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When to plant in Eugene, OR

USDA Zone 8b

Everything below — frost dates, hardiness zone, and what to plant when in Eugene, Oregon — is derived from the closest NOAA station with complete climate normals.

Zone 8b means many perennials and even some tender shrubs overwinter in Eugene, while your frost dates still decide when annuals go out.

Station · EUGENE MAHLON SWEET AP · 11.3 km
Last spring frost
April 11
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 23
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
195 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for EugeneA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Eugene: last spring frost around April 11, first fall frost around October 23, about 195 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

The average last spring frost in Eugene is now 7 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →

Frost probability

EUGENE MAHLON SWEET AP · 1991–2020

The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Eugene’s own odds, recorded at EUGENE MAHLON SWEET AP.

Frost-probability curves for EugeneProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 11 and the first fall frost around October 23, giving about 195 frost-free days.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FJun 8May 15Apr 24Sep 18Oct 7Oct 24
32°FMay 9Apr 11Mar 15Oct 6Oct 23Nov 13
28°FMar 30Mar 3Feb 2Oct 20Nov 11Dec 12

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowopen now
Rutabaga
July 17July 31
Fall sowin 12 days
Broccoli
July 31August 14
Fall sowin 12 days
Cabbage
July 31August 14
Fall sowin 12 days
Carrot
July 31August 14
Fall sowin 12 days
Cauliflower
July 31August 14
Fall sowin 12 days
Napa Cabbage
July 31August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Beet
August 14August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Collards
August 14September 11
Fall sowin 26 days
Endive
August 14August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Escarole
August 14August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Fennel (Bulb)
August 14August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Kale
August 14September 11
Fall sowin 26 days
Kohlrabi
August 14September 11
Fall sowin 26 days
Peas
August 14August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Radicchio
August 14August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Swiss Chard
August 14August 28
Fall sowin 26 days
Turnip
August 14September 11

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Eugene, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 30 km · complete 32°F normals

When stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.

EUGENE MAHLON SWEET AP
Primary
11 km · 108 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 11
FALL
Oct 23
FERN RIDGE-VENETA
20 km · 148 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 18
FALL
Oct 25
COTTAGE GROVE 2E
30 km · 181 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 24
FALL
Oct 25

Eugene planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Eugene, OR?

Plan for the last spring frost in Eugene around April 11 (the date it has a 50% chance of a 32°F freeze). Anything frost-sensitive should go out after it.

When is the first fall frost in Eugene, OR?

The first fall frost in Eugene typically arrives around October 23 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is Eugene in?

Eugene is in USDA hardiness zone 8b. In zone 8b, winters are mild — many tender perennials overwinter here.

How long is the growing season in Eugene?

There are roughly 195 frost-free days in Eugene (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around April 11 to the first fall frost near October 23.

When should I plant tomatoes in Eugene?

In Eugene, start tomato seeds indoors around February 14–February 28, then transplant seedlings outdoors around April 18 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Eugene

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Eugene’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at EUGENE MAHLON SWEET AP, 11 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Eugene, OR — Frost Dates & Zone 8b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00024221. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/oregon/eugene.
When to Plant in Eugene, OR — Frost Dates & Zone 8b — BlissGarden