Everett, Washington: planting zone & frost dates
Everett is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 15 to 20°F (-9.4 to -6.7°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 1 and the first fall frost around Oct 27.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 11 | Oct 16 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 1 | Oct 27 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 24 | Nov 2 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station EVERETT, WA (USC00452675), 0.7 mi (1.2 km) from the city center and 52 ft higher than the city center (+16 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 27 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Everett
Everett spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 7 ZIP codes): 8b (91%), 9a (9%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Everett
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 1, first frost Oct 27). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | Mar 4 – Apr 15 | Aug 18 – Sep 15 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 8 – May 13 | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 8 – May 6 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 4 – Mar 11 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | Apr 8 – Apr 29 | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Cucumber | Mar 4 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – Apr 22 | Apr 8 – Apr 29 | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 11 – Apr 15 | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Onion | Jan 7 – Jan 21 | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | Apr 15 – May 6 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 18 – Mar 18 | Sep 1 – Sep 29 |
| Kale | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | Aug 18 – Sep 15 |
| Broccoli | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | — | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 18 – Mar 11 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Eggplant | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 4 – Feb 18 | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | — | Aug 4 – Aug 18 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 25 – Apr 15 | Sep 15 – Oct 13 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 11 – Apr 22 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
Nearby cities in Washington
- Marysville — zone 8b, last frost Apr 1, first frost Oct 27
- Kirkland — zone 9a, last frost Mar 16, first frost Nov 15
- Redmond — zone 8b, last frost Mar 16, first frost Nov 15
- Bellevue — zone 8b, last frost Mar 16, first frost Nov 15
- Seattle — zone 9a, last frost Mar 16, first frost Nov 15
- Renton — zone 9a, last frost Mar 22, first frost Nov 7
More: all Washington cities · other zone 8b cities: Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX, El Paso, TX, Virginia Beach, VA, Arlington, TX, Plano, TX, Irving, TX, Garland, TX
Everett gardening questions
When is the last frost in Everett, WA?
Plan around Apr 1. At NOAA's Everett, WA station, 0.7 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Mar 24, and after Apr 11 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 1. The 90% and 10% dates are 38 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Everett, WA?
Start seeds indoors Feb 4 – Feb 18 and set transplants outside Apr 8 – Apr 22, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 209 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Everett?
About 223 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 197 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 249 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 16 and a 30% chance by Oct 27. That ranks 10th longest of 18 Washington cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Everett?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 27): transplant broccoli Aug 4 – Aug 18; sow kale Aug 18 – Sep 15; sow lettuce Aug 18 – Sep 15; sow radishes Sep 15 – Oct 13. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 21. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Everett's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Everett is zone 8b on both the 2012 and the 2023 USDA maps (PRISM/OSU ZIP listings). About 42% of U.S. ZIP codes kept their half-zone in 2023. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
Is all of Everett in zone 8b?
No. Zone 8b covers about 91% of the city's land; the rest is in 9a (9%), measured across the city's 7 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.