When to plant strawberries in Portland, Oregon

January 28 – February 11

Transplant outdoors · typical Portland year

Climate basis: NOAA station Portland Kgw-tv, OR (USC00356749), 1 mi (1 km) from downtown Portland (ZCTA 97204 centroid), elevation 159 ft, on the 1991–2020 climate normals. Plant dormant strawberry crowns from approximately the dates above, anchored to the median last spring 32°F freeze (February 25). One year in ten still freezes after March 21.

Last spring freezeFebruary 251-in-10 after Mar 21

First fall freezeDecember 11-in-10 before Nov 10

Frost-free season≈ 280 daysmedian at 32°F

Hard freeze, 28°Jan 31 – Dec 20kills even hardy greens

USDA zone9a20 to 25°F winter low — not frost timing

The Portland year

Transplant outdoorsJan 28 – Feb 11

indoors under lights
in the garden
frost-free season
1-in-10 years still freeze to Mar 21

Strawberries in Portland · freeze context from Portland Kgw-tv, OR, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Transplant outdoors

Jan 28 – Feb 11

NC State: plant 1-year-old dormant plants about three or four weeks before the average last frost. Utah State: dormant bare-root plants need not wait for frost danger to pass. Span extended to 14 days. Anchored to the median last spring freeze (Feb 25). N.C. Cooperative Extension (NC State Extension, Macon County) · 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

Garden strawberries are planted as crowns/plants, not seed.

Fall planting

Not calculated

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

Variety assumption: June-bearing beds fruit the year AFTER planting (blossoms are usually removed the first season).

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 (2)

N.C. Cooperative Extension (NC State Extension, Macon County): Starting Your Strawberry Patch (accessed 2026-07-24)
"Plant 1-year old dormant plants about three or four weeks (mid-April) before the average date of the last frost."
Utah State University Extension: How to Grow Strawberries in Your Garden (accessed 2026-07-24)
"Bare root dormant plants are transplanted in early spring. Since the plants are dormant, there is no need to wait until after the risk of spring frost has passed."

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