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Planting Calendar for Des Moines, WA | Almanac.com
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Planting Calendar for Des Moines, WA

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The planting calendar below tells you when to plant in the SPRING and also plant in the FALL, based on your zip code or postal code.

Spring Planting Calendar

Our spring planting calendar starts with the very first dates that you can plant (based on the last spring frost). But if you've missed these dates, no worries! This is why we've added "last planting dates" to our spring calendar; this is meant to help new gardeners understand that if they missed the first spring planting window, they could still get crops in the ground.

In fact, many crops with short maturity times (such as radishes) can be succession planted all the way through the summer in northern areas. However, note that some cool-seasons crops such as kale and lettuce do not grow well in hot temperatures, which can cause bolting issues.  For some gardeners, especially in the South, a break to avoid summer heat is needed, but they can start once the heat has passed. 

The dates provided are based on the number of weeks before or after frost, so we can provide a unique calendar to every user in the country. Thus, several crops (especially similar crops) may appear to have the same date. Kale and lettuce, for example, or dates for starting seeds, like broccoli and cabbage. 

Fall Planting Calendar

When we say "fall," we really mean planting in summer in time for a fall harvest. Think of this as a second summer! It's easy to keep the crops going if you've already prepared the soil! 

Many crops that would be started indoors for a spring crop can just be plunked into the soil directly for a fall crop. Not only is the soil already warm but also there are less pests and it tends to be rainier so you don't need to water as often. Some fall vegetables need to be harvested by the first frost, but many are frost-tolerant and even taste better after a kiss of fall frost!

See each plant's individual Growing Guide for more specific planting, plant care, and harvesting information.

Specifically, on the charts, there are different columns labeled as follows:

  1. Start Seeds Indoors: When to sow seeds indoors to get an early start on the season.
  2. Plant Seedlings Outdoors: When to put small seedlings that you grew indoors (OR starter plants that you bought at a garden nursery) in the outdoor soil.
  3. Start Seeds Outdoors: When to plant seeds directly into the outdoor soil.
  4. Last Date to Plant: You may plant any time from the "start seeds" dates until this "last date." Don't wait any longer, or the crop won't have time to get to harvest before fall/winter frosts.

The "Moon Dates" indicate the best planting dates based on Moon phases. You can learn more about this age-old technique below.

When N/A appears in the chart, that starting method is typically not recommended, although it is likely still possible. 

