Rice Planting Dates in California

Usual rice planting and harvest periods in California, shown as ranges with their source. Use them to frame a plan, then adjust for your own frost dates and soil temperature.

Rice dates in California
Activity	Window	Source	Last verified
Planting	Apr 20 to Jun 10 usual (most active May 1 to May 25)	source	2026-11-11
Harvest	Sep 5 to Nov 10 usual (most active Sep 15 to Nov 1)	source	2026-11-11

Rice calendar for California
Item	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Planting				Planting window in April	Planting window, most active in May	Planting window in June
Harvest									Harvest window, most active in September	Harvest window, most active in October	Harvest window, most active in November

What these dates mean in California

Planting usually runs about 52 days, from Apr 20 to Jun 10.

That start date is about 14 days later than the middle of the 6 places in this data set that report rice planting dates (Apr 6).

Harvest usually runs about 67 days, from Sep 5 to Nov 10.

From the start of the planting window to the start of the harvest window is about 138 days in California, a rough guide to how long the crop occupies the bed or field.

Frost-date caveat: these are published ranges for California. A northern or high-elevation site will run later than a southern or low one, and a cold wet spring can push planting past the window. Frost dates and local conditions vary; NASS state-level usual dates from 20-year progress data (Oct 2010 edition), begin ~5% and end ~95% complete. Check your last spring frost and soil temperature, and confirm with your county extension office.

Related guides

Rice Planting Calendar by Region

Rice dates in other places

Other crops in California

Last reviewed: November 2026. Source: USDA NASS, Field Crops Usual Planting and Harvesting Dates (October 2010 edition, copy hosted by Cornell University Mann Library). Dates are the usual start and end of the period when about 5% to 95% of the crop is planted or harvested, from long-run state progress data. They are historic averages, not a forecast.