When to Plant in Ohio: Vegetable & Flower Planting Calendar
Quick answer
Plant around your local last spring frost: across the 1233 Ohio ZIP codes where frost comes in most years, the median is Apr 24 and the median first fall frost is Oct 22 (nearest NOAA station, 1991–2020). Transplant tomatoes 1–2 weeks after your last frost: Zone 6 areas: May 1 – May 8.
Ohio spans USDA hardiness zones 6a–7a on the 2023 USDA map (by ZIP code, via PRISM). For the 1233 of its 1233 ZIP codes where frost comes in most years, the nearest NOAA station’s median last spring frost (32°F, 1991–2020) is Apr 24 (middle 80% of ZIP codes: Apr 17 – Apr 30) and the median first fall frost is Oct 22 (Oct 14 – Oct 29). Use this guide to time seed-starting, transplanting and fall planting.
Where these dates come from: every date range is counted from the median (50% probability) 32°F last spring and first fall frost dates in NOAA’s 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals for the area shown. The rule under each date, such as “4–6 weeks before last frost,” shows how it was counted. These are averages: in about half of years a frost still comes after the spring date, and elevation, nearby water and microclimate can shift your yard by a week or more. For dates for your exact location, enter your ZIP code in the planner.
How we count planting dates: the weeks before or after frost for each crop come from university extension planting guides: UNH Extension, When to Plant Your Vegetable Garden; Rutgers FS787, Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors; Virginia Tech 426-331, Home Garden Vegetable Planting Guide; University of Maryland Extension, Vegetable Planting Calendar; and University of Idaho CIS 1209 (marigolds and zinnias). Bulb windows approximate Rutgers’ rule to plant when soil falls below 60°F (FS1220), and garlic follows SDSU, Illinois and Virginia Tech. Temperature notes: UMD (potatoes), UMN (sweet corn), UC ANR (peppers, hardening off), UMN (eggplant), Colorado State (tomatoes) and SDSU (hardening off).
Ohio frost dates by zone area
| Zone areas | Most common nearest NOAA stations | Median last spring frost (32°F) | Median first fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 6 (1163 ZIP codes) | Toledo Metcalf Fld, OH, Akron Canton Rgnl Airport, OH, Millport 4 Ne, OH | Apr 24middle 80%: Apr 18 – May 1 | Oct 22middle 80%: Oct 14 – Oct 28 |
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal freeze-date probabilities (32°F, 50% probability). Station-level medians; your yard may differ.
How this table is built: each Ohio ZIP code is matched to its nearest NOAA 1991–2020 freeze-data station (within 60 miles) and grouped by its 2023 USDA hardiness zone; dates are medians across the ZIP codes in each group. Zone groups with fewer than 5% of ZIP codes (49 ZIP codes) are left out of the columns. Some nearest stations are across the state line (Ashland, KY, Augusta 2, KY, Beaver Falls 1 Ne, PA, Berne Wwtp, IN, Decatur 1 N, IN, Hogsett Rc Byrd Dam, WV…). For your own ZIP, use the planner.
Ohio vegetable planting calendar
Planting dates for each zone area of Ohio, counted from that area’s median frost dates (shown under each column). Rows run in calendar order. For your exact dates, enter your ZIP.
| Plant | Task | Dates (and how they are counted) | Expected harvest (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broccoli | Start indoors | Feb 13 – Feb 278–10 weeks before last frost (avg. Apr 24) | — |
| Cabbage | Start indoors | Feb 13 – Feb 278–10 weeks before last frost (avg. Apr 24) | — |
| Kale | Start indoors | Feb 13 – Feb 278–10 weeks before last frost (avg. Apr 24) | — |
| Tomatoes | Start indoors | Feb 27 – Mar 136–8 weeks before last frost (avg. Apr 24) | — |
| Peppers | Start indoors | Feb 27 – Mar 136–8 weeks before last frost (avg. Apr 24) | — |
| Eggplant | Start indoors | Feb 27 – Mar 136–8 weeks before last frost (avg. Apr 24) | — |
| Peas | Direct sow | Mar 13 – Mar 274–6 weeks before last frost (avg. Apr 24) | May 12 – Jun 1560–80 days from seeding |
| Spinach | Direct sow | Mar 13 – Mar 274–6 weeks before last frost (avg. Apr 24) | Apr 27 – May 2645–60 days from seeding |
| Basil | Start indoors | Mar 13 – Mar 274–6 weeks before last frost (avg. Apr 24) | — |
| Radishes | Direct sow | Mar 20 – Apr 102–5 weeks before last frost (avg. Apr 24) | Apr 9 – May 1020–30 days from seeding |
