Vancouver, Washington: planting zone & frost dates
Vancouver 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 May 1 and the first fall frost around Oct 10.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | May 10 | Oct 1 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | May 1 | Oct 10 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 26 | Oct 18 |
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 VANCOUVER 4 NNE, WA (USC00458773), 3.9 mi (6.2 km) from the city center and 26 ft higher than the city center (+8 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 29 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Vancouver
All 10 ZIP codes covering Vancouver are in zone 8b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Vancouver
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost May 1, first frost Oct 10). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | May 8 – May 22 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | May 15 – May 29 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Apr 17 – May 8 | Apr 3 – May 15 | Aug 1 – Aug 29 |
| Green Beans | — | — | May 8 – Jun 12 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | May 8 – Jun 5 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Apr 3 – Apr 10 | May 8 – May 22 | May 8 – May 29 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Cucumber | Apr 3 – Apr 10 | May 15 – May 22 | May 8 – May 29 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Carrot | — | — | Apr 10 – May 15 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Onion | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 15 – May 29 | May 15 – Jun 5 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 20 – Apr 17 | Aug 15 – Sep 12 |
| Kale | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | Aug 1 – Aug 29 |
| Broccoli | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Apr 17 – May 8 | — | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Aug 1 – Aug 15 |
| Eggplant | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | May 15 – May 29 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | — | Jul 18 – Aug 1 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 27 – May 15 | Aug 29 – Sep 26 |
| Strawberry | — | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Apr 10 – May 22 | Aug 1 – Aug 15 |
Nearby cities in Washington
- Tacoma — zone 8b, last frost Mar 17, first frost Nov 7
- 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
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
Vancouver gardening questions
When is the last frost in Vancouver, WA?
Plan around May 1. At NOAA's Vancouver 4 NNE, WA station, 3.9 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 Apr 26, and after May 10 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 30. The 90% and 10% dates are 33 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Vancouver, WA?
Start seeds indoors Mar 6 – Mar 20 and set transplants outside May 8 – May 22, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 162 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 Vancouver?
About 177 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 153 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 206 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 1 and a 30% chance by Oct 10. That ranks 15th longest of 18 Washington cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Vancouver?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 10): transplant broccoli Jul 18 – Aug 1; sow kale Aug 1 – Aug 29; sow lettuce Aug 1 – Aug 29; sow radishes Aug 29 – Sep 26. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 4. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Vancouver's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Vancouver 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.
How does Vancouver compare with Portland, OR?
Vancouver is zone 8b and Portland is zone 9a. The typical last spring frost in Vancouver (May 1) comes about 56 days later than in Portland, OR (Mar 6), 7 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 10 versus Nov 22. The two cities use different NOAA stations.