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 3 – May 8 | May 29 – Jul 23 plant out | Aug 10 – Oct 17 |
| Pepper | Apr 8 – May 13 | Jun 17 – Jul 18 plant out | Aug 26 – Oct 17 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Apr 18 – May 19 | Jun 27 – Jul 14 plant out | Sep 9 – Oct 17 |
| Cucumber | May 11 – Jun 7 | Jun 8 – Aug 5 sow | Aug 2 – Oct 17 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | May 1 – May 28 | May 29 – Aug 9 sow | Jul 24 – Oct 17 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | May 1 – May 28 | May 29 – Jun 30 sow | Sep 6 – Nov 4 |
| Watermelon | Summers are too cool for a reliable outdoor crop. Grow it in a greenhouse or polytunnel. | ||
| Sweet corn | – | May 9 – Jul 17 sow | Aug 10 – Oct 17 |
| Green beans | – | May 29 – Aug 5 sow | Jul 28 – Oct 17 |
| Peas | – | Feb 9 – May 21, Aug 5 – Sep 2 sow | Jun 1 – Aug 10, Sep 24 – Nov 26 |
| Lettuce | Jan 9 – Feb 6 | Feb 13 – Jun 16, Jul 27 – Sep 14 sow | May 18 – Aug 20, Sep 2 – Nov 29 |
| Spinach | – | Jan 30 – Jun 7, Aug 28 – Sep 20 sow | May 9 – Aug 9, Oct 6 – Dec 19 |
| Kale | Dec 26 – Jan 30 | Feb 6 – Sep 8 sow | May 26 – Jan 3 |
| Cabbage | Jan 9 – Feb 13 | Feb 27 – Aug 27 plant out | Jun 14 – Dec 10 |
| Broccoli | Jan 9 – Feb 13 | Feb 27 – Sep 3 plant out | Jun 5 – Dec 3 |
| Carrots | – | Feb 27 – Aug 31 sow | Jun 9 – Jan 3 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Feb 27 – Sep 7 sow | May 31 – Dec 10 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 21 – Jun 30, Aug 10 – Oct 5 sow | Apr 23 – Aug 3, Aug 31 – Dec 3 |
| Onions | Dec 5 – Jan 9 | Feb 13 – Aug 6 plant out | Jul 1 – Nov 19 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 7 – Nov 10 sow | Jul 4 – Jul 24 |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 15 – Aug 10 sow | Jul 4 – Nov 19 |
| Swiss chard | – | Mar 15 – Sep 11 sow | Jun 1 – Dec 10 |
| Basil | May 6 – Jun 3 | Jun 17 – Aug 27 plant out | Jul 18 – Oct 17 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Feb 27 – Jun 22, Aug 2 – Sep 23 sow | May 10 – Aug 18, Sep 1 – Dec 3 |
| Parsley | Jan 18 – Feb 22 | Mar 15 – Aug 27 sow | Jun 18 – Dec 19 |
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
- March 13
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- April 1
- Average first autumn frost
- November 19
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 29
- Frost-free growing season
- 250 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 Intl Ap (10 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 9a from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -6°C21°F
- Warmest month
- August, highs 27°C81°F
- Coldest month
- December, lows 2°C35°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 24 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 | 8°C47°F | 2°C36°F | 5°C41°F | 150 mm5.9 in |
| February | 11°C51°F | 2°C36°F | 6°C43°F | 109 mm4.3 in |
| March | 13°C56°F | 4°C39°F | 9°C47°F | 116 mm4.6 in |
| April | 16°C61°F | 6°C42°F | 11°C52°F | 84 mm3.3 in |
| May | 20°C68°F | 8°C47°F | 14°C58°F | 62 mm2.4 in |
| June | 23°C73°F | 11°C52°F | 17°C63°F | 42 mm1.6 in |
| July | 27°C81°F | 13°C56°F | 20°C68°F | 13 mm0.5 in |
| August | 27°C81°F | 13°C55°F | 20°C68°F | 19 mm0.7 in |
| September | 24°C76°F | 10°C51°F | 17°C63°F | 37 mm1.5 in |
| October | 18°C64°F | 7°C44°F | 12°C54°F | 97 mm3.8 in |
| November | 11°C53°F | 4°C39°F | 8°C46°F | 157 mm6.2 in |
| December | 8°C46°F | 2°C35°F | 5°C41°F | 172 mm6.8 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).