When to plant garlic in Washington
Washington spans USDA zones 6b–9a, so the right time to plant garlic shifts by weeks across the state. The window to plant for fall/overwintering runs from about August 7 in Cheney to October 31 in Port Townsend — below are local dates for 132 cities, each computed from its own frost dates.
| City | Zone | Last frost | First frost | Fall-plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | 9a | March 8 | November 23 | October 26 – November 9 |
| Spokane | 7a | April 26 | October 15 | September 17 – October 1 |
| Tacoma | 8b | March 8 | November 14 | October 17 – October 31 |
| Vancouver | 8b | March 29 | November 9 | October 12 – October 26 |
| Bellevue | 9a | March 8 | November 23 | October 26 – November 9 |
| Kent | 8b | March 20 | November 10 | October 13 – October 27 |
| Everett | 8b | March 24 | November 2 | October 5 – October 19 |
| Spokane Valley | 7a | April 26 | October 15 | September 17 – October 1 |
Garlic in Washington: FAQ
When can I plant garlic in Washington?
Across Washington, the time to fall-plant garlic spans roughly August 7 in Cheney to October 31 in Port Townsend, each following that city's local frost dates.
Does the garlic planting date vary across Washington?
Yes. Washington publishes 132 cities with their own frost dates, so the right garlic planting window shifts by weeks between the warmest and coldest parts of the state — use your city's page for the exact dates.
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