Anchorage, Alaska planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Anchorage

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Anchorage International Airport, 5.4 miles SW of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers.

What to plant each month in Anchorage

1. January

   Start indoors: onions

2. February

   Start indoors: broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, snapdragons

3. March

   Start indoors: basil, black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, cosmos, eggplants, kale, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, okra, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes

   Plant or sow outdoors: black-eyed susans, blueberries, garlic, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, kale, onions, peas, poppies, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, turnips, wildflowers

4. April

   Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, cilantro, cosmos, cucumbers, ginger, marigolds, nasturtiums, okra, pumpkins, ranunculus, watermelons, winter squash, zinnias, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, dahlias, dill, figs, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, peppers, poppies, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, snapdragons, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, turnips, wildflowers

5. May

   Start indoors: pumpkins, winter squash

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, celery, chives, cilantro, cosmos, cucumbers, dahlias, dill, eggplants, figs, garden mums, gladioli, grapes, green beans, green onions, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, okra, oregano, parsley, peanuts, peppers, petunias, potatoes, pumpkins, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zinnias, zucchini

6. June

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, bermudagrass, centipedegrass, garden mums, ginger, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, pumpkins, st. augustinegrass, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, tall fescue, winter squash, zoysiagrass

   Plant for fall: brussels sprouts

7. July

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, bermudagrass, centipedegrass, green onions, st. augustinegrass, zoysiagrass

   Plant for fall: bearded irises, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, daylilies, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, turnips

8. August

   Plant or sow outdoors: green onions

   Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, lettuce, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, tulips, turnips

9. September

   Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, kale, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, radishes, saffron, tulips

10. October

    Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Anchorage

All 4 of Anchorage's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Anchorage International Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. The hardiness zone is 5a in 99567, 99577, and 5b in 99540, 99587.

Planting dates for popular crops in Anchorage

Nearby cities

• Bellingham, WA zone 8a, last frost Mar 31
• Marysville, WA zone 8b, last frost Mar 24
• Everett, WA zone 8b, last frost Mar 24
• Shoreline, WA zone 9a, last frost Mar 8
• Bothell, WA zone 8b, last frost Mar 8
• Kirkland, WA zone 9a, last frost Mar 8