Bellingham, Washington: planting zone & frost dates
Bellingham is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 10 to 15°F (-12.2 to -9.4°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 8 and the first fall frost around Oct 26.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 24 | Oct 15 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 8 | Oct 26 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 1 | Nov 2 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station BELLINGHAM 3 SSW, WA (USC00450587), 3.1 mi (5.0 km) from the city center and 49 ft lower than the city center (-15 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 26 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Bellingham
Bellingham spans more than one half-zone. Share of the city's land area by zone (via its 3 ZIP codes): 8a (66%), 8b (34%). The headline zone is the one covering the most land. Look up your ZIP for your exact zone.
Vegetable planting calendar for Bellingham
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 8, first frost Oct 26). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Apr 22 – May 6 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | Mar 11 – Apr 22 | Aug 17 – Sep 14 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 15 – May 20 | Aug 3 – Aug 17 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 15 – May 13 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 11 – Mar 18 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | Apr 15 – May 6 | Aug 3 – Aug 17 |
| Cucumber | Mar 11 – Mar 18 | Apr 22 – Apr 29 | Apr 15 – May 6 | Aug 3 – Aug 17 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 18 – Apr 22 | Aug 3 – Aug 17 |
| Onion | Jan 14 – Jan 28 | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 22 – May 6 | Apr 22 – May 13 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 25 – Mar 25 | Aug 31 – Sep 28 |
| Kale | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | Aug 17 – Sep 14 |
| Broccoli | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | — | Aug 3 – Aug 17 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 25 – Mar 18 | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| Eggplant | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Apr 22 – May 6 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | — | Aug 3 – Aug 17 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 4 – Apr 22 | Sep 14 – Oct 12 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 18 – Apr 29 | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
Nearby cities in Washington
- Marysville — zone 8b, last frost Apr 1, first frost Oct 27
- Everett — zone 8b, last frost Apr 1, first frost Oct 27
- Kirkland — zone 9a, last frost Mar 16, first frost Nov 15
- Redmond — zone 8b, last frost Mar 16, first frost Nov 15
- Seattle — zone 9a, last frost Mar 16, first frost Nov 15
- Bellevue — zone 8b, last frost Mar 16, first frost Nov 15
More: all Washington cities · other zone 8a cities: Charlotte, NC, Memphis, TN, Atlanta, GA, Raleigh, NC, Greensboro, NC, Durham, NC, Winston-Salem, NC, Chesapeake, VA
Bellingham gardening questions
When is the last frost in Bellingham, WA?
Plan around Apr 8. At NOAA's Bellingham 3 SSW, WA station, 3.1 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Apr 1, and after Apr 24 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 6. The 90% and 10% dates are 44 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Bellingham, WA?
Start seeds indoors Feb 11 – Feb 25 and set transplants outside Apr 15 – Apr 29, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 201 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Bellingham?
About 216 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 188 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 243 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 15 and a 30% chance by Oct 26. That ranks 12th longest of 18 Washington cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Bellingham?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 26): transplant broccoli Aug 3 – Aug 17; sow kale Aug 17 – Sep 14; sow lettuce Aug 17 – Sep 14; sow radishes Sep 14 – Oct 12. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 21. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Bellingham's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Bellingham is zone 8a on both the 2012 and the 2023 USDA maps (PRISM/OSU ZIP listings). About 42% of U.S. ZIP codes kept their half-zone in 2023. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
Is all of Bellingham in zone 8a?
No. Zone 8a covers about 66% of the city's land; the rest is in 8b (34%), measured across the city's 3 ZIP codes. Check your own ZIP code in the table above or with the ZIP lookup.