Fall in zone 8bPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 98323 (Carbonado, WA)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Mud Mtn Dam, WA (11 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 1850% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 3150% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)196 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone8b15 to 20°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
4-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 98323 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
No soil reading near this ZIP. Typical extension timing for your region: spring March to April.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: Pacific Northwest (west of the Cascades). Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Perennial ryegrass (cool-season): Early fall: September; Late fall: October–November; Overseeded Bermuda: Light feeding once the winter rye is established, if needed. Avoid: Summer feeding.
Plant now
No vegetable planting windows are open this week.
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Oct 31: skip heavy pruning in the 6–8 weeks before it, because new growth may not harden off in time.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Mar 28 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 18 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 10 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Oct 8 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 31 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 21 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | May 6 | Oct 12 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 18 | Oct 31 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Mar 15 | Nov 17 |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 98323
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 18) and first fall frost (Oct 31). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 7–21 | May 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 7–21 | May 2–16 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Mar 28–Apr 18 (transplant) Mar 21–May 2 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–26 (transplant) Aug 22–Sep 19 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 7–28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–26 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 8–Sep 5 (transplant) Jul 25–Aug 22 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Mar 21–Apr 18 (transplant) Mar 21–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | Aug 8–Sep 5 (transplant) Jul 25–Aug 22 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 7–21 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | Jul 25–Aug 22 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 7–21 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | Jul 25–Aug 22 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 7–21 | Apr 4–18 (transplant) | Jul 25–Aug 22 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | Jul 11–Aug 1 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 21–Mar 7 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–19 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 21–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–Oct 3 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 21–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–19 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 7–21 | Apr 4–25 (transplant) Apr 4–May 2 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 21–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Mar 28–Apr 25 (sow outdoors) | Aug 8–22 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 14–Apr 25 (sow outdoors) | Sep 19–Oct 3 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 21–Apr 11 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Mar 28–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 21–Mar 21 (sow outdoors) | Aug 8–22 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Mar 7–21 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 7–Apr 4 (sow outdoors) | Aug 22–Sep 5 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 19–Oct 17 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 7–21 (transplant) | Sep 19–Oct 17 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | Jul 11–25 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 9–23 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 9–30 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 21–28 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 21–28 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Mar 21–28 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 21–28 | May 2–16 (transplant) May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 21–28 | May 2–16 (transplant) May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 7–21 | May 2–16 (transplant) May 2–16 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 24–Feb 7 | Apr 25–May 2 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 7–21 | Apr 25–May 9 (transplant) Apr 25–May 9 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 4–May 2 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–19 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 7–21 | Apr 4–18 (transplant) Mar 28–Apr 18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | Sep 5–19 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 18–May 2 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 21–Apr 4 (transplant) | Aug 22–Sep 19 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Mud Mtn Dam, WA (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00455704), elevation 1,308 ft, 11.4 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buckley 1 NE, WA | 13 mi | Apr 7 | Oct 30 |
| Mcmillin Rsvr, WA | 17 mi | Apr 11 | Oct 30 |
| Longmire Rainier Nps, WA | 18 mi | May 22 | Oct 3 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 46 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 98323
When is the last frost in 98323?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 98323 is April 18. For a more cautious planting date, use May 10, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 98323?
The average first fall freeze is October 31. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 8.
What hardiness zone is 98323?
ZIP 98323 is in USDA zone 8b (15 to 20°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 98323 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
98396 Wilkeson 98360 Crocker 98328 Clear Lake 98385 South Prairie 98321 Buckley 98304 Ashford 98338 Graham 98391 Lake Tapps
Other ZIP codes in Pierce County
98303 98304 98321 98327 98328 98329 98330 98332 98333 98335 98338 98349 98351 98354 98360 98371 98372 98373 98374 98375 98385 98387 98388 98390 All Pierce County frost dates · Washington frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
- Soil-temp heads-up
- Weekly yard to-dos
Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.