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When to plant in Lakeland South, WA

USDA Zone 8b

Lakeland South, Washington frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.

A generous ~251-day season lets Lakeland South gardeners direct-sow more and still ripen long-maturity crops like melons and winter squash. Zone 8b means many perennials and even some tender shrubs overwinter in Lakeland South, while your frost dates still decide when annuals go out.

Station · TACOMA #1 · 10.1 km
Last spring frost
March 8
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
November 14
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
251 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Lakeland SouthA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Lakeland South: last spring frost around March 8, first fall frost around November 14, about 251 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

The average last spring frost in Lakeland South is now 9 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →

Frost probability

TACOMA #1 · 1991–2020

The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Lakeland South’s own odds, recorded at TACOMA #1.

Frost-probability curves for Lakeland SouthProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around March 8 and the first fall frost around November 14, giving about 251 frost-free days.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FApr 24Apr 2Mar 13Oct 16Oct 31Nov 15
32°FMar 31Mar 8Feb 15Oct 30Nov 14Dec 2
28°FMar 4Feb 11Dec 29Nov 8Dec 1Jan 1

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowin 6 days
Brussels Sprouts
July 25August 8
Fall sowin 20 days
Rutabaga
August 8August 22

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Lakeland South, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 16 km · complete 32°F normals

When stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.

TACOMA #1
Primary
10 km · 8 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 8
FALL
Nov 14
MCMILLIN RSVR
16 km · 177 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 11
FALL
Oct 30
KENT
16 km · 9 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 20
FALL
Nov 10

Lakeland South planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Lakeland South, WA?

Lakeland South's average last spring frost falls near March 8 — the 50% mark at 32°F in the 1991–2020 normals. Hold tender transplants until the risk has passed, then plant out.

When is the first fall frost in Lakeland South, WA?

Expect Lakeland South's first fall frost near November 14 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Lakeland South in?

Lakeland South is in USDA hardiness zone 8b. In zone 8b, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.

How long is the growing season in Lakeland South?

There are roughly 251 frost-free days in Lakeland South (a long growing season), running from the average last frost around March 8 to the first fall frost near November 14.

When should I plant tomatoes in Lakeland South?

In Lakeland South, start tomato seeds indoors around January 11–January 25, then transplant seedlings outdoors around March 15 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Lakeland South

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Lakeland South’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at TACOMA #1, 10 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Lakeland South, WA — Frost Dates & Zone 8b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00458278. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/washington/lakeland-south.