Watering Through a Dry Spell in Oregon
Water Oregon gardens the way the summer climate actually behaves: deep soakings at the base, in the morning, spaced to match what the soil holds rather…
Gardening in Oregon
Everything we have worked out for Oregon: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Portland, the last spring freeze runs March 6 to March 21 and the first fall freeze runs November 11 to November 27, USDA zones 4a-9b, 2,942 growing degree days in the year.
Garlic does well: 17.4 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in Oregon: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
Watering Pots and Containers in Oregon
Oregon’s summer numbers are lopsided: plenty of rain falls over the year, but almost none of it shows up in July.
When to Plant Onions in Oregon
In most of Oregon, long-day onions go into the ground from late February through April, as transplants or sets, timed so the plants have several weeks of…
The Best Onion Varieties for Oregon
Long-day onions are the safe bet across most of Oregon, and a solid handful of intermediate-day varieties will also bulb reliably here.
Forcing Spring Bulbs Indoors in Oregon
Forcing spring bulbs indoors means giving a bulb its winter chill artificially, then bringing it into a warm room so it blooms weeks before it would…
Growing Spring Bulbs in Containers in Oregon
A pot of tulips or daffodils makes it through an Oregon winter only if the container gets the protection the ground gives for free: mass and insulation.
Canning at Altitude in Oregon: What Your Elevation Changes
Portland sits at 39 feet above sea level, where water boils between 208°F and 212°F.
The Best Apple Varieties for Oregon
Winter chill, apple scab pressure and frost timing decide which apple varieties fit your part of Oregon, from the Willamette Valley to the high desert.
Firewood in Oregon: Which Woods Your Winter Actually Needs
Portland’s coldest month bottoms out at a mean low of 36.2°F, just above freezing.
Watering a Garden in Oregon: How Much, How Often, and the Local Rules
West of the Cascades, Oregon runs on a simple summer script: warm, dry weeks strung together, water arriving from a hose instead of the sky.