Castor, LA 71016 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Castor, LA?
Around 03/24 is the usual last spring frost, about 208 days away. The first fall frost typically arrives around 11/07, about 229 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Castor in Zone 8b (15 to 20°F average annual minimum); frost dates are NOAA's 1991-2020 station normal, not this year's forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 10 weeks of growing season left in Castor before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 03/24 isn't a guarantee
03/24 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 02/28 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 04/16 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Castor compares
Castor's growing season runs about 229 days, ranking 10,667 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within LA, it ranks 696 of 710.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in Castor can differ from the 71016 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 8b and Castor's frost date answer different questions.