When to plant in Indiana
Most of Indiana sees its last spring frost between Apr 9 and Apr 28, and its first fall frost between Oct 15 and Oct 30. The middle of the state is around April 21 and October 21: that's what the dates below use.
Hardiness zones in Indiana: 5b (5%), 6a (61%), 6b (24%), 7a (10%).
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Harvest | Plant for fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 19 | May 7 – May 21 | Jul 16 – Oct 8 | — |
| Pepper | Mar 5 | May 7 – May 21 | Jul 21 – Oct 13 | — |
| Cucumber | — | May 7 – May 21 | Jul 1 – Aug 19 | — |
| Zucchini / Summer squash | — | May 7 – May 21 | Jun 26 – Sep 4 | — |
| Winter squash | — | May 7 – May 21 | Aug 10 – Sep 14 | — |
| Green beans (bush) | — | May 7 – May 21 | Jul 1 – Aug 12 | — |
| Peas | — | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | May 9 – Jun 13 | Aug 1 – Aug 15 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 7 – May 21 | Jul 21 – Aug 18 | — |
| Lettuce | — | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | May 8 – Jun 19 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Spinach | — | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | Apr 19 – May 31 | Sep 11 – Sep 25 |
| Kale | Feb 10 | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | May 18 – Aug 10 | Sep 10 – Sep 24 |
| Broccoli | Feb 17 | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 30 – Jul 4 | Aug 15 – Aug 29 |
| Cabbage | Feb 10 | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Jun 2 – Jul 7 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | Jun 9 – Jul 21 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Beet | — | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 25 – Jul 6 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Radish | — | Mar 17 – Mar 31 | Apr 11 – May 9 | Sep 12 – Sep 26 |
| Onion (sets) | — | Mar 17 – Mar 31 | Jun 25 – Jul 30 | — |
| Garlic | — | Oct 14 – Nov 4 (fall) | Jun 16 – Jul 7 next year | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | Jun 29 – Aug 3 | — |
| Sweet potato | Mar 31 | May 12 – May 26 | Aug 20 – Sep 17 | — |
| Watermelon | — | May 12 – May 26 | Aug 5 – Sep 9 | — |
| Basil | Mar 26 | May 7 – May 21 | Jun 6 – Sep 12 | — |
| Strawberry (June-bearing) | — | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 19 – Jun 16 (once established) | — |
| Sunflower | — | May 7 – May 21 | Jul 26 – Aug 30 | — |
Dates for a typical spot in Indiana. Colder and higher places plant later, warmer ones earlier: enter your ZIP code for yours, or see the calendar for your zone.
Frost dates around Indiana
| Place | Zone | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis | 6b | Apr 20 | Oct 21 |
| Fort Wayne | 6a | Apr 24 | Oct 21 |
| Evansville | 7a | Mar 29 | Nov 10 |
| South Bend | 6a | Apr 23 | Oct 23 |
| Anderson | 6a | Apr 19 | Oct 23 |
| Bloomington | 6b | Apr 15 | Oct 26 |
| Gary | 6a | Apr 22 | Oct 27 |
| Jeffersonville | 7a | Mar 31 | Nov 9 |
| Terre Haute | 6a | Apr 15 | Oct 19 |
| Muncie | 6a | Apr 16 | Oct 25 |
Average dates from the nearest NOAA weather stations (1991–2020). Click a place for its full planting calendar.