The Best Vegetables to Grow in Oregon
By Joy Brown ; Updated September 21, 2017
baby Jalapeno chilli pepper plants in nature image by Elena Moiseeva from Fotolia.com
Oregon has one of the most diverse climates in the United States, which makes vegetable gardening challenging to those who aren't aware of which varieties grow best in its six USDA plant hardiness zones. Some of its Pacific coast areas include rain forests, while high desert regions encompass the sparsely populated southeastern part of the state. Along with the Pacific ocean, the Cascade mountain range also influences growing regions. The diversity, however, means many vegetables thrive.
Snap Beans
Snap beans grow best in full sun and well-drained soil that is crumbly and warmed to 50 degrees Fahrenheit and higher. Plant snap beans in May along the coast and western valleys, and in April in other parts of the state. They like moderate fertilizing and moisture, but do not grow well in areas that puddle.
Summer squash is a hardy, warm-season vegetable that grows well in Oregon when the weather is warm and frost-free. Bushy plants are vigorous growers and producers if they are grown in soil that is well-drained. Start seeds indoors four weeks before transplanting in May throughout the state. Fruit should be picked before it ripens and the rind hardens, usually before it grows more than 8 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Several varieties are grown in the home garden, from Embassy zucchini to early yellow summer crookneck.
This root vegetable is planted earlier than warm-season crops. They can be planted starting in January along the coast, in March in the western valleys, in April along the state's northern edge, and at higher elevations in central and eastern Oregon. Deep, loose soil that is well-drained but retains moderate moisture is necessary for optimal growth. They do not grow well in very acidic soil.
Peppers are tropical in origin, and so need to be planted in May throughout the state after the danger of frost has passed. They grow best in full sun and in temperatures that are 80 F and warmer.
These cool-season vegetables can be started about 10 weeks before planting commences in January along the coast, in February in on the north central edge and eastern edge in the middle, in March in the western valleys and in May at higher central and eastern elevations. Preparing soil with fertilizer rich in phosphorous and fertilizing once plants are established will help onions grow. Varieties that grow best in Oregon are "long day" types that form bulbs when day length reaches 14 to 16 hours.
University of Illinois Extension: Summer Squash
Oregon State University Extension Service: Planting Guidelines
Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service: Growing Beans in the Home Vegetable Garden
University of Minnesota Extension: Growing Carrots and Other Root Vegetables in the Garden
Growing Peppers: How to Grow Peppers
Joy Brown is a newspaper reporter at "The Courier" and www.thecourier.com in Findlay, Ohio. She has been writing professionally since 1995, primarily in Findlay and previously at the "Galion (Ohio) Inquirer" and "Toledo City Paper." Brown holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and history from Miami University.
What Vegetables Can I Plant in March?
Grow Beans
Grow Garbanzo Beans
Fall Garden Vegetables in Louisiana
What Vegetables Are Easy to Grow in a Michigan Back Yard?
The Best Vegetables to Grow in Ohio
Grow Vegetables in Roseburg, OR
When to Plant a Vegetable Garden in Oklahoma?
The Best Vegetables to Grow in Washington State
Vegetables to Grow in North Carolina
What Vegetables Can You Plant in July in Mississippi?
Vegetable Planting Times in Florida
The Best Vegetables for a Kansas Garden
Vegetables That Grow Well in Massachusetts
What are the Best Vegetables to Grow in the State of Oregon?
Vegetables That Grow Well in Abilene, Texas
Which Vegetables Grow Best in North Carolina?
Vegetables That Grow Well in Western Montana