Rainline Garden

When to plant zucchini and summer squash in Oregon and Washington

In Portland: Plant zucchini and summer squash in the garden May 10 – Jun 7, either as seeds or as young plants started indoors Apr 12–19. In Bend: Jun 9 – Jul 7. Find your city below.

Difficulty
Easy
Sun
Full sun
Spacing
3 feet apart
Planting depth
1 inch deep
Frost
Killed by frost
First harvest
About 55 days after planting

Two plants feed most families. Pick fruit small and often.

Zucchini and summer squash planting dates by city

CityStart seeds indoorsPlant in the garden
Astoria, ORApr 22–29May 20 – Jun 17
Baker City, ORApr 27 – May 4May 25 – Jun 22
Bend and Redmond, ORMay 12–19Jun 9 – Jul 7
Burns, ORMay 14–21Jun 11 – Jul 9
Coos Bay and North Bend, ORApr 22–29May 20 – Jun 17
Eugene, ORApr 12–19May 10 – Jun 7
Gresham, ORApr 12–19May 10 – Jun 7
Klamath Falls, ORMay 12–19Jun 9 – Jul 7
Medford, ORApr 12–19May 10 – Jun 7
Pendleton, ORApr 3–10May 1–29
Portland, ORApr 12–19May 10 – Jun 7
Roseburg, ORApr 12–19May 10 – Jun 7
Salem, ORApr 12–19May 10 – Jun 7
The Dalles, ORApr 3–10May 1–29
Wilsonville and Canby, ORApr 12–19May 10 – Jun 7
Aberdeen and Hoquiam, WAApr 22–29May 20 – Jun 17
Bellingham, WAApr 12–19May 10 – Jun 7
Ellensburg, WAApr 22–29May 20 – Jun 17
Everett, WAApr 12–19May 10 – Jun 7
Forks, WAApr 22–29May 20 – Jun 17
Moses Lake, WAApr 3–10May 1–29
Olympia, WAApr 12–19May 10 – Jun 7
Omak and Okanogan, WAApr 22–29May 20 – Jun 17
Seattle and Tacoma, WAApr 12–19May 10 – Jun 7
Spokane, WAApr 22–29May 20 – Jun 17
Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland), WAApr 3–10May 1–29
Vancouver, WAApr 12–19May 10 – Jun 7
Walla Walla, WAApr 3–10May 1–29
Wenatchee, WAApr 3–10May 1–29
Yakima, WAApr 10–17May 8 – Jun 5

How to grow zucchini and summer squash

  1. Start seeds indoors on your city's dates in trays or small pots under a grow light or in your sunniest window. Or skip this step and buy young plants (starts) at a garden center.
  2. Harden off the young plants: about a week before planting, set them outside for a few hours a day, a little longer each day.
  3. Plant them in the garden on your city's dates, 3 feet apart. If you plant seeds instead, sow them 1 inch deep.
  4. Water deeply once or twice a week rather than a little every day, and mulch once the soil is warm.
  5. Harvest: Pick zucchini at 6 to 8 inches. Miss a few days and you'll have a baseball bat.

Varieties that do well in the Northwest

Watch out for

Powdery mildew late in the season. Remove the worst leaves and keep watering at the base.

More squash, cucumbers and melons

See all 51 plants