What this guide covers
The Pacific Northwest spans USDA hardiness zones 5b through 9b between the Cascade divide, with frost-free growing seasons ranging from 126 days east of the Cascades to 259 days on the mildest coastal margins. The region’s defining characteristic is not cold severity (PNW winters are mild compared to equivalent zones elsewhere) but light deficit and persistent moisture. West-side gardens receive 37–60 inches of annual rainfall concentrated in October through May, with dry summers that require irrigation precisely when warm-season crops need it most.
The book contains 24,200 words across these sections:
Month-by-month planting calendars
Four sub-regional schedules (Western WA, Western OR, Willamette Valley, East of Cascades) addressing the fundamental split between the maritime west side and the continental east side. Cool-season crop windows extend from September through May on the west side, longer than most regions’ entire growing seasons.
20+ vegetable profiles
Variety recommendations selected for cool-summer performance, low-light tolerance, and disease resistance under high-moisture conditions. Includes heat-unit requirements for warm-season crops so gardeners can assess feasibility in cooler microclimates.
Regional growing strategies
- Year-round production planning: the PNW cool season is a second growing season producing brassicas, alliums, and root crops from October through April
- Moisture management: raised-bed drainage engineering, slug and mildew prevention, and soil compaction avoidance during wet months
- Warm-season crop selection for cool summers: variety maturity thresholds, heat accumulation data, and wall-of-water / cloche techniques quantified by zone
- Organic and IPM approaches suited to the PNW’s lower pest pressure but higher fungal disease risk
- Container and urban strategies for Portland, Seattle, and high-density coastal communities
Who this guide is for
Gardeners in Oregon and Washington (USDA zones 5b–9b) who need schedules and variety guidance specific to the PNW’s maritime and continental microclimates rather than generic warm-summer national advice.
The guide includes variety recommendations for PNW maritime and continental conditions. Available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon. Not sure which zone you garden in? Enter your ZIP code on the Gardening by Zone home page to look it up.