Frost dates for Tacoma, 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 8
typical year
Safe to plant
March 31
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 14
typical year
Growing season
250 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 8 – 22 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 25 – Feb 15 | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 8 – Mar 1 | Sep 19 – Oct 3 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 8 – Mar 22 | Oct 3 – 17 |
| Onions | – | Feb 8 – 22 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 15 – Mar 8 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Beets | – | Feb 8 – 22 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Kale | Dec 28 – Jan 11 | Feb 8 – 22 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Broccoli | Dec 28 – Jan 11 | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Cabbage | Dec 14 – 28 | Feb 8 – 22 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 3 – 24 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 3 – 17 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 27 – Feb 10 | Apr 7 – 21 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 31 – Apr 28 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 31 – Sep 5 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 31 – Apr 28 | – |
| Basil | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | Apr 7 – 14 | – |
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 | March 31 | March 8 | February 15 |
| Fall frost before | October 30 | November 14 | December 2 |
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 11 (March 4 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 1.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 7 towns.
Tacoma, Federal Way, Edgewood, Fife, Milton, Pacific, Algona
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station TACOMA #1, WA US (USC00458278), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 21 zip codes, all within 9 miles:
98003, 98023, 98047, 98354, 98402, 98403, 98404, 98405, 98408, 98409, 98416, 98418, 98421, 98422, 98424, 98438, 98439, 98443, 98444, 98447, 98499
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.