When to plant lavender in Anchorage, Alaska

May 1 – May 15

Transplant outdoors · typical Anchorage year

Climate basis: NOAA station Anchorage Merrill Fld, AK (USW00026409), 0 mi (0 km) from downtown Anchorage (ZCTA 99501 centroid), elevation 138 ft, on the 1991–2020 climate normals. Transplant lavender outdoors from approximately the dates above, anchored to the median last spring 32°F freeze (May 1). One year in ten still freezes after May 9.

Last spring freezeMay 11-in-10 after May 9
First fall freezeSeptember 291-in-10 before Sep 17
Frost-free season150 daysmedian at 32°F
Hard freeze, 28°Apr 19Oct 8kills even hardy greens
USDA zone5a-20 to -15°F winter low not frost timing

The Anchorage year

Transplant outdoorsMay 1 – May 15
  • indoors under lights
  • in the garden
  • frost-free season
  • 1-in-10 years still freeze to May 9
Lavender in Anchorage · freeze context from Anchorage Merrill Fld, AK, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Transplant outdoors

May 1 – May 15

Utah State University Extension instructs transplanting after the last spring frost, a point rule encoded per policy as a 14-day span opening at the last-frost date; no reconciliation was needed because this is the entry's only source. Anchored to the median last spring freeze (May 1). Utah State University Extension

Start seeds indoors

Not calculated

The cited extension guides do not time an indoor seed-starting window for this crop.

Direct-sow outdoors

Not calculated

Utah State University Extension advises against direct seeding, stating that the germination rate is low and that seeding to transplanting takes between 100 and 200 days.

Fall planting

Not calculated

No source-backed fall planting rule exists for this crop in the registry, so no fall window is calculated.

These windows describe typical years (1991–2020 climate normals), not this year's forecast. Freezes happen outside them — especially in frost pockets, valleys, and urban edges. Watch the forecast before committing tender plants.

This week, not a typical year:
Crop rule sources (1)

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