Salem, Oregon: planting zone & frost dates
Salem 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 13 and the first fall frost around Oct 26.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 27 | Oct 16 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 13 | Oct 26 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 3 | Nov 1 |
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 SALEM MCNARY FLD, OR (USW00024232), 1.7 mi (2.7 km) from the city center and 26 ft higher than the city center (+8 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 21 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Salem
All 7 ZIP codes covering Salem are in zone 8b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Salem
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 13, first frost Oct 26). 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 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 20 – May 4 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Apr 27 – May 11 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Mar 16 – Apr 27 | Aug 17 – Sep 14 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 20 – May 25 | Aug 3 – Aug 17 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 20 – May 18 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 16 – Mar 23 | Apr 20 – May 4 | Apr 20 – May 11 | Aug 3 – Aug 17 |
| Cucumber | Mar 16 – Mar 23 | Apr 27 – May 4 | Apr 20 – May 11 | Aug 3 – Aug 17 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 23 – Apr 27 | Aug 3 – Aug 17 |
| Onion | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Apr 27 – May 11 | Apr 27 – May 18 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 2 – Mar 30 | Aug 31 – Sep 28 |
| Kale | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | Aug 17 – Sep 14 |
| Broccoli | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | — | Aug 3 – Aug 17 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 2 – Mar 23 | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| Eggplant | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Apr 27 – May 11 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | — | Aug 3 – Aug 17 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 9 – Apr 27 | Sep 14 – Oct 12 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 23 – May 4 | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
Nearby cities in Oregon
- 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
- Eugene — zone 8b, last frost Apr 25, first frost Oct 15
- Bend — zone 6b, last frost Jun 14, first frost Sep 12
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
Salem gardening questions
When is the last frost in Salem, OR?
Plan around Apr 13. At NOAA's Salem Mcnary Field, OR station, 1.7 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 3, and after Apr 27 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 2. Springs here are erratic: 48 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 Salem, OR?
Start seeds indoors Feb 16 – Mar 2 and set transplants outside Apr 20 – May 4, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 196 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 Salem?
About 212 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 183 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 245 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 16 and a 30% chance by Oct 26. That ranks 4th longest of 8 Oregon cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Salem?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 26): transplant broccoli Aug 3 – Aug 17; sow kale Aug 17 – Sep 14; sow lettuce Aug 17 – Sep 14; sow radishes Sep 14 – Oct 12. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 22. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Salem's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Salem 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 Salem compare with Beaverton, OR?
Salem is zone 8b and Beaverton is zone 9a. The typical last spring frost in Salem (Apr 13) comes about the same time as in Beaverton, OR (Apr 11), 40 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 26 versus Oct 29. The two cities use different NOAA stations.