When to plant in Carnation, WA
Planting dates worked out from Carnation's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 6
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 16
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 27
1 year in 10 by Oct 11
Frost-free days
192
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Monroe · 22.8 km away · station 38 m, town 24 m. How we match towns to stations
This season
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | May 6 – May 20 | Jun 30 |
| Sweet pepper | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | May 6 – May 20 | Jul 5 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 12 – Feb 19 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Apr 28 |
| Peas | — | Mar 5 – Apr 2 | Apr 29 |
| Bush beans | — | Apr 29 – May 20 | Jun 18 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 27 – May 8 | May 26 |
| Beet | — | Mar 27 – May 8 | May 16 |
| Potato | — | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Jun 5 |
| Kale | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | May 1 |
| Broccoli | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | May 18 |
| Cucumber | Apr 8 – Apr 15 | May 6 – May 20 | Jun 25 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 8 – Apr 15 | May 6 – May 20 | Jun 20 |
| Winter squash | Apr 8 – Apr 15 | May 6 – May 20 | Jul 25 |
| Sweet corn | — | Apr 29 – May 20 | Jun 28 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Jun 17 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 7 – Nov 4 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 5 – Apr 2 | Apr 12 |
| Basil | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | May 6 – May 20 | Jul 2 |
Carnation's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1929 | Apr 19 |
| 1930 | May 8 |
| 1931 | Apr 23 |
| 1932 | Mar 12 |
| 1933 | Apr 9 |
| 1934 | Apr 3 |
| 1935 | Apr 28 |
| 1936 | May 17 |
| 1937 | May 6 |
| 1938 | Apr 20 |
| 1939 | Apr 16 |
| 1940 | Apr 3 |
| 1941 | Mar 24 |
| 1942 | Mar 27 |
| 1943 | Mar 20 |
| 1944 | May 2 |
| 1945 | Apr 28 |
| 1946 | Apr 7 |
| 1949 | Apr 14 |
| 1950 | May 14 |
| 1951 | Apr 23 |
| 1952 | May 5 |
| 1953 | Apr 29 |
| 1954 | May 1 |
| 1955 | Apr 25 |
| 1956 | Apr 17 |
| 1957 | Mar 28 |
| 1958 | Mar 27 |
| 1959 | Apr 8 |
| 1960 | Apr 16 |
| 1961 | Apr 20 |
| 1962 | Apr 16 |
| 1963 | May 4 |
| 1964 | May 14 |
| 1966 | Apr 19 |
| 1967 | Apr 15 |
| 1969 | Apr 26 |
| 1970 | Apr 16 |
| 1971 | Apr 19 |
| 1972 | Apr 30 |
| 1973 | May 11 |
| 1974 | Apr 13 |
| 1975 | Apr 29 |
| 1976 | Apr 5 |
| 1977 | Apr 20 |
| 1978 | Apr 7 |
| 1979 | Mar 23 |
| 1980 | Apr 11 |
| 1981 | Apr 14 |
| 1982 | Apr 25 |
| 1983 | Apr 14 |
| 1984 | Apr 26 |
| 1985 | Apr 21 |
| 1986 | Apr 30 |
| 1987 | Apr 20 |
| 1988 | Apr 9 |
| 1989 | Mar 30 |
| 1990 | Mar 28 |
| 1992 | Apr 11 |
| 1993 | Mar 31 |
| 1994 | Mar 26 |
| 1995 | Apr 16 |
| 1996 | Apr 3 |
| 1997 | Apr 12 |
| 1999 | May 10 |
| 2000 | Apr 7 |
| 2001 | Apr 14 |
| 2003 | Mar 24 |
| 2004 | Apr 2 |
| 2006 | Apr 22 |
| 2007 | Apr 20 |
| 2008 | Apr 26 |
| 2010 | Apr 10 |
| 2011 | May 4 |
| 2012 | May 11 |
| 2013 | May 1 |
| 2014 | May 7 |
| 2015 | Apr 26 |
| 2016 | Mar 29 |
| 2017 | Apr 16 |
| 2018 | Apr 6 |
| 2019 | Apr 30 |
| 2020 | Apr 16 |
| 2022 | Apr 20 |
