Frost dates for Kent, WA
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
March 20
typical year
Safe to plant
April 8
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 10
typical year
Growing season
233 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 6 – 27 | Sep 15 – 29 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 20 – Mar 13 | Sep 15 – 29 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 20 – Apr 3 | Sep 29 – Oct 13 |
| Onions | – | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 27 – Mar 20 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Beets | – | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Sep 1 – 15 |
| Kale | Jan 9 – 23 | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Sep 1 – 15 |
| Broccoli | Jan 9 – 23 | Mar 6 – 20 | Sep 1 – 15 |
| Cabbage | Dec 26 – Jan 9 | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Sep 1 – 15 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 29 – Oct 20 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 11 – 25 | Apr 8 – 22 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 4 – 18 | Apr 15 – 29 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 8 – 29 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 8 – May 6 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 8 – 29 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 8 – Sep 1 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 8 – May 6 | – |
| Basil | Mar 4 – 18 | Apr 15 – 22 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | April 8 | March 20 | February 27 |
| Fall frost before | October 26 | November 10 | November 26 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around February 25 (March 16 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 24.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 2 towns.
Kent, Auburn
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station KENT, WA US (USC00454169), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 7 zip codes, all within 8 miles:
98001, 98002, 98030, 98031, 98032, 98042, 98055
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.