Time Frame

• Worries about frost generally end by May 15 in Washington state. Cool-season vegetables, such as greens and root vegetables, may germinate in soil at 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Wait until soil reaches 60 degrees Fahrenheit for warm-season vegetables like peppers and tomatoes. Buy all of these vegetables as seedlings to give them a jump start on the growing season.
  
  

Potential

• Keep your garden producing vegetables longer by planting a fall and winter garden. Plant leafy greens like chard and endive and root vegetables like carrots in July and August to have a fall and winter yield. Make sure the soil is well-drained.
  
  

Warning

• If you plant for fall harvest, you must watch the weather carefully. Planting too early risks tender plants wilting in the heat, while planting too late means vegetables will not have time to grow in a short growing season.