Frost dates for Portland, 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 13
typical year
Safe to plant
April 1
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 19
typical year
Growing season
247 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 13 – 27 | – |
| Spinach | – | Jan 30 – Feb 20 | Sep 24 – Oct 8 |
| Lettuce | – | Feb 13 – Mar 6 | Sep 24 – Oct 8 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 13 – Mar 27 | Oct 8 – 22 |
| Onions | – | Feb 13 – 27 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | – |
| Carrots | – | Feb 20 – Mar 13 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Beets | – | Feb 13 – 27 | Sep 10 – 24 |
| Kale | Jan 2 – 16 | Feb 13 – 27 | Sep 10 – 24 |
| Broccoli | Jan 2 – 16 | Feb 27 – Mar 13 | Sep 10 – 24 |
| Cabbage | Dec 19 – Jan 2 | Feb 13 – 27 | Sep 10 – 24 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 8 – 29 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 4 – 18 | Apr 1 – 15 | – |
| Peppers | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Apr 8 – 22 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 1 – 22 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 1 – 29 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 1 – 22 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 1 – Sep 10 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 1 – 29 | – |
| Basil | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 8 – 15 | – |
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 1 | March 13 | February 22 |
| Fall frost before | October 29 | November 19 | December 10 |
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 16 (March 6 in a late year), and the first one in fall around December 5.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station PORTLAND INTL AP, OR US (USW00024229), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 5 miles:
97211, 97218, 98664, 98684
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.