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When to plant in Happy Valley, OR

USDA Zone 8b

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

A generous ~245-day season lets Happy Valley gardeners direct-sow more and still ripen long-maturity crops like melons and winter squash. Zone 8b means many perennials and even some tender shrubs overwinter in Happy Valley, while your frost dates still decide when annuals go out.

Station · OREGON CITY · 11.5 km
Last spring frost
March 18
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
November 18
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
245 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Happy ValleyA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Happy Valley: last spring frost around March 18, first fall frost around November 18, about 245 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

OREGON CITY · 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 Happy Valley’s own odds, recorded at OREGON CITY.

Frost-probability curves for Happy ValleyProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around March 18 and the first fall frost around November 18, giving about 245 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°FMay 4Apr 15Mar 26Oct 16Oct 31Nov 20
32°FApr 11Mar 18Feb 19Oct 30Nov 18Dec 12
28°FMar 7Feb 12Jan 1Nov 16Dec 8Jan 5

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

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowin 10 days
Brussels Sprouts
July 29August 12
Fall sowin 24 days
Rutabaga
August 12August 26

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 Happy Valley, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 15 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.

OREGON CITY
Primary
11 km · 51 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 18
FALL
Nov 18
PORTLAND WFO
14 km · 6 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 13
FALL
Nov 22
PORTLAND TROUTDALE AP
15 km · 9 m elevation
SPRING
Mar 16
FALL
Nov 20

Happy Valley planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Happy Valley, OR?

On average, the last spring frost in Happy Valley is around March 18 (50% probability at 32°F, from 1991–2020 NOAA normals). Wait until after this date to set out tender plants like tomatoes and peppers.

When is the first fall frost in Happy Valley, OR?

The first fall frost in Happy Valley typically arrives around November 18 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is Happy Valley in?

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

How long is the growing season in Happy Valley?

There are roughly 245 frost-free days in Happy Valley (a long growing season), running from the average last frost around March 18 to the first fall frost near November 18.

When should I plant tomatoes in Happy Valley?

In Happy Valley, start tomato seeds indoors around January 21–February 4, then transplant seedlings outdoors around March 25 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Happy Valley

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at OREGON CITY, 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 Happy Valley, OR — Frost Dates & Zone 8b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00356334. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/oregon/happy-valley.
When to Plant in Happy Valley, OR — Frost Dates & Zone 8b — BlissGarden