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Planting Dates for Spring

On average, your last spring frost occurs on March 12 (at SEATTLE TACOMA INTL AP, WA climate station, elevation 370 feet).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Moon Based on Moon Dates
Start Seeds IndoorsPlant Seedlings
or Transplants
Start Seeds OutdoorsLast Date to Plant
ArugulaFrost Jan 15-29
Moon Jan 15-25
Frost Feb 19-Mar 4
Moon Feb 19-24
Frost Feb 12-19
Moon Feb 12-19
Oct 17
AsparagusN/AN/AFrost Feb 26-Mar 12
Moon Feb 26-Mar 12
Mar 12
BasilFrost Jan 29-Feb 12
Moon Feb 9-12
Frost Mar 26-Apr 9
Moon Apr 8-9
Frost Mar 26-Apr 9
Moon Apr 8-9
Oct 3
BeetsN/AFrost Feb 26-Mar 12
Moon Feb 26-Mar 12
Frost Feb 12-19
Mar 26
Bell PeppersFrost Jan 1-15
Moon Jan 11-15
Frost Mar 26-Apr 2
N/AAug 22
Bok ChoyFrost Jan 29-Feb 12
Moon Feb 9-12
Frost Mar 26-Apr 2
Frost Mar 26-Apr 2
Apr 23
BroccoliFrost Jan 15-29
Moon Jan 15-25
Frost Feb 26-Mar 12
Frost Feb 12-19
Moon Feb 12-19
Sep 12
Brussels SproutsFrost Jan 29-Feb 12
Moon Feb 9-12
Frost Feb 26-Mar 12
Frost Feb 12-19
Moon Feb 12-19
Aug 8
CabbageFrost Jan 15-29
Moon Jan 15-25
Frost Feb 26-Mar 12
Frost Feb 12-19
Moon Feb 12-19
Aug 1
CantaloupesFrost Feb 19-Mar 4
Moon Feb 19-24
Frost Mar 12-26
Moon Mar 12-25
Frost Mar 19-26
Moon Mar 19-25
Aug 8
CarrotsN/AN/AFrost Feb 12-26
Moon Feb 25-26
Sep 5
CauliflowerFrost Jan 29-Feb 12
Moon Feb 9-12
Frost Mar 4-19
N/ASep 5
CeleryFrost Dec 18-Jan 1
Moon Dec 18-26
Frost Mar 19-Apr 2
Moon Mar 19-25
Frost Mar 12
Moon Mar 12
Sep 5
ChivesFrost Jan 15-29
Moon Jan 15-25
Frost Feb 19-26
Moon Feb 19-24
Frost Feb 19-26
Moon Feb 19-24
Sep 19
Cilantro (Coriander)N/AN/AFrost Mar 12-26
Moon Mar 12-25
Apr 2
CollardsFrost Jan 29-Feb 12
Moon Feb 9-12
Frost Feb 26-Mar 12
Frost Feb 19-26
Moon Feb 19-24
Sep 5
CucumbersFrost Feb 19-26
Moon Feb 19-24
Frost Mar 19-Apr 2
Moon Mar 19-25
Frost Mar 26-Apr 2
Sep 5
DillN/AN/AFrost Mar 4-26
Moon Mar 20-25
Sep 19
Dry BeansN/AN/AFrost Mar 26-Apr 2
Aug 8
EggplantsFrost Jan 15-29
Moon Jan 15-25
Frost Mar 26-Apr 2
N/ASep 5
Fava BeansN/AN/AFrost Feb 12-19
Moon Feb 12-19
Mar 26
FennelFrost Jan 29-Feb 12
Moon Feb 9-12
Frost Mar 19-26
Moon Mar 19-25
Frost Mar 12-26
Moon Mar 12-25
Aug 29
GarlicN/AN/AN/A
Green BeansN/AN/AFrost Mar 19-Apr 9
Moon Mar 19-25, Apr 8-9
Sep 5
Honeydew MelonsFrost Feb 19-26
Moon Feb 19-24
Frost Mar 26-Apr 2
Frost Mar 26-Apr 2
Aug 15
Jalapeño PeppersFrost Jan 1-15
Moon Jan 11-15
Frost Mar 26-Apr 2
N/A
KaleFrost Jan 15-29
Moon Jan 15-25
Frost Feb 26-Mar 12
Frost Feb 12-19
Moon Feb 12-19
Mar 26
KohlrabiFrost Jan 29-Feb 12
Moon Feb 9-12
Frost Feb 19-26
Moon Feb 19-24
Frost Feb 12-19
Moon Feb 12-19
Mar 26
LeeksFrost Jan 1-15
Moon Jan 11-15
Frost Feb 19-Mar 4
Moon Feb 19-24
N/AAug 1
LettuceFrost Jan 29-Feb 12
Moon Feb 9-12
Frost Feb 19-26
Moon Feb 19-24
Frost Feb 12-19
Moon Feb 12-19
Mar 26
Mustard GreensN/AN/AN/A
OkraFrost Feb 12-26
Moon Feb 12-24
Frost Mar 26-Apr 2
Frost Mar 26-Apr 9
Moon Apr 8-9
Sep 5
OnionsN/AFrost Feb 12-26
Moon Feb 25-26
N/AAug 8
OreganoFrost Jan 1-29
Moon Jan 11-25
Frost Mar 19-Apr 2
Moon Mar 19-25
N/ASep 5
ParsleyFrost Jan 1-15
Moon Jan 11-15
Frost Mar 19-Apr 2
Moon Mar 19-25
Frost Feb 12-Mar 19
Moon Feb 12-24
Aug 29
ParsnipsN/AN/AFrost Feb 12-19
Aug 8
PeasN/AN/AFrost Feb 12-19
Moon Feb 12-19
Mar 26
PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Feb 12-26
Moon Feb 25-26
Sep 5
PumpkinsFrost Feb 19-Mar 4
Moon Feb 19-24
Frost Mar 26-Apr 2
Frost Mar 26-Apr 2
Aug 1
RadishesN/AN/AFrost Feb 12-19
Sep 19
RosemaryFrost Dec 18-Jan 1
Moon Dec 18-26
Frost Mar 26-Apr 2
N/ASep 19
SageFrost Jan 15-29
Moon Jan 15-25
Frost Mar 19-Apr 2
Moon Mar 19-25
N/AAug 29
SalsifyN/AN/AFrost Feb 12-26
Moon Feb 25-26
Aug 8
SpinachFrost Jan 29-Feb 12
Moon Feb 9-12
Frost Feb 19-26
Moon Feb 19-24
Frost Feb 12-19
Moon Feb 12-19
Mar 26
Sweet CornN/AN/AFrost Mar 26-Apr 9
Moon Apr 8-9
Aug 29
Sweet PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Mar 26-Apr 9
Moon Mar 26-Apr 7
Aug 1
Swiss ChardFrost Jan 29-Feb 12
Moon Feb 9-12
Frost Feb 26-Mar 12
Frost Feb 19-Mar 12
Moon Feb 19-24
Mar 26
ThymeFrost Jan 1-15
Moon Jan 11-15
Frost Mar 19-26
Moon Mar 19-25
N/AAug 22
TomatillosFrost Jan 29-Feb 12
Moon Feb 9-12
Frost Mar 26-Apr 9
Moon Apr 8-9
N/AAug 29
TomatoesFrost Jan 15-29
Moon Jan 15-25
Frost Mar 26-Apr 2
N/AAug 15
TurnipsN/AN/AFrost Feb 12-19
Oct 17
WatermelonsFrost Feb 19-Mar 4
Moon Feb 19-24
Frost Mar 26-Apr 2
Frost Mar 19-26
Moon Mar 19-25
Aug 15
Winter SquashFrost Feb 19-26
Moon Feb 19-24
Frost Mar 19-Apr 2
Moon Mar 19-25
Frost Mar 26-Apr 2
Jul 25
Zucchini (Summer Squash)Frost Feb 19-26
Moon Feb 19-24
Frost Mar 19-Apr 2
Moon Mar 19-25
Frost Mar 26-Apr 2
Sep 12

