← Oregon growing regions
Growing on the Oregon Coast
The mildest winters in Oregon: 49 of 72 coastal ZIPs are zone 9a and eleven reach 9b, the warmest in the state. Those 9b ZIPs run from Brookings to Pacific City rather than clustering in the south, so this is a coastal effect down the whole shore, not a southern one.
Astoria · Tillamook · Newport · Coos Bay · Brookings
- USDA zones
- 8b to 9b
- ZIP codes
- 72
- Frost-free days
- 198–255
- Weather stations
- 3
What the weather stations record
One station per hardiness zone in the region, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals. They disagree, and the disagreement is the useful part: it tells you the region has more than one answer.
| Station | Zone | Last spring frost | Safe after | First autumn frost | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CORVALLIS WATER BUREAU, OR US20 km from 97324 | 8b | April 17 | May 5 | November 1 | 198 days |
| TIDEWATER, OR US12 km from 97394 | 9a | March 16 | April 23 | November 26 | 255 days |
| BANDON 2 NNE, OR US4 km from 97411 | 9b | March 25 | April 21 | November 21 | 241 days |
A sowing calendar for growing on the Oregon Coast
Counted from the median station in the region, BANDON 2 NNE, OR US, where frost is usually finished by March 25 and returns around November 21. Stations in this region range from 198 to 255 frost-free days, so shift these dates if you are at the cold end.
| Crop | What to do, and when |
|---|---|
| Spinach |
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| Peas |
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| Onions (from sets) |
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| Green onions (scallions) |
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| Lettuce |
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| Kale |
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| Radish |
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| Beets |
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| Broccoli |
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| Cabbage |
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| Carrots |
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| Potatoes |
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| Chard |
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| Beans (bush) |
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| Summer squash and zucchini |
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| Cucumber |
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| Tomatoes |
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| Garlic |
|
These are frost dates, not heat. A long season is not the same as a warm one, and on the Oregon coast the two come apart further than anywhere else in the state: there is room in the calendar for a pepper and rarely enough summer to ripen it.
How much room the slowest crops have
Days of slack between a crop finishing and the first autumn frost, at this region’s shortest station. Every one of these finishes somewhere in Oregon; the number is how much margin you have if the season runs short.
- Potatoes92 days spare
- Tomatoes99 days spare
- Onions (from sets)116 days spare
- Cucumber119 days spare
- Cabbage122 days spare
- Broccoli127 days spare
- Summer squash and zucchini129 days spare
- Beans (bush)131 days spare
Farm rooted clothing · Est. 2005
The guides are free. The shop is the business.
Sun & Rain Works is a small apparel outfit in Eugene, Oregon, with agricultural roots and a slow path toward farming. The oregon coast growing guide you just read comes from the same place as the shirts.