blissgarden.

When to plant in Spanaway, WA

USDA Zone 8b

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

In zone 8b, Spanaway supports a wide range of perennials year-round; the frost dates above are what set your annual vegetable timing.

Station · MCMILLIN RSVR · 13.4 km
Last spring frost
April 11
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 30
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
202 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for SpanawayA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Spanaway: last spring frost around April 11, first fall frost around October 30, about 202 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

MCMILLIN RSVR · 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 Spanaway’s own odds, recorded at MCMILLIN RSVR.

Frost-probability curves for SpanawayProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 11 and the first fall frost around October 30, giving about 202 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°FMay 17May 1Apr 17Sep 30Oct 12Oct 31
32°FApr 29Apr 11Mar 23Oct 13Oct 30Nov 17
28°FApr 8Mar 16Feb 19Oct 28Nov 14Dec 8

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

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowopen now
Brussels Sprouts
July 10July 24
Fall sowin 5 days
Rutabaga
July 24August 7
Fall sowin 19 days
Broccoli
August 7August 21
Fall sowin 19 days
Cabbage
August 7August 21
Fall sowin 19 days
Carrot
August 7August 21
Fall sowin 19 days
Cauliflower
August 7August 21
Fall sowin 19 days
Napa Cabbage
August 7September 4

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 Spanaway, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 22 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.

MCMILLIN RSVR
Primary
13 km · 177 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 11
FALL
Oct 30
TACOMA #1
17 km · 8 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 8
FALL
Nov 14
TACOMA NARROWS AP
22 km · 89 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 11
FALL
Nov 21

Spanaway planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Spanaway, WA?

Spanaway's average last spring frost falls near April 11 — 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 Spanaway, WA?

Expect Spanaway's first fall frost near October 30 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Spanaway in?

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

How long is the growing season in Spanaway?

Spanaway has about 202 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (April 11) and first fall frost (October 30).

When should I plant tomatoes in Spanaway?

For Spanaway, sow tomatoes indoors about February 14–February 28 and move the seedlings out around April 18, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Spanaway

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at MCMILLIN RSVR, 13 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 Spanaway, WA — Frost Dates & Zone 8b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00455224. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/washington/spanaway.
When to Plant in Spanaway, WA — Frost Dates & Zone 8b — BlissGarden