When to plant broccoli in Washington
Washington spans USDA hardiness zones 4a-9a. Average last spring frost: 04-15 (W) to 05-25 (E). This calendar gives you the indoor start, transplant, and direct-sow dates for Brassica oleracea var. italica.
Washington planting dates for broccoli
Dates for Washington vary significantly by region. Use the average frost date lookup for your specific ZIP code, then apply the standard offsets: start broccoli indoors 8 weeks before your last frost; transplant 2 weeks before last frost;
Why these dates
Broccoli is cool-season. Spring crop: transplants in early spring. Fall crop (often better): transplants 8-10 weeks before first fall frost. Row covers prevent cabbage worm damage.
The dates above are anchored to Washington's average last spring frost date of 04-15 (W) to 05-25 (E), with offsets standard across university Extension publications. For zone-specific local timing, use the frost date lookup tool with your ZIP code.
More on growing broccoli
The full growing guide for broccoli - varieties, soil, fertilization, pests, harvest, storage - is here: Broccoli growing guide.
More Washington planting information
- Full Washington planting calendar (all crops + ornamentals)
- Find your exact USDA zone by ZIP
- Look up your average frost dates
- Seed starting timeline calculator