Frost dates for Palmer, 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
April 3
typical year
Safe to plant
May 2
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 11
typical year
Growing season
219 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 | – | Mar 6 – 20 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 20 – Mar 13 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 6 – 27 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 6 – Apr 17 | Sep 30 – Oct 14 |
| Onions | – | Mar 6 – 20 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 13 – 27 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Beets | – | Mar 6 – 20 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Kale | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Mar 6 – 20 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Broccoli | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Cabbage | Jan 9 – 23 | Mar 6 – 20 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 30 – Oct 21 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 7 – 21 | May 2 – 16 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | May 9 – 23 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 2 – 23 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 2 – 30 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 2 – 23 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 2 – Sep 2 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 2 – 30 | – |
| Basil | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | May 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 | May 2 | April 3 | March 7 |
| Fall frost before | October 25 | November 11 | December 3 |
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 28 (April 2 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 1.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station PALMER 3 ESE, WA US (USC00456295), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 3 miles:
98051
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.