Frost dates for Quilcene, 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 11
typical year
Safe to plant
May 1
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 28
typical year
Growing season
199 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 14 – 28 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 28 – Mar 21 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 14 – Apr 4 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 14 – Apr 25 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Onions | – | Mar 14 – 28 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | Aug 5 – 19 |
| Beets | – | Mar 14 – 28 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Kale | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Mar 14 – 28 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Broccoli | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Cabbage | Jan 17 – 31 | Mar 14 – 28 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 16 – Oct 7 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 6 – 20 | May 1 – 15 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | May 8 – 22 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 1 – 22 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 1 – 29 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 1 – 22 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 1 – Aug 19 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 1 – 29 | – |
| Basil | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | May 8 – 15 | – |
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 1 | April 11 | March 21 |
| Fall frost before | October 13 | October 28 | November 15 |
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 March 7 (March 31 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 15.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station QUILCENE 2 SW, WA US (USC00456846), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 3 zip codes, all within 11 miles:
98320, 98365, 98376
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.