USDA hardiness zone lookup
Ellensburg, WA — USDA Zone 6b
Ellensburg, Washington · 136-day growing season
Frost dates and growing season in Ellensburg
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 6b |
|---|---|
| Average last spring frost | May 12 |
| Average first fall frost | September 25 |
| Growing season length | ~136 days |
| Temperature range (F) | -10 to 0°F |
| Temperature range (C) | -23 to -18°C |
All of Ellensburg's mapped ZIP codes fall in the same hardiness band, Zone 6b.
These are 50%-probability averages modeled from Ellensburg's USDA hardiness zone and regional climate normals — not a single-station reading. In a typical year the last spring frost will have passed by May 12, but a colder-than-average year can run 1-2 weeks later. Plant tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) once both soil and night temperatures are consistently warm — a thermometer beats the calendar.
Growing season in Ellensburg
Ellensburg, Washington sits in USDA Zone 6b, with roughly 136 frost-free days between an average last spring frost around May 12 and a first fall frost around September 25. That is a standard temperate season — most common vegetables finish comfortably, and a single main planting plus one succession round works well.
What grows in Ellensburg
Ellensburg falls in USDA Zone 6b, so the same hardiness constraints apply as the full Zone 6 guide. Vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees rated to Zone 6b (or hardier) will overwinter here in a typical year.
- Tomatoes (all types)
- Peppers, eggplant
- Squash, melons, cucumbers
- Beans, peas
- Sweet corn
- Apples, pears, peaches, plums
- Cherries, blueberries
- Asparagus, rhubarb
- Garlic (fall-planted)
- Strawberries
What to plant in Ellensburg this week
Ellensburg's last frost is around May 12. This is the spring transplant window — start tomatoes and peppers indoors if you haven't, and direct-sow cold-tolerant crops now.
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 6
- When to plant peppers in zone 6
- When to plant basil in zone 6
- When to plant bush beans in zone 6
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 6
Full planting calendar for Ellensburg
Crop-by-crop sowing, transplant, and harvest dates calibrated to zone 6 averages:
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 6
- When to plant peppers in zone 6
- When to plant basil in zone 6
- When to plant garlic in zone 6
- When to plant lettuce in zone 6
- When to plant bush beans in zone 6
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 6
- When to plant summer squash in zone 6
- When to plant peas in zone 6
- When to plant carrots in zone 6
ZIP codes in Ellensburg
Drill down to the precise frost window and planting calendar for a specific ZIP in Ellensburg:
Local microclimate notes
Zone tables give you the average — but Ellensburggardens vary. South-facing walls and paved areas can run a full half-zone warmer than the published rating. Low-lying spots, frost pockets, and shaded north sides can run colder. If you've gardened here a few seasons, your own frost record — the last time you actually got frost damage — beats any national average.
Source and methodology
Hardiness zone from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 revision). Frost-date and growing-season figures are modeled from Ellensburg's USDA hardiness zone and regional NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals — zone-level estimates, not a per-station record, so treat them as planning guidance and confirm against your own local frost history. Crop recommendations draw on US Cooperative Extension references, curated by the Growli editorial team. Last reviewed June 2026.
Other cities in Washington
- Bellevue, WA — USDA Zone 8b
- Bellingham, WA — USDA Zone 8b
- Bothell, WA — USDA Zone 8b
- Everett, WA — USDA Zone 8b
- Federal Way, WA — USDA Zone 8b
- Kennewick, WA — USDA Zone 7a
- Kent, WA — USDA Zone 8b
- Kirkland, WA — USDA Zone 8b
- Marysville, WA — USDA Zone 8b
- Moses Lake, WA — USDA Zone 6b
- Olympia, WA — USDA Zone 8b
- Pasco, WA — USDA Zone 7a
- All of Washington by zone