Eugene, Oregon: planting zone & frost dates
Eugene is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 15 to 20°F (-9.4 to -6.7°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 25 and the first fall frost around Oct 15.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | May 9 | Oct 6 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 25 | Oct 15 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 11 | Oct 23 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station EUGENE MAHLON SWEET AP, OR (USW00024221), 7.0 mi (11.3 km) from the city center and 59 ft lower than the city center (-18 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 25 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Eugene
All 6 ZIP codes covering Eugene are in zone 8b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Eugene
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 25, first frost Oct 15). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | May 2 – May 16 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | May 9 – May 23 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 14 – Mar 28 | Apr 11 – May 2 | Mar 28 – May 9 | Aug 6 – Sep 3 |
| Green Beans | — | — | May 2 – Jun 6 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | May 2 – May 30 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 28 – Apr 4 | May 2 – May 16 | May 2 – May 23 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Cucumber | Mar 28 – Apr 4 | May 9 – May 16 | May 2 – May 23 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Carrot | — | — | Apr 4 – May 9 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Onion | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 14 – Mar 28 | May 9 – May 23 | May 9 – May 30 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 14 – Apr 11 | Aug 20 – Sep 17 |
| Kale | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | Aug 6 – Sep 3 |
| Broccoli | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Apr 11 – May 2 | — | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 14 – Apr 4 | Aug 6 – Aug 20 |
| Eggplant | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | May 9 – May 23 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | — | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 21 – May 9 | Sep 3 – Oct 1 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Apr 4 – May 16 | Aug 6 – Aug 20 |
Nearby cities in Oregon
- Salem — zone 8b, last frost Apr 13, first frost Oct 26
- Beaverton — zone 9a, last frost Apr 11, first frost Oct 29
- Hillsboro — zone 8b, last frost Apr 25, first frost Oct 14
- Portland — zone 9a, last frost Mar 6, first frost Nov 22
- Gresham — zone 9a, last frost Mar 27, first frost Nov 9
- Medford — zone 8b, last frost Apr 18, first frost Oct 23
More: all Oregon cities · other zone 8b cities: Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX, El Paso, TX, Virginia Beach, VA, Arlington, TX, Plano, TX, Irving, TX, Garland, TX
Eugene gardening questions
When is the last frost in Eugene, OR?
Plan around Apr 25. At NOAA's Eugene Mahlon Sweet Airport, OR station, 7.0 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Apr 11, and after May 9 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 3. Springs here are erratic: 55 days separate the 90% and 10% dates, versus a median of 36 days for cities on this site, so watch the forecast rather than the calendar.
When should I plant tomatoes in Eugene, OR?
Start seeds indoors Feb 28 – Mar 14 and set transplants outside May 2 – May 16, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 173 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Eugene?
About 196 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 162 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 227 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 6 and a 30% chance by Oct 15. That ranks 6th longest of 8 Oregon cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Eugene?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 15): transplant broccoli Jul 23 – Aug 6; sow kale Aug 6 – Sep 3; sow lettuce Aug 6 – Sep 3; sow radishes Sep 3 – Oct 1. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 11. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Eugene's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Eugene is zone 8b on both the 2012 and the 2023 USDA maps (PRISM/OSU ZIP listings). About 42% of U.S. ZIP codes kept their half-zone in 2023. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Eugene compare with Salem, OR?
Both are in zone 8b. The typical last spring frost in Eugene (Apr 25) comes about 12 days later than in Salem, OR (Apr 13), 60 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 15 versus Oct 26. Eugene sits about 237 ft higher, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.