| 2023 | Apr 13 |
| 2024 | Apr 24 |
| 2025 | Mar 7 |
| 2026 | Apr 8 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1929 | 192 |
| 1930 | 154 |
| 1931 | 180 |
| 1932 | 192 |
| 1933 | 168 |
| 1934 | 196 |
| 1935 | 176 |
| 1937 | 191 |
| 1938 | 178 |
| 1939 | 191 |
| 1940 | 201 |
| 1941 | 222 |
| 1942 | 199 |
| 1943 | 212 |
| 1944 | 191 |
| 1945 | 172 |
| 1946 | 185 |
| 1949 | 181 |
| 1950 | 138 |
| 1951 | 185 |
| 1952 | 162 |
| 1953 | 186 |
| 1954 | 177 |
| 1955 | 199 |
| 1956 | 215 |
| 1957 | 206 |
| 1958 | 210 |
| 1959 | 204 |
| 1960 | 202 |
| 1961 | 179 |
| 1962 | 209 |
| 1963 | 175 |
| 1964 | 165 |
| 1966 | 179 |
| 1967 | 200 |
| 1969 | 169 |
| 1970 | 149 |
| 1971 | 179 |
| 1972 | 164 |
| 1974 | 175 |
| 1975 | 177 |
| 1976 | 195 |
| 1977 | 172 |
| 1978 | 205 |
| 1979 | 222 |
| 1980 | 193 |
| 1981 | 189 |
| 1982 | 176 |
| 1983 | 228 |
| 1984 | 172 |
| 1985 | 160 |
| 1986 | 193 |
| 1987 | 182 |
| 1988 | 200 |
| 1989 | 212 |
| 1990 | 192 |
| 1992 | 186 |
| 1993 | 221 |
| 1994 | 221 |
| 1996 | 210 |
| 1999 | 158 |
| 2000 | 216 |
| 2003 | 220 |
| 2004 | 215 |
| 2006 | 190 |
| 2007 | 188 |
| 2010 | 214 |
| 2011 | 174 |
| 2012 | 144 |
| 2013 | 180 |
| 2014 | 187 |
| 2015 | 203 |
| 2016 | 195 |
| 2017 | 180 |
| 2018 | 215 |
| 2020 | 178 |
| 2022 | 201 |
| 2023 | 196 |
| 2024 | 210 |
| 2025 | 267 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1929 | 14.6 °C |
| 1930 | 15.1 °C |
| 1931 | 15.2 °C |
| 1932 | 14.7 °C |
| 1935 | 14.1 °C |
| 1937 | 14.0 °C |
| 1938 | 14.7 °C |
| 1939 | 14.4 °C |
| 1940 | 15.5 °C |
| 1941 | 15.7 °C |
| 1942 | 15.9 °C |
| 1943 | 15.2 °C |
| 1944 | 15.3 °C |
| 1945 | 14.8 °C |
| 1946 | 15.2 °C |
| 1949 | 15.0 °C |
| 1950 | 14.6 °C |
| 1951 | 15.2 °C |
| 1952 | 15.2 °C |
| 1953 | 15.1 °C |
| 1954 | 14.0 °C |
| 1955 | 13.6 °C |
| 1956 | 15.4 °C |
| 1957 | 15.6 °C |
| 1958 | 17.6 °C |
| 1959 | 15.3 °C |
| 1960 | 15.2 °C |
| 1961 | 15.9 °C |
| 1962 | 14.9 °C |
| 1963 | 15.4 °C |
| 1964 | 13.7 °C |
| 1966 | 14.7 °C |
| 1967 | 15.5 °C |
| 1968 | 14.5 °C |
| 1969 | 14.9 °C |
| 1970 | 13.9 °C |
| 1971 | 14.4 °C |
| 1972 | 14.4 °C |
| 1973 | 14.6 °C |
| 1974 | 14.6 °C |
| 1975 | 14.3 °C |
| 1976 | 14.4 °C |
| 1977 | 14.9 °C |
| 1978 | 15.1 °C |
| 1979 | 15.5 °C |
| 1980 | 15.0 °C |
| 1981 | 15.4 °C |
| 1983 | 14.9 °C |
| 1984 | 14.8 °C |
| 1985 | 15.0 °C |
| 1986 | 15.0 °C |
| 1987 | 15.7 °C |
| 1988 | 15.1 °C |
| 1989 | 15.2 °C |
| 1990 | 15.8 °C |
| 1991 | 15.0 °C |
| 1992 | 15.8 °C |
| 1993 | 15.2 °C |
| 1994 | 16.0 °C |
| 1995 | 15.6 °C |
| 1996 | 14.8 °C |
| 1999 | 14.2 °C |
| 2000 | 15.3 °C |
| 2003 | 15.6 °C |
| 2004 | 16.4 °C |
| 2006 | 15.2 °C |
| 2007 | 14.5 °C |
| 2010 | 13.6 °C |
| 2011 | 13.1 °C |
| 2012 | 13.9 °C |
| 2013 | 15.0 °C |
| 2014 | 15.2 °C |
| 2015 | 15.3 °C |
| 2016 | 14.8 °C |
| 2017 | 14.7 °C |
| 2018 | 14.7 °C |
| 2019 | 14.9 °C |
| 2020 | 14.3 °C |
| 2022 | 14.4 °C |
| 2023 | 15.8 °C |
| 2024 | 15.7 °C |
| 2025 | 16.1 °C |
| 2026 | 16.2 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1929, Carnation's last spring frost has stayed at about the same time of year. The frost-free season has grown by about 2 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Monroe (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.