Chill Hours on the Oregon Coast - Ask Extension
Chill Hours. I’ve been searching online to find chill hours for the Brookings area. I’ve found several wildly different numbers: between 200 and 3...
Knowledgebase
Chill Hours on the Oregon Coast #880046
Asked August 03, 2024, 3:28 PM EDT
Chill Hours. I’ve been searching online to find chill hours for the Brookings area. I’ve found several wildly different numbers: between 200 and 300, 1300, and 2200. Does OSU have reliable information?
My garden is about 2 miles inland, in sight of the ocean and about 900 feet in elevation. The temperature can be either warmer or cooler at times than at the Port at sea level. Is it likely different enough to change the chill hours?
Curry County Oregon
Expert Response
Thank you for the question regarding chill hours.
Chill hours are quite variable in SW Oregon, and are a function of elevation, aspect, and distance from the ocean. Without weather information from a specific location, it is difficult to determine chill hours.
I checked with Cassie Bouska, Oregon State Extension Agriculture agent, Curry County. She said if you are trying to decide (for example) if a certain fruit tree will grow there, it is best to just check the USDA Plant Hardiness zones site (https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/usda-hardiness-zone-maps-united-states ). This OSU Extension publication "Growing Tree Fruits and Nuts in the Home Orchard" will also be helpful in identifying appropriate tree varieties for your area - https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/ec-819-growing-tree-fruits-nuts-home-orchard. It looks like your property will be in Area IV (Coastal region).
Chill hours are quite variable in SW Oregon, and are a function of elevation, aspect, and distance from the ocean. Without weather information from a specific location, it is difficult to determine chill hours.
I checked with Cassie Bouska, Oregon State Extension Agriculture agent, Curry County. She said if you are trying to decide (for example) if a certain fruit tree will grow there, it is best to just check the USDA Plant Hardiness zones site (https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/usda-hardiness-zone-maps-united-states ). This OSU Extension publication "Growing Tree Fruits and Nuts in the Home Orchard" will also be helpful in identifying appropriate tree varieties for your area - https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/ec-819-growing-tree-fruits-nuts-home-orchard. It looks like your property will be in Area IV (Coastal region).
Thank you. I'm trying to determine what kind of blueberries might do well. I see that chill hours seem to be very important for blueberries. I'm Zone 9b...at least that's my best guess looking at maps. Hopefully berries rated for Zone 9 will work.
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-------- Original message --------
From: Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>>
Date: 8/7/24 1:23 PM (GMT-08:00)
To: Nola M Range <<personal data hidden>>
Subject: Re: Chill Hours on the Oregon Coast (#0149964)
You should do well if you plant one of the recommended cultivars for the coast. Check out this Oregon State Extension publication "Growing Berries on the Oregon Coast: Blueberries" - https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/em-9179-growing-berries-oregon-coast-blueberries
Check out the section titled "Blueberry cultivars for the coast".
Check out the section titled "Blueberry cultivars for the coast".
