Bellingham, WA Frost Dates
Average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and growing season length for Bellingham, Washington.
Gardening in Bellingham
Whatcom County's college town sits between the San Juan Islands and Mt. Baker, where maritime mildness creates one of Washington's most livable climates.
Zone 8a with 235 frost-free days. Bellingham Bay moderates temperatures year-round. The maritime influence provides mild winters and cool summers — excellent for cool-season crops. Year-round growing is achievable.
Western Washington University and the city's progressive food culture create one of the most food-conscious small cities in the Northwest. The Bellingham Farmers Market is a community institution.
What This Means for Bellingham Gardeners
The average last spring frost in Bellingham is around March 15, and the average first fall frost arrives around November 5. That gives you approximately 235 frost-free days to work with.
That's a generous season. You have time for full-size tomatoes, long-season peppers, and even watermelons without the anxiety of racing the frost. Start warm-season seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost to hit the ground running. Fall planting is your second opportunity — garlic, kale, lettuce, and broccoli all go in 8-10 weeks before your first frost for harvest into late autumn.
These dates are based on NOAA 30-year Climate Normal data for the Bellingham area. Your actual frost dates could shift 2-3 weeks in either direction in any given year. Learn more about our data sources.
What to Grow in Bellingham
Bellingham's 235-day growing season is generous — long enough for two full growing windows (spring and fall) with warm-season crops between them. You can grow the full range of vegetables, herbs, and flowers with proper timing. Focus on heat-tolerant varieties for midsummer and cool-season crops for extended fall harvests. Recommended starting points: tomatoes, peppers, beans, cucumbers, squash, garlic, kale, and sunflowers.
See the full Washington planting guide for all 40 plants: Washington Planting Calendar. Or enter your zip code for exact planting dates personalized to Bellingham.
More About Zone 8A
Bellingham is in USDA Hardiness Zone 8A, which means average annual extreme minimum temperatures between 10°F to 15°F. View the full Zone 8A planting guide.
See the complete planting calendar for Washington: Washington Planting Calendar.
Other Cities in Washington
Frequently Asked Questions
These dates are based on NOAA's 30-year Climate Normal data for the Bellingham area. They represent historical averages, not predictions. In any given year, the actual last frost could be 2-3 weeks earlier or later. Microclimates within Bellingham (urban heat islands, hilltops, low-lying valleys) can also shift your local frost dates by a week or more.
Cool-season crops go in 3-4 weeks before your last frost (March 15). Warm-season crops wait until 2 weeks after. You have time for a fall round too — plant cool-season crops again in late summer for harvest into autumn. Enter your zip code for exact dates.