Extension ServiceWhen to start seeds indoors in Oregon
If winter is the time to plan a garden and order seeds, early spring is the time to start wondering: When to plant? This table can help you figure out when to start your seeds indoors and when to set them out in your garden.
Follow these steps:
- Write the average frost-free date in column 1.
- Most gardeners in central Oregon use May 31, but use the date most applicable to your area.
- Count back (or ahead) using the numbers in column 2 to determine the outdoor planting date. Write that number in column 3.
- Count back from that date using the numbers in column 4 to determine the indoor sowing date.
Beans and lettuce are listed below as examples of the central Oregon frost-free date.
| Crop | Frost-free date | Weeks to set out | Set-out date | Weeks to grow indoors | Sow date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beans | 05/31 | +1 | 06/07 | -4 | 05/10 |
| Broccoli | -4 | -6 | |||
| Brussels sprouts | -4 | -6 | |||
| Cabbage | -5 | -6 | |||
| Cauliflower | -2 | -6 | |||
| Corn | 0 | -4 | |||
| Cucumbers | +1 | -3 | |||
| Kale | -5 | -6 | |||
| Leeks | -5 | -10 | |||
| Lettuce | 05/31 | -2 | 05/17 | -5 | 04/12 |
| Melons | +2 | -3 | |||
| Onions | -6 | -10 | |||
| Peas | -4 | -4 | |||
| Peppers | +2 | -8 | |||
| Squash | +2 | -3 | |||
| Tomatoes | 0 | -8 |
Previously titled
Seed starting schedule
