When to plant in Washington
Most of Washington sees its last spring frost between Mar 9 and May 10, and its first fall frost between Sep 29 and Nov 20. The middle of the state is around April 17 and October 25: that's what the dates below use.
Hardiness zones in Washington: 6a (2%), 6b (13%), 7a (18%), 7b (4%), 8a (7%), 8b (37%), 9a (19%).
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Harvest | Plant for fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 19 | May 7 – May 21 | Jul 16 – Oct 8 | — |
| Pepper | Mar 5 | May 7 – May 21 | Jul 21 – Oct 13 | — |
| Cucumber | — | May 7 – May 21 | Jul 1 – Aug 19 | — |
| Zucchini / Summer squash | — | May 7 – May 21 | Jun 26 – Sep 4 | — |
| Winter squash | — | May 7 – May 21 | Aug 10 – Sep 14 | — |
| Green beans (bush) | — | May 7 – May 21 | Jul 1 – Aug 12 | — |
| Peas | — | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | May 5 – Jun 9 | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 7 – May 21 | Jul 21 – Aug 18 | — |
| Lettuce | — | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 4 – Jun 15 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Spinach | — | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Apr 15 – May 27 | Sep 15 – Sep 29 |
| Kale | Feb 6 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 14 – Aug 6 | Sep 14 – Sep 28 |
| Broccoli | Feb 13 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | May 26 – Jun 30 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Cabbage | Feb 6 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 29 – Jul 3 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Jun 5 – Jul 17 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
| Beet | — | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | May 21 – Jul 2 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Radish | — | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Apr 7 – May 5 | Sep 16 – Sep 30 |
| Onion (sets) | — | Mar 13 – Mar 27 | Jun 21 – Jul 26 | — |
| Garlic | — | Oct 18 – Nov 8 (fall) | Jun 12 – Jul 3 next year | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Jun 25 – Jul 30 | — |
| Sweet potato | Mar 27 | May 8 – May 22 | Aug 16 – Sep 13 | — |
| Watermelon | — | May 8 – May 22 | Aug 1 – Sep 5 | — |
| Basil | Mar 26 | May 7 – May 21 | Jun 6 – Sep 12 | — |
| Strawberry (June-bearing) | — | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | May 15 – Jun 12 (once established) | — |
| Sunflower | — | May 7 – May 21 | Jul 26 – Aug 30 | — |
Dates for a typical spot in Washington. Colder and higher places plant later, warmer ones earlier: enter your ZIP code for yours, or see the calendar for your zone.
Frost dates around Washington
| Place | Zone | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | 9a | Mar 13 | Nov 17 |
| Tacoma | 8b | Mar 11 | Nov 14 |
| Spokane | 7a | Apr 26 | Oct 12 |
| Vancouver | 8b | Apr 26 | Oct 18 |
| Olympia | 8b | Apr 29 | Oct 14 |
| Bellevue | 9a | Mar 8 | Nov 23 |
| Yakima | 7a | Apr 8 | Oct 23 |
| Everett | 8b | Mar 24 | Nov 17 |
| Kent | 8b | Mar 20 | Nov 10 |
| Bellingham | 8b | Apr 1 | Nov 2 |
Average dates from the nearest NOAA weather stations (1991–2020). Click a place for its full planting calendar.