| Lettuce | Direct sow | Mar 27 – Apr 102–4 weeks before last frost (avg. Apr 24) | May 26 – Jun 2960–80 days from seeding |
| Onions (sets/transplants) | Plant sets/transplants | Mar 27 – Apr 102–4 weeks before last frost (avg. Apr 24) | Jun 20 – Aug 885–120 days from planting |
| Broccoli | Transplant | Mar 27 – Apr 102–4 weeks before last frost (avg. Apr 24) | May 16 – Jun 1950–70 days from transplanting |
| Cabbage | Transplant | Mar 27 – Apr 102–4 weeks before last frost (avg. Apr 24) | Jun 5 – Jul 970–90 days from transplanting |
| Kale | Transplant | Mar 27 – Apr 102–4 weeks before last frost (avg. Apr 24) | — |
| Marigolds | Start indoors | Apr 3 – Apr 240–3 weeks before last frost (3–4 weeks before setting out; Univ. of Idaho) (avg. Apr 24) | — |
| Zinnias | Start indoors | Apr 3 – Apr 240–3 weeks before last frost (3–4 weeks before setting out; Univ. of Idaho) (avg. Apr 24) | — |
| Potatoes | Plant seed potatoes | Apr 10 – Apr 171–2 weeks before last frost (avg. Apr 24) | Jul 4 – Aug 585–110 days from planting |
| Marigolds | Direct sow / transplant | Apr 24 – May 8from the last frost to 2 weeks after (Univ. of Idaho) (avg. Apr 24) | — |
| Zinnias | Direct sow / transplant | Apr 24 – May 8from the last frost to 2 weeks after (Univ. of Idaho) (avg. Apr 24) | — |
| Tomatoes | Transplant | May 1 – May 81–2 weeks after last frost (avg. Apr 24) | Jul 10 – Aug 670–90 days from transplanting |
| Beans (bush & pole) | Direct sow | May 1 – May 81–2 weeks after last frost (avg. Apr 24) | Jun 15 – Jul 1745–70 days from seeding |
| Sweet corn | Direct sow | May 1 – May 81–2 weeks after last frost (avg. Apr 24) | Jul 5 – Aug 665–90 days from seeding |
| Cucumbers | Direct sow | May 1 – May 81–2 weeks after last frost (avg. Apr 24) | Jun 10 – Jul 1240–65 days from seeding |
| Squash | Direct sow | May 1 – May 81–2 weeks after last frost (avg. Apr 24) | Jun 10 – Jun 2740–50 days from seeding |
| Pumpkins | Direct sow | May 1 – May 151–3 weeks after last frost (avg. Apr 24) | Jul 20 – Aug 2380–100 days from seeding |
| Basil | Transplant | May 1 – May 81–2 weeks after last frost (avg. Apr 24) | Jun 12 – Jun 1942 days from transplanting |
| Peppers | Transplant | May 8 – May 152–3 weeks after last frost (avg. Apr 24) | Jul 12 – Jul 2965–75 days from transplanting |
| Eggplant | Transplant | May 8 – May 152–3 weeks after last frost (avg. Apr 24) | Jul 17 – Aug 1370–90 days from transplanting |
| Broccoli | Fall transplant | Jul 30 – Aug 1310–12 weeks before first fall frost (avg. Oct 22) | Sep 18 – Oct 2250–70 days from transplanting |
| Cabbage | Fall transplant | Jul 30 – Aug 1310–12 weeks before first fall frost (avg. Oct 22) | Oct 8 – Nov 1170–90 days from transplanting |
| Kale | Fall sow | Aug 13 – Aug 278–10 weeks before first fall frost (avg. Oct 22) | Oct 2 – Nov 550–70 days from seeding |
| Lettuce | Fall sow | Aug 27 – Sep 106–8 weeks before first fall frost (avg. Oct 22) | Oct 26 – Nov 2960–80 days from seeding |
| Spinach | Fall sow | Sep 3 – Sep 244–7 weeks before first fall frost (Virginia Tech) (avg. Oct 22) | Oct 18 – Nov 2345–60 days from seeding |
| Radishes | Fall sow | Sep 10 – Sep 244–6 weeks before first fall frost (avg. Oct 22) | Sep 30 – Oct 2420–30 days from seeding |
| Daffodils | Fall plant bulbs | Sep 24 – Nov 54 weeks before to 2 weeks after first fall frost (our approximation of when soil falls below 60°F; Rutgers) (avg. Oct 22) | — |
| Tulips | Fall plant bulbs | Oct 8 – Nov 192 weeks before to 4 weeks after first fall frost (our approximation of when soil falls below 60°F; Rutgers) (avg. Oct 22) | — |
| Garlic | Fall plant cloves | Oct 8 – Nov 122 weeks before to 3 weeks after first fall frost, while the soil is still workable (SDSU, Illinois, Virginia Tech) (avg. Oct 22) | Jun 15, 2027 – Aug 9, 2027250–270 days from planting |
About the harvest estimates
Each expected harvest window adds the days to harvest from the sources below to the planting window. Days count from sowing seed (or planting seed potatoes, onion sets or garlic cloves) or, where marked, from setting transplants out; “Start indoors” rows have no harvest of their own. Harvest timing varies with variety and weather, and many crops keep producing for weeks after the first picking. For frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, basil) the window stops at the first fall frost: harvest may end early at the first fall frost. Flowers and bulbs show no harvest window, and kale has no sourced figure for spring transplants.
