Tacoma, Washington: planting zone & frost dates
Tacoma 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 Mar 17 and the first fall frost around Nov 7.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Mar 31 | Oct 30 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Mar 17 | Nov 7 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 8 | Nov 14 |
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 TACOMA #1, WA (USC00458278), 2.2 mi (3.6 km) from the city center and 358 ft lower than the city center (-109 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 26 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Tacoma
Tacoma spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 14 ZIP codes): 8b (73%), 9a (27%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Tacoma
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Mar 17, first frost Nov 7). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 6 – Jan 20 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | Mar 3 – Mar 24 | Feb 17 – Mar 31 | Aug 29 – Sep 26 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Mar 24 – Apr 28 | Aug 15 – Aug 29 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Mar 24 – Apr 21 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Feb 17 – Feb 24 | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Mar 24 – Apr 14 | Aug 15 – Aug 29 |
| Cucumber | Feb 17 – Feb 24 | Mar 31 – Apr 7 | Mar 24 – Apr 14 | Aug 15 – Aug 29 |
| Carrot | — | — | Feb 24 – Mar 31 | Aug 15 – Aug 29 |
| Onion | Dec 23 – Jan 6 | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Feb 17 – Mar 10 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 3 – Feb 17 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 3 – Mar 3 | Sep 12 – Oct 10 |
| Kale | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Feb 17 – Mar 10 | Feb 17 – Mar 10 | Aug 29 – Sep 26 |
| Broccoli | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Mar 3 – Mar 24 | — | Aug 15 – Aug 29 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 3 – Feb 24 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
| Eggplant | Jan 6 – Jan 20 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Feb 17 – Mar 3 | — | Aug 15 – Aug 29 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 10 – Mar 31 | Sep 26 – Oct 24 |
| Strawberry | — | Feb 17 – Mar 10 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Feb 24 – Apr 7 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 |
Nearby cities in Washington
- Federal Way — zone 8b, last frost Mar 17, first frost Nov 7
- Auburn — zone 8b, last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 3
- Kent — zone 8b, last frost Mar 29, first frost Nov 3
- Renton — zone 9a, last frost Mar 22, first frost Nov 7
- Seattle — zone 9a, last frost Mar 16, first frost Nov 15
- Bellevue — zone 8b, last frost Mar 16, first frost Nov 15
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
Tacoma gardening questions
When is the last frost in Tacoma, WA?
Plan around Mar 17. At NOAA's Tacoma #1, WA station, 2.2 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 8, and after Mar 31 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Feb 11. The 90% and 10% dates are 44 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Tacoma, WA?
Start seeds indoors Jan 20 – Feb 3 and set transplants outside Mar 24 – Apr 7, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 235 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 Tacoma?
About 250 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 223 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 283 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 30 and a 30% chance by Nov 7. That ranks 5th longest of 18 Washington cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Tacoma?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 7): transplant broccoli Aug 15 – Aug 29; sow kale Aug 29 – Sep 26; sow lettuce Aug 29 – Sep 26; sow radishes Sep 26 – Oct 24. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Dec 1. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Tacoma's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Tacoma 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 Tacoma in zone 8b?
No. Zone 8b covers about 73% of the city's land; the rest is in 9a (27%), measured across the city's 14 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.