Frost dates for Cougar Dam, OR
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
March 2
typical year
Safe to plant
March 27
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 30
typical year
Growing season
274 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Feb 2 – 16 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 19 – Feb 9 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 2 – 23 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 2 – Mar 16 | Oct 19 – Nov 2 |
| Onions | – | Feb 2 – 16 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 9 – 23 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 9 – Mar 2 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Beets | – | Feb 2 – 16 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Kale | Dec 22 – Jan 5 | Feb 2 – 16 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Broccoli | Dec 22 – Jan 5 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Cabbage | Dec 8 – 22 | Feb 2 – 16 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 19 – Nov 9 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 23 – Feb 6 | Apr 3 – 17 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Mar 27 – Apr 24 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | – |
| Green beans | – | Mar 27 – Sep 21 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 27 – Apr 24 | – |
| Basil | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 3 – 10 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | March 27 | March 2 | January 24 |
| Fall frost before | November 3 | November 30 | December 28 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around February 1 (March 7 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 15.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station COUGAR DAM, OR US (USC00351914), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 9 miles:
97488
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.