Planting Dates for Fall

On average, your first fall frost occurs on November 14 (at SEATTLE TACOMA INTL AP, WA climate station).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Moon Based on Moon Dates
Start Seeds OutdoorsTransplantAverage Days to MaturityFrost Tolerance
ArugulaFrost Sep 26-Oct 31
Moon Oct 2-17
N/A40Frost-hardy
BeetsFrost Aug 22-Sep 19
Moon Aug 22-Sep 1, Sep 18-19
N/A50Frost-tolerant
Bok ChoyFrost Sep 5-26
Moon Sep 5-17
N/A50Frost-tolerant
BroccoliFrost Aug 15-22
Moon Aug 15-19
Frost Sep 5-19
Moon Sep 5-17
60Frost-tolerant
Brussels SproutsFrost Jul 25-Aug 8
Moon Aug 4-8
N/A100Frost-hardy
CabbageFrost Aug 15-22
Moon Aug 15-19
Frost Sep 5-12
Moon Sep 5-12
90Frost-tolerant
CarrotsFrost Aug 29-Sep 5
Moon Aug 29-Sep 1
N/A70Frost-tolerant
CauliflowerFrost Aug 8-15
Moon Aug 8-15
Frost Aug 22-29
75Frost-tolerant
ChivesFrost Aug 22-Sep 19
Moon Sep 2-17
N/A70Frost-tolerant
FennelFrost Aug 15-29
Moon Aug 15-19
N/A80Tender
GarlicFrost Nov 28-Dec 12
Moon Nov 28-30
N/A120Frost-hardy
Green BeansFrost Aug 29-Sep 12
Moon Sep 2-12
N/A55Tender
KaleFrost Sep 5-19
Moon Sep 5-17
N/A60Frost-hardy
KohlrabiFrost Sep 12-Oct 3
Moon Sep 12-17, Oct 2-3
N/A45Frost-tolerant
LettuceFrost Sep 5-19
Moon Sep 5-17
N/A60Frost-tolerant
Mustard GreensFrost Sep 12-Oct 3
Moon Sep 12-17, Oct 2-3
N/A45Tender
PeasFrost Sep 5-19
Moon Sep 5-17
N/A55Tender
RadishesFrost Oct 3-17
N/A25Frost-tolerant
SpinachFrost Sep 26-Oct 17
Moon Oct 2-17
N/A30Frost-hardy
Swiss ChardFrost Sep 5-19
Moon Sep 5-17
N/A60Frost-tolerant
TurnipsFrost Sep 12-26
Moon Sep 18-26
N/A50Frost-tolerant
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