Oregon vegetable planting calendar 2027: frost dates and when to plant
In Oregon, the average last spring frost is April 3 in Salem and February 25 in Portland (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). Below are planting dates for Salem and Portland for 27 common vegetables and herbs, worked out the way the Rowtime app does it: NOAA's average frost dates for the nearest weather station, with the planting rules of state extension guides. Dates are for the 2027 season.
Rowtime: Garden Planner works these dates out for your own ZIP code in Oregon, shows where each one comes from, and recalculates when a planting slips. Get Rowtime on the App Store.
Dates are estimates. Check your local extension office before you plant, and use your own frost records if you have them. Dates shift by a week or more within a state, so pick the city closest to your conditions.
Salem
When to plant tomatoes in Salem?
In Salem, Oregon, the average last spring frost is April 3 and the average first fall frost is November 1 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, SALEM MCNARY FLD station, 5.2 km from ZIP 97301). Planting dates here follow the planting table for western Oregon's valleys from Oregon State University Extension Service, not frost dates. For tomatoes, start seeds indoors March 6 to April 5 and plant out seedlings May 1 to May 31. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 21, 2026.
Frost dates for Salem (97301)
- Last spring frost: Apr 3 on average, Apr 27 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Nov 1 on average, Oct 16 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 8b (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Mar 1 to Jun 30 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Jan 18 to Jul 20 Plant out seedlings: Mar 1 to Aug 31 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Feb 18 to May 19 Plant out seedlings: Apr 1 to Jun 30 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Mar 1 to Jul 15 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Feb 18 to Jun 3 Plant out seedlings: Apr 1 to Jul 15 |
| Cucumber | Plant outdoors: May 1 to Jun 30 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Feb 27 to Mar 29 Plant out seedlings: May 1 to May 31 |
| Green onion | Plant outdoors: Mar 1 to May 31 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: May 1 to Jul 31 |
| Lettuce | Plant outdoors: Apr 1 to Aug 31 |
| Melon and watermelon | Plant outdoors: May 1 to May 31 |
| Okra | Oregon State University Extension Service doesn't recommend okra here. |
| Onion | Plant outdoors: Mar 1 to May 31 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Feb 1 to May 31 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Feb 20 to Apr 21 Plant out seedlings: May 1 to Jun 30 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Apr 1 to Jun 30 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: May 1 to Jun 30 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Apr 1 to Apr 30 Sow outdoors: Sep 1 to Sep 30 |
| Summer squash | Plant outdoors: May 1 to Jun 30 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: Apr 1 to Jun 30 |
| Sweet potato | Oregon State University Extension Service doesn't recommend sweet potato here. |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Mar 6 to Apr 5 Plant out seedlings: May 1 to May 31 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Plant outdoors: May 1 to May 31 |
| Basil | Start seeds indoors: Apr 1 to Apr 15 Plant out seedlings: May 16 to May 31 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Mar 16 to Apr 30 Sow outdoors: Aug 1 to Sep 15 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: May 1 to May 31 |
| Parsley | Plant outdoors: Mar 1 to Jun 30 |
Portland
When to plant tomatoes in Portland?
In Portland, Oregon, the average last spring frost is February 25 and the average first fall frost is December 1 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, PORTLAND KGW-TV station, 1.2 km from ZIP 97204). Planting dates here follow the planting table for western Oregon's valleys from Oregon State University Extension Service, not frost dates. For tomatoes, start seeds indoors March 6 to April 5 and plant out seedlings May 1 to May 31. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 21, 2026.
Frost dates for Portland (97204)
- Last spring frost: Feb 25 on average, Mar 21 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Dec 1 on average, Nov 10 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 9a (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Mar 1 to Jun 30 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Jan 18 to Jul 20 Plant out seedlings: Mar 1 to Aug 31 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Feb 18 to May 19 Plant out seedlings: Apr 1 to Jun 30 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Mar 1 to Jul 15 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Feb 18 to Jun 3 Plant out seedlings: Apr 1 to Jul 15 |
| Cucumber | Plant outdoors: May 1 to Jun 30 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Feb 27 to Mar 29 Plant out seedlings: May 1 to May 31 |
| Green onion | Plant outdoors: Mar 1 to May 31 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: May 1 to Jul 31 |
| Lettuce | Plant outdoors: Apr 1 to Aug 31 |
| Melon and watermelon | Plant outdoors: May 1 to May 31 |
| Okra | Oregon State University Extension Service doesn't recommend okra here. |
| Onion | Plant outdoors: Mar 1 to May 31 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Feb 1 to May 31 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Feb 20 to Apr 21 Plant out seedlings: May 1 to Jun 30 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Apr 1 to Jun 30 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: May 1 to Jun 30 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Apr 1 to Apr 30 Sow outdoors: Sep 1 to Sep 30 |
| Summer squash | Plant outdoors: May 1 to Jun 30 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: Apr 1 to Jun 30 |
| Sweet potato | Oregon State University Extension Service doesn't recommend sweet potato here. |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Mar 6 to Apr 5 Plant out seedlings: May 1 to May 31 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Plant outdoors: May 1 to May 31 |
| Basil | Start seeds indoors: Apr 1 to Apr 15 Plant out seedlings: May 16 to May 31 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Mar 16 to Apr 30 Sow outdoors: Aug 1 to Sep 15 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: May 1 to May 31 |
| Parsley | Plant outdoors: Mar 1 to Jun 30 |
Sources
Planting rules, in the order Rowtime tries them here:
- Oregon State University Extension Service, Vegetable Gardening in Oregon (Table 1. Planting dates, quantity to plant, and space for garden vegetables) (EC 871). Checked October 21, 2026.
- Washington State University Extension, Home Vegetable Gardening in Washington (Table 5. Suggested planting calendar for vegetable crops in the Pacific Northwest) (EM057E). Checked October 21, 2026.
Frost dates, locations and zones:
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 annual/seasonal (freeze probabilities).
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Gazetteer Files: ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
- PRISM Group, Oregon State University / USDA ARS, 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP code listings. PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed 20 Oct 2026.
How the dates are worked out: a guide's rule such as "two weeks after the last frost" is applied to the station's NOAA date. Purdue's dates are 10% dates, so they are counted from the station's 10% date. When a guide gives no last date, the window closes early enough for the crop's longest days to harvest before the first fall frost. When a guide gives no first date for a fall planting, no fall window is shown. "Season too short" means the guide's window would close before it opens at this station's frost dates.
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