Last spring freeze
Feb 25
median (50%)
8 in 10 years Jan 24 – Mar 21
Only a 1-in-10 chance of a freeze after Mar 21.
Portland, OR · NOAA frost dates
Portland frost dates & planting calendar
Last spring freeze ~Feb 25, first fall freeze ~Dec 1: a median of 279 frost-free days. The calendar below is already set to Portland (ZIP 97201). Type your own ZIP for the station nearest you.
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Portland, OR · ZIP 97201 · try yours
Portland OR area
Last spring frost
~Feb 25
safer: Mar 21
First fall frost
~Dec 1
safer: Nov 10
Growing season
279
frost-free days
- Start indoors
- Sow outside
- Transplant
- Fall planting
- Harvest
Median dates from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. Averages, not forecasts. How it works
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals
Portland frost dates at a glance
32°F freeze dates for the Portland Kgw-Tv, OR weather station, 1 km from ZIP 97201, 49 m up.
First fall freeze
Dec 1
median (50%)
8 in 10 years Nov 10 – Dec 27
Only a 1-in-10 chance of a freeze before Nov 10.
Growing season
279
median frost-free days
USDA zone 8b
Station: Portland Kgw-Tv, OR
Long-term averages, not a forecast. Your yard can run one to three weeks off these dates, so check the 10-day forecast before planting out.
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (32°F freeze probabilities: 10%, 50%, 90%). Public domain. How we use it
Planting dates for Portland
When to plant in Portland
Worked out from the median frost dates (and, for warm-season crops, NOAA’s normal night lows) with the same crop rules as the calendar below. Tap any crop there for its dates.
-
Tomatoes
- Start indoors
- Mar 17 – Mar 31
- Transplant out
- May 19 – Jun 9
Frost alone would allow transplanting from Mar 4, but the normal night low here only reaches 50°F (10°C) about May 19, so they go out then, started indoors 9 weeks before. Transplant when nights stay above 50°F (10°C).
-
Peppers
- Start indoors
- Feb 24 – Mar 10
- Transplant out
- May 19 – Jun 2
Frost alone would allow transplanting from Mar 11, but the normal night low here only reaches 50°F (10°C) about May 19, so they go out then, started indoors 12 weeks before. Loves warm soil, 65°F+ (18°C+).
-
Peas
- Sow outside
- Jan 14 – Feb 4
- Fall sowing
- Sep 22 – Oct 6
3–6 weeks before the last frost, and again 8–10 weeks before the first fall frost. Sow as soon as soil can be worked (40°F/4°C+).
-
Lettuce
- Sow outside
- Jan 28 – Mar 11
- Fall sowing
- Oct 6 – Nov 3
From 4 weeks before to 2 weeks after the last frost, and 4–8 weeks before the first fall frost. Bolts in heat; sow small batches often.
-
Garlic
- Plant cloves
- Nov 17 – Dec 22
- Harvest
- Apr 29 – May 20, next year
2 weeks before to 3 weeks after the first fall frost. Plant cloves in fall; harvest next summer when lower leaves brown.
This week
Right now in your garden
Full year
Your planting calendar
- Start indoors
- Sow outside
- Transplant
- Fall sowing / planting
- Harvest
- Harvest the season after planting
- Est. frost date
No crops match. Try another search, or clear “My picks”.
Tap ☆ to add a crop to your picks. Tap a crop name for exact dates and growing notes. Your picks and location are saved on this device.
Straight answers
Frost questions
When is the last frost in Portland?
The median last spring freeze (32°F) at NOAA’s Portland Kgw-Tv, OR station is Feb 25, based on 1991–2020 climate normals. In 8 of 10 years it falls between Jan 24 and Mar 21, and there is only a 1-in-10 chance of a freeze after Mar 21.
When is the first fall frost in Portland?
The median first fall freeze (32°F) is Dec 1. In 8 of 10 years it falls between Nov 10 and Dec 27, and there is only a 1-in-10 chance of a freeze before Nov 10. That leaves a median of 279 frost-free days.
When should I plant tomatoes in Portland?
Using FrostLine’s crop rules with the median last frost of Feb 25 and NOAA’s normal night lows: start tomato seeds indoors Mar 17 – Mar 31 and transplant them outside May 19 – Jun 9. Frost alone would allow Mar 4, but nights here only average 50°F (10°C) from about May 19.
Are these dates a forecast?
No. They are long-term averages, not a forecast for this year. Your own garden can differ by one to three weeks with elevation, slope, wind and how built-up it is. Check the 10-day forecast before setting out tender plants, and enter your own ZIP for the nearest station.
How it works: each ZIP is matched to the nearest NOAA station with freeze records. More on our method.
Frost dates by city
More frost dates by city
Each page opens the same free calendar, set to that city. Or start from the home page.
- CO · zone 6a Denver Last frost ~Apr 30First frost ~Oct 12 165 frost-free days
- IL · zone 6b Chicago Last frost ~Apr 10First frost ~Nov 5 209 frost-free days
- WA · zone 9a Seattle Last frost ~Mar 13First frost ~Nov 17 249 frost-free days
- GA · zone 8a Atlanta Last frost ~Mar 24First frost ~Nov 8 229 frost-free days
- TX · zone 8a Dallas Last frost ~Mar 2First frost ~Nov 29 272 frost-free days
- MN · zone 4b Minneapolis Last frost ~Apr 23First frost ~Oct 16 176 frost-free days
- MA · zone 7a Boston Last frost ~Apr 4First frost ~Nov 9 219 frost-free days
- TN · zone 7a Nashville Last frost ~Apr 1First frost ~Oct 31 213 frost-free days
- UT · zone 7a Salt Lake City Last frost ~Mar 31First frost ~Nov 8 222 frost-free days