What Grows in Rocky Point, Washington

USDA Zones 3a-4b · 456 acres

Rocky Point, Washington, sits in USDA hardiness zones 3a-4b — a zone band wide enough that plant choice, not possibility, is the interesting question.

A short list that earns its place here — apple, cherry, hop, and blueberry — with any one site's soil, sun, and drainage making the final cut.

Score your parcel · free

Even in Rocky Point, no two yards are alike.

A low spot, a south-facing slope, or a stand of trees moves the frost date and sun across a single Rocky Point lot. Enter your address and we'll score 1,112 plants against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

No card required · your full report in seconds

Quick Facts

USDA Zones

3a-4b

Last Frost (state avg.)

Mar 1 - Jun 1

First Frost (state avg.)

Sep 15 - Nov 15

Town Area

456 acres

Hardiness Zone Range

3a
4b
3a (Cold)13b (Hot)

Growing Season

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Last frost: Mar 1 - Jun 1First frost: Sep 15 - Nov 15

Zone maps are averages across Rocky Point. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.

Soil varies lot by lot — soil types explained.

Growing Challenges in Washington

What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.

Extreme rain divide: 90+ inches west, 6 inches east of Cascades

Plant to your side of the Cascades, not to the state — your exact spot's rainfall decides the whole plan.

East side requires irrigation — no rain from June through September

With no summer rain, drip lines and deep mulch are the growing season — set them up before June.

Slug and root rot pressure on the wet west side

Raise the beds, bait the slugs, and water mornings only — the wet-side trio that keeps roots and leaves healthy; extension has the details.

Short seasons at elevation in the Cascades and northeast corners

In the short-season corners, fast varieties plus a cold frame or tunnel reliably close the gap.

For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to Washington, the WSU Extension is the authoritative local source.

Environmental Intelligence

Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.

Total Sites

844

within ~10 miles of Rocky Point

Risk Level

High

Highest-severity

18 Superfund sites

Severity Distribution

within ~10 miles of Rocky Point

High20Moderate407Low417

Highest-Severity Sites

Bangor Naval Submarine Base
Superfund · Superfund NPL
Bangor Naval Submarine Base
Superfund · Superfund NPL
Bangor/Silverdale Illegal Dump Site
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)
Bremerton City of
PFAS Sampling · PFAS Detected
Camp Wesley Harris Naval Reservation
Superfund · Superfund (Non-NPL)

A note from Gnorman

What an experienced grower watches for around here

In and around Rocky Point, two things run higher than the national average — Superfund (18 sites) and PFAS (11 sites). Knowing it is half the work — and it's nothing a thoughtful grower can't plan for.

Superfund: Superfund sites represent the most severe contamination in the federal system.

PFAS: PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are called "forever chemicals" because they do not biodegrade.

Commission professional soil testing before any food production (test for heavy metals, VOCs, and SVOCs).

Test irrigation water source — this is the primary pathway for PFAS to reach garden crops.

Free Report

Check your specific parcel in Rocky Point

Get exact proximity distances to contamination sources for your specific parcel — plus soil, sun, drainage, and 1,112 plant recommendations.

Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources analyzed in seconds

Your Specific Parcel Matters

Rocky Point Average

  • USDA Zones 3a-4b
  • Generic soil type for the area
  • State-average frost dates

YOUR Parcel

  • Your exact hardiness zone
  • Your SSURGO soil type & pH
  • Your sun exposure, cast in 3D

See MY Growing Report

Free Report

Read your specific parcel in Rocky Point

Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Rocky Point, Washington — soil, sun, drainage, frost risk, and scored plant recommendations.

Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:

Your soil pHYour frost-free daysYour sun & shade

We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.

25+ data sources analyzed in seconds

Key Growing Facts for Rocky Point, Washington

  • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3a-4b (USDA PHZM 2023)
  • Last Spring Frost (state avg.): Mar 1 - Jun 1 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
  • First Fall Frost (state avg.): Sep 15 - Nov 15 (NOAA 30-Year Climate Normals)
  • Land Area: 456 acres (US Census TIGER 2025)

Zone data: USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Climate data: NOAA NCEI. Boundaries: US Census TIGER/Line 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

What hardiness zone is Rocky Point, Washington?

Rocky Point sits in USDA hardiness zones 3a-4b, per the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Zones reflect average annual extreme minimum temperatures from 1991–2020 weather data.

When does frost risk typically end in Rocky Point?

Rocky Point follows Washington's statewide frost window: last spring frost around Mar 1 - Jun 1 and first fall frost around Sep 15 - Nov 15, per NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020). Frost dates shift with elevation and local microclimate, so watch your own site's cold pockets.

What vegetables grow in Rocky Point?

Rocky Point's zones 3a-4b support a wide range — strong performers include Apple, Cherry, Hop, Blueberry, and Raspberry. What actually takes on any one site comes down to its soil, sun, and drainage, and we score each plant against the real conditions at your address.

Which hardiness zone is Rocky Point, really?

Officially, Rocky Point sits in USDA zones 3a-4b (USDA PHZM 2023) — but a zone is a 30-year average of winter's coldest night across an area, and it can't see any one yard. A south-facing slope, a tree line, or a low frost pocket can shift a single site by half a zone either way, which is why neighboring gardeners often quote different numbers. We read the conditions at your exact address — soil, sun, slope, and frost — and score 1,112 plants against what's actually there.

Is the soil safe to grow vegetables in Rocky Point?

The federal record around Rocky Point runs heavier than most — 844 documented sites — so test the soil before planting food in the ground, and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well in the meantime. Even here, proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard; the contamination map shows exactly what's recorded and where.

How do I protect my plants from frost in Rocky Point?

As the season closes around Washington's first fall frost near Sep 15 - Nov 15 (NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020)), a few moves buy time: cover tender plants with floating row cover or an old sheet on still, clear nights, water the soil the afternoon before a freeze so it holds warmth overnight, and harvest frost-tender crops like tomatoes, peppers, and basil before the first hard night. Hardy greens and root crops shrug off light frost and often sweeten after it, so leave them in.

Everything on this page is a Rocky Point average. Your yard writes its own version — we read soil, sun, drainage, and frost at your exact address. Try it for 14 days — no card required.