Soilclock

Oregon 46°F soil temperature

Updated Nov 4, 2026, 7:41 AM EST

The middle reading of 5 Oregon cities, 2 inches down, on Nov 3. Pick a city for its forecast and lawn calendar.

Oregon cities today

Estimated daily average soil temperature at 2 inches, the difference from normal for the date, and the change over the last week. Oregon spans the transition zone, where both cool- and warm-season lawns grow and cool-season grass country.

City2 in4 invs normal7 daysCrabgrass windowFall seeding ends
Portland 50°52° −2°−3° Apr 1 – Apr 23 Oct 29
Eugene 46°48° −4°−4° Apr 2 – May 8 Oct 24
Salem 48°49° −3°−4° Mar 31 – May 3 Oct 24
Bend 37°39° −7°−6° May 3 – May 20 Oct 7
Medford 45°47° −6°−4° Mar 25 – Apr 22 Oct 29

When to apply pre-emergent in Oregon

Crabgrass pre-emergent goes down when 2-inch soil holds about 50°F. Across Oregon that has typically happened first in Medford, around Mar 25, and last in Bend, around May 3. The window closes when soil holds 55°F and crabgrass starts sprouting.

Close view of a Kentucky bluegrass lawn
Kentucky bluegrass, the most common cool-season lawn grass in the northern US.

Last good week to seed in Oregon

Tall fescue and bluegrass seed sprouts best while 4-inch soil is between 55 and 70°F. The typical last day above 55°F:

What grows in Oregon lawns

Crabgrass is the weed spring pre-emergents are timed for. Lawns here are mostly cool-season grasses such as bluegrass and fescue.

Large crabgrass with its spreading finger-like seed heads
Large crabgrass in seed. Each plant can drop thousands of seeds that wait for warm spring soil.
Close view of a Kentucky bluegrass lawn
Kentucky bluegrass, the most common cool-season lawn grass in the northern US.
A low mat of bermudagrass with fine blades and seed heads
Bermudagrass, the warm-season grass behind most lawns from the Carolinas to Texas.

Other states