Frost dates for Gresham, 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 16
typical year
Safe to plant
April 12
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 20
typical year
Growing season
250 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 16 – Mar 2 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 2 – 23 | Sep 25 – Oct 9 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Sep 25 – Oct 9 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 16 – Mar 30 | Oct 9 – 23 |
| Onions | – | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 23 – Mar 16 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Beets | – | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Sep 11 – 25 |
| Kale | Jan 5 – 19 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Sep 11 – 25 |
| Broccoli | Jan 5 – 19 | Mar 2 – 16 | Sep 11 – 25 |
| Cabbage | Dec 22 – Jan 5 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Sep 11 – 25 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 9 – 30 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Apr 12 – 26 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 8 – 22 | Apr 19 – May 3 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 12 – May 3 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 12 – May 10 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 12 – May 3 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 12 – Sep 11 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 12 – May 10 | – |
| Basil | Mar 8 – 22 | Apr 19 – 26 | – |
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 | April 12 | March 16 | February 18 |
| Fall frost before | October 30 | November 20 | December 17 |
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 14 (March 10 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 15.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 4 towns.
Gresham, Camas, WA, Fairview, Wood Village
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station PORTLAND TROUTDALE AP, OR US (USW00024242), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 9 miles:
97024, 97030, 97080, 97089
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.