Medford, Oregon: planting zone & frost dates
Medford is in USDA plant hardiness zone 8b, where the average coldest winter night reaches 15 to 20°F (-9.4 to -6.7°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 18 and the first fall frost around Oct 23.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 30 | Oct 14 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 18 | Oct 23 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 8 | Oct 29 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station MEDFORD ROGUE VLY AP, OR (USW00024225), 3.3 mi (5.3 km) from the city center and 138 ft lower than the city center (-42 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 26 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Medford
All 3 ZIP codes covering Medford are in zone 8b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Medford
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 18, first frost Oct 23). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | Apr 25 – May 9 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | May 2 – May 16 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 7 – Mar 21 | Apr 4 – Apr 25 | Mar 21 – May 2 | Aug 14 – Sep 11 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 25 – May 30 | Jul 31 – Aug 14 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 25 – May 23 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 21 – Mar 28 | Apr 25 – May 9 | Apr 25 – May 16 | Jul 31 – Aug 14 |
| Cucumber | Mar 21 – Mar 28 | May 2 – May 9 | Apr 25 – May 16 | Jul 31 – Aug 14 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 28 – May 2 | Jul 31 – Aug 14 |
| Onion | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 7 – Mar 21 | May 2 – May 16 | May 2 – May 23 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 7 – Apr 4 | Aug 28 – Sep 25 |
| Kale | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | Aug 14 – Sep 11 |
| Broccoli | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | Apr 4 – Apr 25 | — | Jul 31 – Aug 14 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 7 – Mar 28 | Aug 14 – Aug 28 |
| Eggplant | Feb 7 – Feb 21 | May 2 – May 16 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | — | Jul 31 – Aug 14 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 14 – May 2 | Sep 11 – Oct 9 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 21 – Apr 11 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 28 – May 9 | Aug 14 – Aug 28 |
Nearby cities in Oregon
- Eugene — zone 8b, last frost Apr 25, first frost Oct 15
- Bend — zone 6b, last frost Jun 14, first frost Sep 12
- Salem — zone 8b, last frost Apr 13, first frost Oct 26
- Beaverton — zone 9a, last frost Apr 11, first frost Oct 29
- Hillsboro — zone 8b, last frost Apr 25, first frost Oct 14
- Gresham — zone 9a, last frost Mar 27, first frost Nov 9
More: all Oregon cities · other zone 8b cities: Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX, El Paso, TX, Virginia Beach, VA, Arlington, TX, Plano, TX, Irving, TX, Garland, TX
Medford gardening questions
When is the last frost in Medford, OR?
Plan around Apr 18. At NOAA's Medford Rogue Vly Airport, OR station, 3.3 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Apr 8, and after Apr 30 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 10. The 90% and 10% dates are 44 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Medford, OR?
Start seeds indoors Feb 21 – Mar 7 and set transplants outside Apr 25 – May 9, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 188 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Medford?
About 204 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 176 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 232 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 14 and a 30% chance by Oct 23. That ranks 5th longest of 8 Oregon cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Medford?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 23): transplant broccoli Jul 31 – Aug 14; sow kale Aug 14 – Sep 11; sow lettuce Aug 14 – Sep 11; sow radishes Sep 11 – Oct 9. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 13. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Medford's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Medford was zone 8a on the 2012 map and is zone 8b on the 2023 map — half a zone warmer, like about 56% of U.S. ZIP codes. The shift comes from a newer 1991–2020 averaging period plus more weather stations and better mapping; it does not mean last frost comes earlier. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Medford compare with Eugene, OR?
Both are in zone 8b. The typical last spring frost in Medford (Apr 18) comes about 7 days earlier than in Eugene, OR (Apr 25), 120 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 23 versus Oct 15. Medford sits about 1,020 ft higher, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.