In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Portland planting calendar
Bars show when each crop can go in and when a planting from that window is ready. The blue band is the frost season, from the average first autumn frost to the average last spring frost. Hover or tap a crop for details.
Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday
Swipe sideways to see the whole year →
Dates by crop
| Crop | Sow indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Apr 4 – May 9 | May 30 – Jul 19 plant out | Aug 4 – Oct 7 |
| Pepper | Apr 2 – May 7 | Jun 11 – Jul 15 plant out | Aug 15 – Oct 7 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Apr 9 – May 14 | Jun 18 – Jul 11 plant out | Aug 24 – Oct 7 |
| Cucumber | May 8 – Jun 4 | Jun 5 – Jul 31 sow | Jul 26 – Oct 7 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | May 2 – May 29 | May 30 – Aug 4 sow | Jul 19 – Oct 7 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | May 2 – May 29 | May 30 – Jun 28 sow | Aug 29 – Oct 14 |
| Watermelon | May 21 – Jun 14 | Jun 18 – Jul 5 sow | Aug 29 – Oct 7 |
| Sweet corn | – | May 19 – Jul 14 sow | Aug 7 – Oct 7 |
| Green beans | – | May 30 – Jul 31 sow | Jul 23 – Oct 7 |
| Peas | – | Apr 13 – May 17, Jul 25 – Aug 18 sow | Jun 27 – Aug 6, Sep 12 – Oct 22 |
| Lettuce | Mar 4 – Apr 1 | Apr 8 – Jun 17, Jul 10 – Aug 30 sow | Jun 15 – Oct 25 |
| Spinach | – | Apr 3 – Jun 4, Aug 11 – Sep 6 sow | Jun 10 – Aug 5, Sep 15 – Nov 14 |
| Kale | Feb 25 – Apr 1 | Apr 8 – Aug 26 sow | Jun 22 – Nov 29 |
| Cabbage | Mar 1 – Apr 5 | Apr 19 – Aug 14 plant out | Jul 5 – Nov 5 |
| Broccoli | Mar 1 – Apr 5 | Apr 19 – Aug 20 plant out | Jun 28 – Oct 29 |
| Carrots | – | Apr 19 – Aug 19 sow | Jul 2 – Nov 29 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Apr 19 – Aug 25 sow | Jun 24 – Nov 5 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 8 – Jun 30, Jul 24 – Sep 18 sow | May 27 – Aug 3, Aug 14 – Oct 29 |
| Onions | Feb 2 – Mar 9 | Apr 13 – Jul 21 plant out | Jul 22 – Oct 15 |
| Garlic | – | Sep 28 – Oct 29 sow | Jun 22 – Jul 12 |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 24 – Jul 24 sow | Jul 22 – Oct 15 |
| Swiss chard | – | Apr 24 – Aug 29 sow | Jun 22 – Nov 5 |
| Basil | Apr 30 – May 28 | Jun 11 – Aug 20 plant out | Jul 10 – Oct 7 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Apr 19 – Jun 22, Jul 16 – Sep 8 sow | Jun 9 – Oct 29 |
| Parsley | Feb 27 – Apr 3 | Apr 24 – Aug 15 sow | Jul 7 – Nov 14 |
Dates are for a typical year and the middle of the window is the safest. Sow a little at a time across a window rather than all at once. Cold snaps, heat waves, frost pockets and city warmth all shift the real dates; watch the forecast.
Frost dates in Portland
- Average last spring frost
- April 26
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- May 7
- Average first autumn frost
- October 15
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 2
- Frost-free growing season
- 171 days
“Average” is the date with an even chance of a later (spring) or earlier (autumn) frost: a night at or below 0 °C (32 °F) at screen height. Tender crops go out a week or two after the spring date, which brings the risk down to about one year in ten.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Portland Jetport (4 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 6a from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -23°C-9°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 27°C80°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -10°C14°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 25 of 25
The zone follows the USDA scheme: bands of the average lowest temperature of the year, 10 °F wide, split into a and b halves. Worked out from the coldest night of each year 1991–2020 at the NOAA station. It tells you which perennials survive winter, not when to sow.
Temperature and rain by month
Average highAverage lowRainFreezing point
| Month | High | Low | Mean | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0°C32°F | -10°C14°F | -5°C23°F | 91 mm3.6 in |
| February | 2°C36°F | -9°C16°F | -3°C26°F | 85 mm3.3 in |
| March | 6°C43°F | -4°C25°F | 1°C34°F | 108 mm4.2 in |
| April | 12°C54°F | 2°C35°F | 7°C45°F | 116 mm4.6 in |
| May | 19°C66°F | 7°C45°F | 13°C55°F | 95 mm3.7 in |
| June | 24°C75°F | 12°C54°F | 18°C64°F | 92 mm3.6 in |
| July | 27°C80°F | 16°C60°F | 21°C70°F | 80 mm3.1 in |
| August | 26°C79°F | 15°C59°F | 21°C69°F | 79 mm3.1 in |
| September | 22°C72°F | 11°C51°F | 16°C62°F | 84 mm3.3 in |
| October | 16°C60°F | 5°C40°F | 10°C50°F | 132 mm5.2 in |
| November | 9°C48°F | 0°C31°F | 4°C40°F | 107 mm4.2 in |
| December | 3°C38°F | -6°C22°F | -1°C30°F | 118 mm4.6 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).