Regional guide
Washington West of the Cascades Vegetable Garden
WSU Extension guide for western Washington gardens where cool springs, rainfall, and mild winter microclimates shape vegetable planning.
Climate signals
- WSU says climate planning should consider growing-season length, first and last frost dates, and in-season temperatures.
- Warm-season crops often need a longer or warmer season than is available west of the Cascade Mountains.
- Where temperature limits warm-season crops, row covers and plastic tunnels can help.
- Many cool-season crops can grow through winter west of the Cascades, depending on microclimate.
- Cool springs in western Washington can make germination difficult for crops that prefer warm soils.
Planning notes
- Most vegetables need at least six hours of direct sun and fertile, well-drained soil; drainage is especially important where rainfall is heavy.
- Transplants can produce earlier harvests; root crops such as carrots, beets, and radishes are exceptions that do not transplant readily.
- Harden vegetable transplants for 4-7 days before garden planting.
- Warm-season transplants such as tomato, pepper, and eggplant prefer 70-75F day and 55-60F night temperatures while developing.
- Cool-season transplants such as broccoli, lettuce, and cabbage do well with 65-75F day and 50-55F night temperatures.
- Succession planting is source-backed for crops maturing in 40-60 days and harvested once, including turnips, beets, radishes, lettuce, and kohlrabi.
- Leaf crops can also support staged harvests, including lettuce, arugula, kale, mustard, beets, bok choy, turnip, and collards.
- Rotate crops by family where possible; WSU recommends 5-7 years before planting the same family in the same bed or row.
- Use these priority catalog links as crop-level examples for WSU crop groups, not WSU cultivar recommendations.
Catalog crop examples
These catalog entries match crops covered by the regional timing source; variety-specific details remain tied to each seed entry's own source.
- Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce Vegetable · Cool · 45 days
- Bloomsdale Spinach Vegetable · Cool · 42 days
- Lacinato Kale Vegetable · Cool · 60 days
- Astro Arugula Vegetable · Cool · 35 days
- Southern Giant Curled Mustard Vegetable · Cool · 45 days
- Georgia Southern Collards Vegetable · Cool · 65 days
- White Stem Bok Choy Vegetable · Cool · 45 days
- Waltham 29 Broccoli Vegetable · Cool · 74 days
- Golden Acre Cabbage Vegetable · Cool · 64 days
- Snowball Y Cauliflower Vegetable · Cool · 70 days
- Long Island Improved Brussels Sprouts Vegetable · Cool · 100 days
- Early White Vienna Kohlrabi Vegetable · Cool · 55 days
- Detroit Dark Red Beet Vegetable · Cool · 58 days
- Danvers 126 Carrot Vegetable · Shoulder · 70 days
- French Breakfast Radish Vegetable · Cool · 28 days
- Purple Top White Globe Turnip Vegetable · Cool · 55 days
- American Purple Top Rutabaga Vegetable · Cool · 90 days
- Sugar Snap Pea Vegetable · Cool · 62 days
- Evergreen Bunching Onion Vegetable · Shoulder · 65 days
- American Flag Leek Vegetable · Cool · 120 days
- Italian Flat Leaf Parsley Herb · Shoulder · 75 days
- Hollow Crown Parsnip Vegetable · Cool · 120 days
- Common Chives Herb · Cool · 80 days
Related regional guides
- Walla Walla Inland Northwest Vegetable Garden WSU Walla Walla County guide for Inland Northwest frost-free timing, microclimates, soils, sun, temperature, and watering.
Source: WSU Extension Home Vegetable Gardening in Washington