What to plant this week in Tacoma, WA
With the last frost date officially past for Tacoma on March 1, it is now fully safe to move your outdoor plants out of the nursery and into the ground. This week marks a peak harvest window where you can pull early crops like basil, borage, and bush beans while preparing beds for late-summer heavy hitters like okra and zucchini.
The next 7 days
Tacoma, WAGrowing in Tacoma right now
- Tacoma's cool maritime climate means even in zone 8b, heat-loving Okra and Malabar Spinach need south-facing slopes or black plastic mulch to get started early. The city's notoriously clay-heavy soil drains slowly, so amend planting holes generously with compost or use raised beds for water-sensitive crops like French Marigolds.
- Expect frequent fog from Puget Sound that creates a chilly 'June Gloom' effect; bring in tender transplants of Summer Savory if the air stays below 50°F overnight during rain events. Protect young seedlings from our common wind tunnel effect off the sound by installing temporary windbreaks or row covers.
- Take advantage of the long, mild summer nights to extend your harvest season for Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash, but watch for rapid soil moisture changes when the fog lifts.
Sow this week
13 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cucumber
- French Marigold
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Summer Savory
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zucchini
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
36 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Lima Bean
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Pumpkin
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Succession sow pole beans every two weeks for a continuous harvest throughout summer.
- Mulch around newly planted squash and zucchini to retain moisture as days get warmer.
- Thin out crowded seedlings of sunflowers and sweet corn to ensure proper air circulation.
Pest & disease watch
- Spider mites are exploding on the undersides of Sunflower and Fennel leaves due to the dry spells between our rainy weeks; blast them with a strong water spray in the early morning.
- Aphids favor the new growth of Shiso (Japanese Basil) and Nasturtium; inspect daily and remove clusters by hand before they spread to your edible flowers.
- Late-season slugs are active on low-growing Garlic and Malabar Spinach; set up beer traps or hand-pick them after evening misting.
Watering this week
Water deeply in the morning to encourage strong root growth while keeping foliage dry to prevent disease.
Snip off spent flowers from your yellow summer squash plants every few days to keep them producing more fruit.
Tacoma gardening questions
3Can I still plant Okra in Tacoma's current weather?
Yes, this week is perfect for sowing Okra seeds directly because our soil has warmed enough above the 15°F minimum threshold. However, since Okra thrives in heat, place them on a sunny south-facing slope to ensure they get the temperature boost they need.
My Zucchini plants are getting yellow leaves and wilting; what is happening?
This is likely blossom end rot caused by our erratic rainfall patterns disrupting calcium uptake in the clay soil. Water your plants deeply but consistently, avoiding dry spells between rainstorms to stabilize the moisture levels around the roots.
When should I harvest my Garlic crop if it's listed for 'harvest soon'?
Since we are past the last frost date and the days are lengthening, check your bulbs in the next week when the tops begin to yellow and flop over. Dig them up carefully before a hard rain could rot them in our heavy clay.
Other cities in zone 8b
12See the full zone 8b guide → · Plan your Tacoma garden in SproutGuide →