, CA (USW00023271), 5 mi (7 km) from downtown Sacramento (ZCTA 95814 centroid), elevation 38 ft, on the 1991–2020 climate normals. Direct-sow garden cress from approximately the dates above, anchored to the median last spring 32°F freeze (January 12). One year in ten still freezes after February 8.

Last spring freezeJanuary 121-in-10 after Feb 8
First fall freezeDecember 161-in-10 before Nov 28
Frost-free season≈ 341 daysmedian at 32°F
USDA zone9b25 to 30°F winter low — not frost timing

The Sacramento year

Direct-sow outdoorsJan 12 – Jan 26
  • indoors under lights
  • in the garden
  • frost-free season
  • 1-in-10 years still freeze to Feb 8
Garden Cress in Sacramento · freeze context from Sacramento 5 Ese, CA, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Direct-sow outdoors

Jan 12 – Jan 26

Utah State University Extension says garden cress "does not tolerate frost so plant near the frost free date", and Arkansas Extension's culture line reads "seed shallow depth after danger of frost"; both open at the last spring frost, and this later interval supersedes Arkansas' looser "as soon as the ground can be worked" sentence, giving last spring frost to plus 14 days. Anchored to the median last spring freeze (Jan 12). Utah State University Extension · University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service

Start seeds indoors

Not calculated

The cited extension guides do not time an indoor seed-starting window for this crop.

Transplant outdoors

Not calculated

The cited extension guides do not time an outdoor transplanting window for this crop.

Fall planting

Not calculated

No source-backed fall planting rule exists for this crop in the registry, so no fall window is calculated.

Variety assumption: Offsets are for garden cress (Lepidium sativum), a 10–40 day cutting green; watercress and upland cress are different species with different requirements and are not covered by this entry.

These windows describe typical years (1991–2020 climate normals), not this year's forecast. Freezes happen outside them — especially in frost pockets, valleys, and urban edges. Watch the forecast before committing tender plants.

This week, not a typical year:
Crop rule sources (2)

Keep exploring

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Local overview