Fall in zone 8bPhoto: George Chernilevsky, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 97212 (Portland, OR)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Portland Kgw-tv, OR (3 miles away).
- Average last spring frostFeb 2550% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostDec 150% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)280 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone8b15 to 20°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
4-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 97212 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
No soil reading near this ZIP. Typical extension timing for your region: spring March to April.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: Pacific Northwest (west of the Cascades). Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Perennial ryegrass (cool-season): Early fall: September; Late fall: October–November; Overseeded Bermuda: Light feeding once the winter rye is established, if needed. Avoid: Summer feeding.
Plant now
- Lettuce: fall sowing Sep 22–Oct 20
- Lettuce: fall transplant Oct 6–27
- Spinach: fall sowing Oct 6–27
- Bok choy / Asian greens: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Arugula: fall sowing Oct 6–Nov 3
- Mustard greens: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Cilantro: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Dill: fall sowing Oct 6–20
- Strawberry (plants): fall transplant Sep 22–Oct 20
Coming up in the next 3 weeks
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Dec 1: skip heavy pruning in the 6–8 weeks before it, because new growth may not harden off in time.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Jan 24 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Feb 25 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | Mar 21 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Nov 10 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Dec 1 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Dec 27 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | Mar 29 | Nov 12 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Feb 25 | Dec 1 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Jan 31 | Dec 20 |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 97212
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Feb 25) and first fall frost (Dec 1). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Dec 31–Jan 14 | Mar 4–18 (transplant) | Aug 4–Sep 1 (transplant) |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Dec 17–31 | Mar 11–25 (transplant) | Aug 11–Sep 1 (transplant) |
| Eggplant | Dec 17–31 | Mar 11–25 (transplant) | Aug 11–Sep 1 (transplant) |
| Tomatillo | Dec 31–Jan 14 | Mar 4–18 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Dec 31–Jan 14 | Feb 4–25 (transplant) Jan 28–Mar 11 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–27 (transplant) Sep 22–Oct 20 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Jan 14–Feb 4 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–27 (sowing) |
| Kale | Dec 31–Jan 14 | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) Jan 28–Feb 11 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–Oct 6 (transplant) Aug 25–Sep 22 (sowing) |
| Collards | Dec 31–Jan 14 | Jan 28–Feb 25 (transplant) Jan 28–Feb 25 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–Oct 6 (transplant) Aug 25–Sep 22 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Dec 17–31 | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 22 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Dec 17–31 | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 22 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Dec 17–31 | Feb 11–25 (transplant) | Aug 25–Sep 22 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Dec 3–17 | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) | Aug 11–Sep 1 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Dec 31–Jan 14 | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) Jan 28–Feb 11 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Jan 28–Feb 11 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Jan 28–Feb 25 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Jan 28–Feb 18 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Jan 14–28 | Feb 11–Mar 4 (transplant) Feb 11–Mar 11 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Jan 28–Feb 25 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Feb 4–Mar 4 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Jan 21–Mar 4 (sow outdoors) | Oct 20–Nov 3 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Jan 28–Feb 18 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Feb 4–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Dec 31–Jan 28 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Dec 3–17 | Jan 14–28 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Jan 14–Feb 11 (sow outdoors) | Sep 22–Oct 6 (sowing) |
| Leek | Dec 3–17 | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 20–Nov 17 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Jan 14–28 (transplant) | Oct 20–Nov 17 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) | Aug 11–25 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | Mar 18–Apr 1 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | Mar 4–18 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Bean, pole | – | Mar 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | Mar 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | Mar 18–Apr 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Jan 28–Feb 4 | Mar 4–18 (transplant) Mar 4–18 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Jan 28–Feb 4 | Mar 4–18 (transplant) Mar 4–18 (sow outdoors) | Sep 8–22 (sowing) |
| Winter squash | Jan 28–Feb 4 | Mar 4–18 (transplant) Mar 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | Mar 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Jan 28–Feb 4 | Mar 11–25 (transplant) Mar 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Jan 28–Feb 4 | Mar 11–25 (transplant) Mar 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Jan 14–28 | Mar 11–25 (transplant) Mar 11–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Dec 3–17 | Mar 4–11 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Jan 14–28 | Mar 4–18 (transplant) Mar 4–18 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Feb 11–Mar 11 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Dec 17–31 | Feb 11–25 (transplant) Feb 4–25 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Feb 25–Mar 11 (sow outdoors) | Oct 6–20 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Feb 25–Mar 11 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Jan 28–Feb 11 (transplant) | Sep 22–Oct 20 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Portland Kgw-tv, OR (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USC00356749), elevation 159 ft, 2.9 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: R (representative, 10+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland Intl AP, OR | 4 mi | Mar 13 | Nov 19 |
| Portland WFO, OR | 5 mi | Mar 13 | Nov 22 |
| Vancouver Pearson AP, WA | 5 mi | Mar 29 | Nov 9 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 35 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 97212
When is the last frost in 97212?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 97212 is February 25. For a more cautious planting date, use March 21, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 97212?
The average first fall freeze is December 1. In 1 year in 10 it comes by November 10.
What hardiness zone is 97212?
ZIP 97212 is in USDA zone 8b (15 to 20°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 97212 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
97232 Portland 97227 Portland 97208 Portland 97214 Portland 97213 Portland 97209 Portland 97204 Portland 97258 Portland
Other ZIP codes in Multnomah County
97019 97024 97030 97060 97080 97201 97202 97203 97204 97205 97206 97208 97209 97210 97211 97213 97214 97215 97216 97217 97218 97219 97220 97221 All Multnomah County frost dates · Oregon frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
- Soil-temp heads-up
- Weekly yard to-dos
Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.