When to plant lavender in Portland, Maine

April 26 – May 10

Transplant outdoors · typical Portland year

Climate basis: NOAA station Portland INTL Jetport, ME (USW00014764), 2 mi (4 km) from downtown Portland (ZCTA 04101 centroid), elevation 45 ft, on the 1991–2020 climate normals. Transplant lavender outdoors from approximately the dates above, anchored to the median last spring 32°F freeze (April 26). One year in ten still freezes after May 7.

Last spring freezeApril 261-in-10 after May 7
First fall freezeOctober 151-in-10 before Oct 2
Frost-free season170 daysmedian at 32°F
Hard freeze, 28°Apr 14Oct 27kills even hardy greens
USDA zone6a-10 to -5°F winter low not frost timing

The Portland year

Transplant outdoorsApr 26 – May 10
  • indoors under lights
  • in the garden
  • frost-free season
  • 1-in-10 years still freeze to May 7
Lavender in Portland · freeze context from Portland INTL Jetport, ME, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Transplant outdoors

Apr 26 – May 10

Utah State University Extension instructs transplanting after the last spring frost, a point rule encoded per policy as a 14-day span opening at the last-frost date; no reconciliation was needed because this is the entry's only source. Anchored to the median last spring freeze (Apr 26). Utah State University Extension

Start seeds indoors

Not calculated

The cited extension guides do not time an indoor seed-starting window for this crop.

Direct-sow outdoors

Not calculated

Utah State University Extension advises against direct seeding, stating that the germination rate is low and that seeding to transplanting takes between 100 and 200 days.

Fall planting

Not calculated

No source-backed fall planting rule exists for this crop in the registry, so no fall window is calculated.

These windows describe typical years (1991–2020 climate normals), not this year's forecast. Freezes happen outside them — especially in frost pockets, valleys, and urban edges. Watch the forecast before committing tender plants.

This week, not a typical year:
Crop rule sources (1)

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