In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Washington planting calendar
Bars show when each crop can go in and when a planting from that window is ready. The blue band is the frost season, from the average first autumn frost to the average last spring frost. Hover or tap a crop for details.
Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday
Swipe sideways to see the whole year →
Dates by crop
| Crop | Sow indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 1 – Apr 5 | Apr 26 – Aug 18 plant out | Jun 26 – Oct 31 |
| Pepper | Feb 26 – Apr 2 | May 7 – Aug 14 plant out | Jul 5 – Oct 31 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Mar 4 – Apr 8 | May 13 – Aug 11 plant out | Jul 12 – Oct 31 |
| Cucumber | Apr 4 – May 1 | May 2 – Aug 28 sow | Jun 18 – Oct 31 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Mar 29 – Apr 25 | Apr 26 – Aug 31 sow | Jun 12 – Oct 31 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Mar 29 – Apr 25 | Apr 26 – Jul 31 sow | Jul 16 – Nov 16 |
| Watermelon | Apr 15 – May 12 | May 13 – Aug 9 sow | Jul 16 – Oct 31 |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 15 – Aug 13 sow | Jun 29 – Oct 31 |
| Green beans | – | Apr 26 – Aug 28 sow | Jun 15 – Oct 31 |
| Peas | – | Mar 7 – Mar 31, Sep 5 – Sep 15 sow | May 22 – Jun 26, Oct 30 – Nov 25 |
| Lettuce | Jan 25 – Feb 22 | Mar 1 – Apr 22, Aug 19 – Sep 26 sow | May 11 – Jun 28, Sep 25 – Nov 28 |
| Spinach | – | Feb 22 – Apr 17, Sep 18 – Oct 2 sow | May 6 – Jun 21, Oct 27 – Dec 18 |
| Kale | Jan 18 – Feb 22 | Mar 1 – May 22, Aug 3 – Sep 21 sow | Sep 16 – Jan 2, May 18 – Sep 12 |
| Cabbage | Jan 23 – Feb 27, Jun 15 – Jul 20 | Mar 13 – Apr 21, Aug 3 – Sep 10 plant out | May 31 – Jul 16, Sep 27 – Dec 9 |
| Broccoli | Jan 23 – Feb 27, Jul 1 – Aug 5 | Mar 13 – Apr 28, Aug 19 – Sep 16 plant out | May 24 – Jul 14, Oct 7 – Dec 2 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 13 – Jul 14, Aug 3 – Sep 14 sow | May 27 – Jan 2 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Mar 13 – Jul 14, Aug 3 – Sep 21 sow | May 20 – Dec 9 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 1 – May 9, Sep 5 – Oct 15 sow | Apr 21 – Jun 12, Sep 26 – Dec 2 |
| Onions | Dec 27 – Jan 31, May 25 – Jun 23 | Mar 7 – Jul 14, Aug 3 – Aug 18 plant out | Jun 17 – Nov 18 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 23 – Nov 26 sow | May 16 – Jun 5 |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 19 – Jun 18 sow | Jun 16 – Oct 7 |
| Swiss chard | – | Mar 19 – Sep 24 sow | May 18 – Dec 9 |
| Basil | Mar 26 – Apr 23 | May 7 – Sep 15 plant out | Jun 3 – Oct 31 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Mar 13 – Apr 30, Sep 5 – Oct 5 sow | May 5 – Jun 27, Oct 5 – Dec 2 |
| Parsley | Jan 22 – Feb 26 | Mar 19 – Jul 14, Aug 3 – Sep 10 sow | Jun 2 – Dec 18 |
Dates are for a typical year and the middle of the window is the safest. Sow a little at a time across a window rather than all at once. Cold snaps, heat waves, frost pockets and city warmth all shift the real dates; watch the forecast.
Frost dates in Washington
- Average last spring frost
- March 24
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- April 6
- Average first autumn frost
- November 18
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- November 5
- Frost-free growing season
- 238 days
“Average” is the date with an even chance of a later (spring) or earlier (autumn) frost: a night at or below 0 °C (32 °F) at screen height. Tender crops go out a week or two after the spring date, which brings the risk down to about one year in ten.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Washington Reagan Natl Ap (7 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 8a from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -11°C12°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 32°C89°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -2°C28°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 25 of 25
The zone follows the USDA scheme: bands of the average lowest temperature of the year, 10 °F wide, split into a and b halves. Worked out from the coldest night of each year 1991–2020 at the NOAA station. It tells you which perennials survive winter, not when to sow.
Temperature and rain by month
Average highAverage lowRainFreezing point
| Month | High | Low | Mean | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7°C45°F | -2°C28°F | 2°C36°F | 75 mm2.9 in |
| February | 9°C48°F | -2°C29°F | 4°C39°F | 66 mm2.6 in |
| March | 14°C57°F | 2°C36°F | 8°C46°F | 94 mm3.7 in |
| April | 20°C69°F | 7°C45°F | 14°C57°F | 82 mm3.2 in |
| May | 25°C77°F | 13°C55°F | 19°C66°F | 100 mm4.0 in |
| June | 30°C85°F | 18°C64°F | 24°C75°F | 99 mm3.9 in |
| July | 32°C89°F | 20°C69°F | 26°C79°F | 109 mm4.3 in |
| August | 31°C88°F | 20°C67°F | 25°C78°F | 106 mm4.2 in |
| September | 27°C81°F | 16°C60°F | 22°C71°F | 111 mm4.4 in |
| October | 21°C70°F | 9°C49°F | 15°C59°F | 88 mm3.5 in |
| November | 15°C59°F | 4°C38°F | 9°C49°F | 74 mm2.9 in |
| December | 9°C49°F | 0°C31°F | 4°C40°F | 88 mm3.5 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).