Auburn, Washington planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Auburn

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Kent, 2.5 miles N of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers. Auburn shares this station with Kent, so the two cities have the same frost dates and planting calendar.

What to plant each month in Auburn

1. January

   Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, chives, collard greens, kale, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons

2. February

   Start indoors: black-eyed susans, cabbages, chives, cilantro, collard greens, ginger, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, ranunculus, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, zinnias

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

3. March

   Start indoors: eggplants, ginger, peppers, ranunculus, tomatoes

   Plant or sow outdoors: beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, gladioli, grapes, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, radishes, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, thyme, turnips, zinnias

4. April

   Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, celery, cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, pumpkins, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, garden mums, ginger, grapes, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, perennial ryegrass, petunias, potatoes, rosemary, sage, st. augustinegrass, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, tall fescue, thyme, zinnias

5. May

   Start indoors: cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, cantaloupes, cucumbers, eggplants, ginger, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, peppers, perennial ryegrass, pumpkins, st. augustinegrass, sweet peas, tall fescue, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

6. June

   Start indoors: cosmos, okra

   Plant or sow outdoors: basil, bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, green beans, green onions, okra, peanuts, peppers, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zoysiagrass, zucchini

7. July

   Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, okra, peanuts, sweet potatoes, zoysiagrass

   Plant for fall: potatoes

8. August

   Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, zoysiagrass

   Plant for fall: bearded irises, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, collard greens, lettuce, peas, snapdragons, sweet corn, swiss chard

9. September

   Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, collard greens, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lettuce, lilies, ornamental alliums, peas, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tall fescue, tulips, turnips

10. October

    Plant for fall: cabbages, cauliflower, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, saffron, spinach, tall fescue, tulips

11. November

    Start indoors: onions

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

12. December

    Start indoors: collard greens, leeks, onions, petunias, ranunculus

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Auburn

Auburn's 3 main ZIP codes take their frost dates from 2 different NOAA stations: the typical last frost ranges from March 2 in 98001 to March 20 in 98092. Every one of them is in zone 8b.

Kent also supplies the frost dates for Kent and Renton, so their planting calendars match Auburn's.

Planting dates for popular crops in Auburn

Nearby cities

• Kent, WA zone 9a, last frost Mar 20
• Federal Way, WA zone 8b, last frost Mar 2
• Renton, WA zone 9a, last frost Mar 20
• Tacoma, WA zone 8b, last frost Mar 8
• Burien, WA zone 9a, last frost Mar 2
• Lakewood, WA zone 8b, last frost Mar 8