Frost dates for Lowell, 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 7
typical year
Safe to plant
April 2
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 27
typical year
Growing season
263 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 7 – 21 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 24 – Feb 14 | Oct 2 – 16 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 7 – 28 | Oct 2 – 16 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 7 – Mar 21 | Oct 16 – 30 |
| Onions | – | Feb 7 – 21 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 14 – 28 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 14 – Mar 7 | Sep 4 – 18 |
| Beets | – | Feb 7 – 21 | Sep 18 – Oct 2 |
| Kale | Dec 27 – Jan 10 | Feb 7 – 21 | Sep 18 – Oct 2 |
| Broccoli | Dec 27 – Jan 10 | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | Sep 18 – Oct 2 |
| Cabbage | Dec 13 – 27 | Feb 7 – 21 | Sep 18 – Oct 2 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 16 – Nov 6 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 5 – 19 | Apr 2 – 16 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Apr 9 – 23 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 2 – 23 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 2 – 30 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 2 – 23 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 2 – Sep 18 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 2 – 30 | – |
| Basil | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | Apr 9 – 16 | – |
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 2 | March 7 | February 4 |
| Fall frost before | November 1 | November 27 | December 21 |
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 2 (March 5 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 16.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 1 town.
Lowell
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station LOOKOUT PT DAM, OR US (USC00355050), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 9 miles:
97431, 97438, 97452, 97455
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.