Frost dates for Lakewood, 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 11
typical year
Safe to plant
April 2
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 21
typical year
Growing season
254 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 11 – 25 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 28 – Feb 18 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Sep 26 – Oct 10 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 11 – Mar 25 | Oct 10 – 24 |
| Onions | – | Feb 11 – 25 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 18 – Mar 11 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Beets | – | Feb 11 – 25 | Sep 12 – 26 |
| Kale | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Feb 11 – 25 | Sep 12 – 26 |
| Broccoli | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Sep 12 – 26 |
| Cabbage | Dec 17 – 31 | Feb 11 – 25 | Sep 12 – 26 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 10 – 31 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 5 – 19 | Apr 2 – 16 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Apr 9 – 23 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 2 – 23 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 2 – 30 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 2 – 23 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 2 – Sep 12 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 2 – 30 | – |
| Basil | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 9 – 16 | – |
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 2 | March 11 | February 15 |
| Fall frost before | November 3 | November 21 | December 10 |
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 13 (March 8 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 11.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 7 towns.
Lakewood, University Place, Gig Harbor, DuPont, Fircrest, Steilacoom, Ruston
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station TACOMA NARROWS AP, WA US (USW00094274), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 19 zip codes, all within 14 miles:
98303, 98327, 98329, 98332, 98333, 98335, 98349, 98351, 98388, 98394, 98406, 98407, 98430, 98433, 98465, 98466, 98467, 98498, 98524
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.