When to plant lavender in Seattle, Washington

March 13 – March 27

Transplant outdoors · typical Seattle year

Climate basis: NOAA station Seattle Boeing Fld, WA (USW00024234), 5 mi (8 km) from downtown Seattle (ZCTA 98104 centroid), elevation 20 ft, on the 1991–2020 climate normals. Transplant lavender outdoors from approximately the dates above, anchored to the median last spring 32°F freeze (March 13). One year in ten still freezes after April 1.

Last spring freezeMarch 131-in-10 after Apr 1
First fall freezeNovember 171-in-10 before Nov 1
Frost-free season247 daysmedian at 32°F
Hard freeze, 28°Feb 18Dec 2kills even hardy greens
USDA zone9a20 to 25°F winter low not frost timing

The Seattle year

Transplant outdoorsMar 13 – Mar 27
  • indoors under lights
  • in the garden
  • frost-free season
  • 1-in-10 years still freeze to Apr 1
Lavender in Seattle · freeze context from Seattle Boeing Fld, WA, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Transplant outdoors

Mar 13 – Mar 27

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 (Mar 13). 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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