Some of the best vegetables to grow in Portland, Oregon, including cabbages, broccoli, beets, and other greens. Portland, Oregon is known for its scenic views, majestic waterfalls, and picturesque hiking trails. However, among these things, Portland is also known as a gardener’s paradise. It’s all due to the wide variety of plants that thrive in the area.
Although Oregon often experiences cold spells lasting for weeks, the temperatures are mild most of the year. Aside from the temperature, irrigation, soil types, nutrients, and care, other important factors affect the growth of your plants.
Location is another essential factor to consider when planning your gardening activities, especially during fall and winter seasons. For your plants to survive, they need to adapt to the microclimate and the local climate.
You can check the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to know the climate and hardiness zone in your region. Using this map, you can see the different types of plants that best grow in your area and the average minimum temperatures. Portland generally has hot, dry summers and cold, bitter winters.
Best Vegetables to Grow in Portland Oregon
Here are some of the best vegetables to grow in Portland, Oregon:
Broccoli
It’s easy to grow broccoli in Portland, Oregon. Broccolis thrive in cooler areas, and it’s not a fan of excessive heat. You can grow it from transplants, starting from seedlings. However, broccolis need a lot of water. The soil should remain moist throughout the growing season.
Broccolis attract harmful pests, including cabbage worms, root maggots, and aphids, so make sure to watch out for these critters.
Beets
Just like broccoli, beets are a cool-season vegetable. They can even survive near-freezing temperatures! Beets grow quickly in well-prepared soil, and you can harvest them about two months after planting. Unlike other plants, you don’t have to deal with pests and disease problems when growing beets.
Greens
If you think you can’t plant greens in Portland’s cool climate, think again. Many green leafy vegetables grow well in Portland, such as spinach, arugula, kale, and chard. Since you’re growing greens mainly for their leaves, you need to make sure that your soil contains plenty of nitrogen. Don’t forget to water them as well so they would grow fast. If your plant grows slowly, its leaves may turn out tough.
While greens can grow in Portland, they can thrive better inside greenhouses. This allows your plants to stay clean and protected from rain and hail.
Lettuce
Lettuce can easily grow in Portland, Oregon. You can directly plant the seeds in your garden, but it’s easier if you plant it indoors. Lettuces don’t need direct sunlight to germinate. Additionally, you can easily transplant the seedlings.
As with other types of greens, it’s important to protect your lettuce from heavy rain and hail. Your soil should be consistently moist, and it should contain plenty of nitrogen to grow the best lettuce. Otherwise, it will taste bitter.
Cabbage
Cabbages also grow well in cool temperatures. Growing them in humid areas may cause their heads to split before you get to harvest it. Since you need the cabbage for its leaves, the soil should also have a lot of nitrogen, and you should water it consistently.
Potatoes
Potatoes are easy to grow, especially in light, sandy soil with minimal fertilizer and water. Plant your potato patch in sunny areas where they could (ideally) get at least six hours of sunlight per day for the best results.
Carrots
Carrots prefer to be planted in deep, loose soil during cool temperatures, preferably early spring and late fall. If planted in heavy soil, your carrots will mature slowly, resulting in unattractive and rough roots. Carrots should be seeded directly, and the soil should be kept moist, so the surface never crusts over. You can place coconut fibers on top to retain moisture.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes need at least eight hours of sun exposure. These plants have a long growing season, so it’s best to transplant them rather than seeding them directly into the garden. To grow sweet tomatoes, make sure to get the right balance of sun and heat. Since Oregon has a cooler climate, it’s best to grow your tomatoes in a greenhouse so you’ll be able to control the temperature.
Growing Crops in a Greenhouse
Greenhouses enable you to control the climate inside the greenhouse, regardless of the current weather. This allows you to grow different types of plants that never would’ve survived in your area. You can even customize your greenhouse by adding heating and cooling system, lights and shades, and ventilation.
If you have larger greenhouses, you can divide them to create climate zones. In this way, you can grow different types of plants within the same structure.
Many plants cannot survive in freezing temperatures, so be sure to pick your harvest immediately. You can protect immature fruits from mild frost by using baskets, burlap, blankets, or canvas sacks. Since Oregon is prone to heavy rains, your leafy plants are more vulnerable to pests and diseases.
Heavy rainstorms can saturate the soil, attracting slugs, and encouraging the spread of leaf diseases. Protect your garden from unwanted pests, rain, wind, and hail by using greenhouses.
Other advantages of growing plants in a greenhouse include the following:
- longer growing seasons
- create an ideal growth environment
- grow plants without dangerous pesticides
- save energy