When to plant in Millwood, WA
Planting dates worked out from Millwood's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Last spring frost
- Early · riskyApr 189 years in 10 still get a later frost
- TypicalMay 1about half of years get a later frost
- Safe to plant outMay 111 year in 10 gets a later frost
Hardy crops like peas and spinach are timed from the typical date. Wait for the safe date before planting out tomatoes, peppers and squash.
First fall frost
- EarlyOct 11 year in 10 has frost by then
- TypicalOct 13about half of years have had frost
- LateOct 299 years in 10 have had frost by then
A typical year has 162 frost-free days. Plan for tender crops to be ripe by the early date.
Station used: Spokane Felts Fld · 2.9 km away · station 595 m, town 601 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 16 – Mar 30 | May 11 – May 25 | Jul 5 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | May 11 – May 25 | Jul 10 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 27 – Mar 6 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | May 13 |
| Peas | — | Mar 24 – Apr 21 | May 18 |
| Bush beans | — | May 4 – May 25 | Jun 23 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 10 – May 22 | Jun 9 |
| Beet | — | Apr 10 – May 22 | May 30 |
| Potato | — | Apr 10 – May 1 | Jun 19 |
| Kale | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | May 16 |
| Broccoli | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | Jun 2 |
| Cucumber | Apr 13 – Apr 20 | May 11 – May 25 | Jun 30 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 13 – Apr 20 | May 11 – May 25 | Jun 25 |
| Winter squash | Apr 13 – Apr 20 | May 11 – May 25 | Jul 30 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 4 – May 25 | Jul 3 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | Jul 2 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 29 – Oct 27 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 24 – Apr 21 | May 1 |
| Basil | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | May 11 – May 25 | Jul 7 |
Millwood'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 |
|---|---|
| 1999 | May 11 |
| 2000 | May 7 |
| 2001 | May 6 |
| 2002 | May 10 |
| 2003 | May 8 |
| 2004 | Apr 24 |
| 2005 | Apr 29 |
| 2006 | May 13 |
| 2007 | Apr 26 |
| 2008 | May 9 |
| 2009 | May 1 |
| 2010 | May 24 |
| 2011 | Apr 29 |
| 2012 | May 11 |
| 2013 | May 1 |
| 2014 | Apr 29 |
| 2015 | Apr 26 |
| 2016 | Mar 30 |
| 2017 | Apr 16 |
| 2018 | Apr 23 |
| 2019 | Apr 30 |
| 2020 | Apr 17 |
| 2021 | Apr 21 |
| 2022 | Apr 28 |
| 2023 | Apr 20 |
| 2024 | May 2 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 138 |
| 2000 | 137 |
| 2001 | 152 |
| 2002 | 144 |
| 2003 | 168 |
| 2004 | 183 |
| 2005 | 183 |
| 2006 | 148 |
| 2007 | 161 |
| 2008 | 152 |
| 2009 | 157 |
| 2010 | 144 |
| 2011 | 177 |
| 2012 | 146 |
| 2013 | 164 |
| 2014 | 194 |
| 2015 | 191 |
| 2016 | 194 |
| 2017 | 175 |
| 2018 | 162 |
| 2019 | 153 |
| 2020 | 186 |
| 2021 | 170 |
| 2022 | 187 |
| 2023 | 187 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 15.1 °C |
| 2000 | 15.7 °C |
| 2001 | 16.1 °C |
| 2002 | 15.7 °C |
| 2003 | 16.7 °C |
| 2004 | 16.6 °C |
| 2005 | 16.1 °C |
| 2006 | 17.0 °C |
| 2007 | 16.6 °C |
| 2008 | 15.7 °C |
| 2009 | 16.8 °C |
| 2010 | 15.5 °C |
| 2011 | 15.3 °C |
| 2012 | 16.7 °C |
| 2013 | 17.3 °C |
| 2014 | 17.4 °C |
| 2015 | 18.2 °C |
| 2016 | 17.6 °C |
| 2017 | 17.5 °C |
| 2018 | 17.3 °C |
| 2019 | 17.1 °C |
| 2020 | 17.0 °C |
| 2021 | 18.4 °C |
| 2022 | 17.0 °C |
| 2023 | 18.0 °C |
| 2024 | 18.0 °C |
What this means for you: This station's record is too short to show a reliable trend yet.
Source: daily records from Spokane Felts Fld (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.