Calendars by city / OR
Portland, Oregon vegetable planting calendar
Planting windows for Portland, Oregon built from the NOAA 1991–2020 freeze normals at PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, OR US (station USW00024229), not from a hardiness zone.
Portland, Oregon planting dates for 27 vegetables
The same windows as a table
Each row applies a published extension rule to the frost dates above. Hardy crops go out 2–4 weeks before the last frost; semi-hardy crops 0–2 weeks before; tender crops around the frost date; very tender crops 2 or more weeks after. The last fall planting date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost. The rules and their sources are on the methodology page.
| Crop | Frost class | Start seeds indoors | Plant outdoors | Last fall planting | Days to harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beets | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Sep 25 | 60 |
| Broccoli | Hardy | Dec 29 – Jan 26 | Transplant: Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Sep 27 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Cabbage | Hardy | Dec 29 – Jan 26 | Transplant: Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Sep 7 | 85 (from transplant) |
| Carrots | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Sep 15 | 70 |
| Cauliflower | Semi-hardy | Jan 12 – Feb 9 | Transplant: Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Sep 20 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Oct 12 | 50 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Oct 2 | 60 |
| Onions (green) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Oct 2 | 60 |
| Onions (dry, from seed) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Aug 13 | 110 |
| Onions (dry, from sets) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant sets: Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Aug 13 | 110 |
| Parsnips | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Sep 15 | 70 |
| Peas | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Sep 27 | 65 |
| Potatoes | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant seed potatoes: Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Jul 22 | 125 |
| Radishes | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Nov 1 | 30 |
| Spinach | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Oct 22 | 40 |
| Swiss chard | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Sep 25 | 60 |
| Turnips | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Oct 12 | 50 |
| Snap beans | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 16 – Mar 23 | Sep 18 | 60 |
| Cantaloupe | Very tender | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | Direct sow (or transplant): Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Aug 24 | 85 |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 16 – Mar 23 | Aug 19 | 60–90 |
| Cucumbers | Tender | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Direct sow (or transplant): Mar 16 – Mar 23 | Sep 23 | 55 |
| Eggplant | Very tender | Jan 26 – Mar 2 | Transplant: Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Sep 18 | 60 (from transplant) |
| Peppers | Very tender | Feb 2 – Mar 2 | Transplant: Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Sep 8 | 70 (from transplant) |
| Tomatoes | Very tender | Feb 9 – Mar 9 | Transplant: Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Sep 13 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Summer squash | Tender | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Direct sow (or transplant): Mar 16 – Mar 23 | Sep 28 | 50 |
| Winter squash | Very tender | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | Direct sow (or transplant): Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Aug 9 | 100 |
| Watermelon | Very tender | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | Direct sow (or transplant): Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Aug 24 | 85 |
What the Portland, Oregon frost-free season means for your choices
At 246 frost-free days, Portland, Oregon gardeners should compare that number to the days-to-harvest column before buying seed. A crop whose days to harvest plus its transplant age is close to the season length needs either an early start indoors or a short-season variety.
- Hardy crops (peas, spinach, radishes, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage) can go in from about Feb 16 – Mar 2 and again for fall.
- Very tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, winter squash) should wait until Mar 30 – Apr 13; start tomato seeds indoors Feb 9 – Mar 9.
- Fall sowing is worthwhile only for the rows that show a separate fall date; for the others the spring window already covers the season.
Portland, OR planting questions
When is the last frost in Portland, Oregon?
The 50% probability date for the last spring 32°F reading at PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, OR US is Mar 16, from the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. In half the years on that record the last frost came later than that date, so tender crops are safer a week or two after it. The last 28°F hard freeze averages Feb 16.
When can I plant tomatoes in Portland, Oregon?
Tomatoes are a very tender crop, so the Colorado State Extension rule puts them out 2 or more weeks after the last spring frost: Mar 30 – Apr 13 in Portland, Oregon. Start the seeds indoors Feb 9 – Mar 9, which is 5 to 7 weeks before that transplant window.
How long is the growing season in Portland, Oregon?
Portland, Oregon averages 246 frost-free days, between the 50% last spring frost on Mar 16 and the 50% first fall frost on Nov 17 at PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, OR US. Check a variety's days to harvest against that number before buying seed.
When should I start seeds indoors in Portland, Oregon?
The earliest indoor sowing on this calendar is broccoli and cabbage at Dec 29 – Jan 26. Hardy crops are transplanted out Feb 16 – Mar 2 here, and each crop's indoor window is simply its outdoor window minus the transplant age published by Colorado State Extension, so nothing starts earlier than that.
What can I plant in fall in Portland, Oregon?
The crops with a separate fall sowing here, latest first, are radishes, spinach, kohlrabi, turnips, lettuce (leaf) and onions (green), plus 21 more on the chart above. Each fall date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost on Nov 17, plus an allowance for frost-tolerant crops that is our own assumption, not the source's.
Station data and limitations
| NOAA station | PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, OR US (USW00024229) |
|---|---|
| Location | 45.5958, -122.6093 · elevation 5.8 m |
| Last spring 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Mar 16 / Feb 16 |
| First fall 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Nov 17 / Dec 6 |
| Dataset | NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal product, data types ANN-TMIN-PRBLST/PRBFST-T32FP50 and T28FP50 |
| Retrieved | 2026-10-16 |
The normals describe the airport station, not your yard. They are averages of a 30-year record and say nothing about this year's weather. Watch the local forecast around the dates shown, and use soil temperature for warm-season crops, which the Colorado State guide treats as the better signal.
Nearby calendars
- Seattle, Washington — last spring frost Mar 8
- Sacramento, California — last spring frost Feb 9
- Salt Lake City, Utah — last spring frost Apr 21
- Los Angeles, California
Read the method behind these dates: last frost date vs hardiness zone.