Sources: UF/IFAS Extension, Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (SP103/VH021), Table 1, “Days to Harvest”; University of Maryland Extension, Growing Onions in a Home Garden; University of Maryland Extension, Growing Garlic in a Home Garden; University of Maryland Extension, Growing Basil in a Home Garden.
Growing notes for each crop
- Peas: Tolerates light frost; sow when soil is workable
- Spinach: Fall crop too: sow 4–7 weeks before first fall frost (Virginia Tech)
- Lettuce: Bolts in heat; succession sow; fall crop too
- Radishes: Fast (3–4 weeks); sow again for fall (see Fall sow dates)
- Kale: Fall crop too (see Fall sow dates); frost sweetens leaves
- Onions (sets/transplants): Choose day-length type suited to your latitude
- Potatoes: Soil at least 45°F (UMD); hill as plants grow
- Broccoli: Cool-season; harden off; good fall crop
- Cabbage: Cool-season; harden off; good fall crop
- Tomatoes: Wait for nights reliably above about 52°F (Colorado State)
- Peppers: Need warm soil: about 65°F is optimal for transplanting (UC ANR)
- Eggplant: Transplant after nights stay above 50°F (UMN)
- Beans (bush & pole): Seeds rot in cold, wet soil
- Sweet corn: Soil 60°F+ (UNH, UMN); plant in blocks for pollination
- Cucumbers: Frost-tender; watch for cucumber beetles
- Squash: Frost-tender; watch for squash vine borer
- Pumpkins: For October pumpkins, many sow in late May–June
- Basil: Very cold-sensitive
- Marigolds: Easy warm-season annual
- Zinnias: Easy warm-season annual
- Tulips: Our frost-date window is an approximation of that soil rule. In zone 9, chill bulbs 12–16 weeks first (Clemson)
- Daffodils: Our frost-date window is an approximation of that soil rule; slightly earlier than tulips is fine
- Garlic: Harvest the following early summer
Ohio USDA zone guides: Zone 6 planting guide Zone 7 planting guide
How we count planting dates: the weeks before or after frost for each crop come from university extension planting guides: UNH Extension, When to Plant Your Vegetable Garden; Rutgers FS787, Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors; Virginia Tech 426-331, Home Garden Vegetable Planting Guide; University of Maryland Extension, Vegetable Planting Calendar; and University of Idaho CIS 1209 (marigolds and zinnias). Bulb windows approximate Rutgers’ rule to plant when soil falls below 60°F (FS1220), and garlic follows SDSU, Illinois and Virginia Tech. Temperature notes: UMD (potatoes), UMN (sweet corn), UC ANR (peppers, hardening off), UMN (eggplant), Colorado State (tomatoes) and SDSU (hardening off).
Tips for Ohio gardeners
- Watch soil temperature, not just the calendar — warm-season crops stall in cold soil. An inexpensive soil thermometer helps.
- Harden off transplants over 7–10 days before planting out (UC ANR, SDSU).
- Ask your local Cooperative Extension office about varieties and timing for your county; find it in the USDA NIFA land-grant university directory.
- Keep weeds down early — see our weed identification guide.
Frequently asked questions
When is the last frost in Ohio?
Across the 1233 Ohio ZIP codes where frost comes in most years, the median last spring frost (32°F, NOAA 1991–2020) at the nearest station is Apr 24, and the middle 80% of ZIP codes range from Apr 17 to Apr 30. Check the average for your ZIP code, and remember frost can occur after the average date.
When can I plant tomatoes in Ohio?
Transplant tomatoes outdoors 1–2 weeks after your average last frost, once nights stay above about 52°F (Colorado State). Typical dates: Zone 6 areas: May 1 – May 8.
What USDA zone is Ohio?
Ohio spans roughly USDA hardiness zones 6a–7a on the 2023 USDA map (by ZIP code, via PRISM). Hardiness zones describe winter low temperatures, not frost dates.
Other state planting calendars
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