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What Can Grow in Washington?

Growing Zone Zone 8b
Frost-Free Days 319
Last Frost late January
First Frost mid-December

Washington has dramatically different climates. The wet maritime west (Zone 8a-8b) is mild and productive year-round. Eastern Washington is semi-arid and colder (Zone 5-6) with hot dry summers.

Find your exact zone:
Washington spans 9 different growing zones. The planting calendar below uses the most common zone (Zone 8b). Use the search above or browse all zones here:
Zone 4b Zone 5a Zone 5b Zone 6a Zone 6b Zone 7a Zone 7b Zone 8a Zone 8b

📅 Planting Calendar for Washington

When to start seeds indoors and transplant outdoors, based on your frost dates.

Plant Start Indoors Transplant Out Direct Sow Harvest
🌾 Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) Jan 2 Jan 30 — Mar 21 – Apr 15
🥦 Artichoke Jan 1 Jan 30 — Apr 25 – May 10
🥬 Arugula — — Jan 30 Feb 20 – Mar 11
❤️ Beets — — Jan 30 Mar 21 – Apr 10
🫑 Bell Pepper Jan 1 Jan 30 — Apr 10 – Apr 30
🥬 Bok Choy Jan 2 Jan 30 — Mar 16 – Mar 31
🥒 Bottle Gourd (Lauki / Doodhi) Jan 2 Jan 30 — Mar 21 – Apr 10
🥦 Broccoli Jan 1 Jan 30 — Mar 31 – Apr 20
🫛 Brussels Sprouts Jan 1 Jan 30 — Apr 30 – Jul 29
🥬 Cabbage Jan 1 Jan 30 — Apr 10 – May 30
🥕 Carrot — — Jan 30 Apr 10 – Apr 20
🥔 Celeriac Jan 1 Jan 30 — May 20 – May 30
🍒 Cherry Tomato Jan 1 Jan 30 — Mar 26 – Apr 10
🌶️ Chili Pepper Jan 1 Jan 30 — Apr 5 – Apr 20
🥬 Collard Greens Jan 2 Jan 30 — Mar 31 – Apr 20
🌽 Corn — — Jan 30 Mar 31 – Apr 30
🥒 Cucumber Jan 9 Jan 30 — Mar 21 – Apr 10
🫛 Edamame (Soybean) — — Jan 30 Apr 10 – May 5
🍆 Eggplant Jan 1 Jan 30 — Apr 5 – Apr 20
🫘 Fava Beans — — Jan 30 Apr 20 – May 10
🌿 Florence Fennel — — Jan 30 Apr 5 – Apr 30
🧄 Garlic — — Oct 1 – Oct 31 Jun – Jul (following year)
🫚 Ginger Jan 1 Jan 30 — Sep 27 – Nov 26
🫘 Green Beans — — Jan 30 Mar 21 – Apr 5
🍬 Ground Cherry Jan 1 Jan 30 — Apr 10 – Apr 25
🥬 Kale Jan 2 Jan 30 — Mar 26 – Apr 15
🥬 Kohlrabi Jan 2 Jan 30 — Mar 16 – Mar 31
🧅 Leek Jan 1 Jan 30 — May 10 – Jun 29
🥬 Lettuce — — Jan 30 Mar 1 – Mar 31
🥒 Luffa (Turai / Ridge Gourd) Jan 2 Jan 30 — Apr 10 – Apr 30
🌱 Microgreens — — Jan 30 Feb 6 – Feb 20
🥬 Mustard Greens — — Jan 30 Mar 1 – Mar 11
🌶️ Okra Jan 9 Jan 30 — Mar 21 – Apr 5
🧅 Onion Jan 1 Jan 30 — Apr 30 – May 30
🥕 Parsnip — — Jan 30 May 10 – Jun 9
🫛 Peas — — Jan 30 Mar 26 – Apr 10
🥔 Potato — — Jan 30 Apr 10 – May 30
🎃 Pumpkin Jan 9 Jan 30 — Apr 15 – May 10
🔴 Radish — — Jan 30 Feb 21 – Mar 1
🥔 Rutabaga — — Jan 30 Apr 30 – May 15
🫛 Snap Peas — — Jan 30 Mar 31 – Apr 10
🥬 Spinach — — Jan 30 Mar 11 – Mar 21
🍠 Sweet Potato — — Jan 30 Apr 30 – May 30
🥬 Swiss Chard — — Jan 30 Mar 21 – Mar 31
🫚 Taro (Arbi / Colocasia) Jan 1 Jan 30 — Jun 29 – Aug 18
🫑 Tomatillo Jan 1 Jan 30 — Apr 15 – May 10
🍅 Tomato Jan 1 Jan 30 — Mar 31 – Apr 25
🟡 Turmeric (Haldi) Jan 1 Jan 30 — Sep 27 – Nov 26
🫛 Turnip — — Jan 30 Mar 16 – Mar 31
🫛 Yard-Long Beans (Snake Beans) Jan 9 Jan 30 — Mar 31 – Apr 20
🥬 Zucchini Jan 9 Jan 30 — Mar 16 – Mar 31
🌿 Basil Jan 2 Jan 30 — Mar 1 – Mar 31
🌳 Bay Laurel — — Jan 30 Jul 29 – Jan 30
💙 Borage — — Jan 30 Mar 21 – Mar 31
🌿 Cilantro — — Jan 30 Feb 20 – Mar 16
🌿 Dill — — Jan 30 Mar 11 – Mar 31
🌱 Fenugreek (Methi) — — Jan 30 Feb 19 – Mar 1
🌿 French Tarragon — — Jan 30 Mar 31 – Apr 30
🌼 German Chamomile — — Jan 30 Mar 31 – Apr 30
🍃 Lemon Balm Jan 1 Jan 30 — Mar 31 – Apr 10
🌾 Lemongrass Jan 1 Jan 30 — Apr 15 – May 10
🌿 Parsley — — Jan 30 Apr 10 – Apr 30
🌿 Stevia Jan 1 Jan 30 — Mar 31 – Apr 20
🍉 Watermelon Jan 2 Jan 30 — Apr 10 – Apr 30
🌻 Sunflower — — Jan 30 Mar 31 – Apr 20

Dates are averages based on Zone 8b frost dates (last frost: late January, first frost: mid-December). Adjust for your specific microclimate.

🥦 Vegetables

🍓 Fruits

🌿 Herbs

⚠️ Worth Trying (Marginal)

These plants are outside the ideal zone range but possible with the right approach.

🗺️ USDA Plant Hardiness Zones

Zone 8 is shown in this colour on the map below
2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — zones 1 to 13

2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — public domain. USDA Agricultural Research Service

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

USDA zones run 1a–13b (26 half-zones). Each full zone above covers both the a and b half-zones. Browse all US zones →

Browse Related Zones

Zone 7a Zone 7b Zone 8a Zone 8b Zone 9a Zone 9b Zone 10a

Frequently Asked Questions

Washington has dramatically different climates. The wet maritime west (Zone 8a-8b) is mild and productive year-round. Eastern Washington is semi-arid and colder (Zone 5-6) with hot dry summers. Vegetables like Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira), Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beets all grow well here.
Your long 319-day season means you can often fit two or three successions of warm-season crops. Plant after late January; in hot summers, shade cloth helps cool-season crops.
Top vegetables for Washington: Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira), Artichoke, Arugula, Asparagus, Beets. For beginners, Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) and Arugula are the easiest to start with.
Apple, Banana, Blackberry, Blueberry all grow well in Washington. Zone 8b is excellent for most temperate fruits.