When to plant in Ohio
Most of Ohio sees its last spring frost between Apr 17 and Apr 30, and its first fall frost between Oct 14 and Oct 29. The middle of the state is around April 23 and October 23: that's what the dates below use.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Harvest | Plant for fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 21 | May 9 – May 23 | Jul 18 – Oct 10 | — |
| Pepper | Mar 7 | May 9 – May 23 | Jul 23 – Oct 15 | — |
| Cucumber | — | May 9 – May 23 | Jul 3 – Aug 21 | — |
| Zucchini / Summer squash | — | May 9 – May 23 | Jun 28 – Sep 6 | — |
| Winter squash | — | May 9 – May 23 | Aug 12 – Sep 16 | — |
| Green beans (bush) | — | May 9 – May 23 | Jul 3 – Aug 14 | — |
| Peas | — | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | May 11 – Jun 15 | Aug 3 – Aug 17 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 9 – May 23 | Jul 23 – Aug 20 | — |
| Lettuce | — | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | May 10 – Jun 21 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Spinach | — | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | Apr 21 – Jun 2 | Sep 13 – Sep 27 |
| Kale | Feb 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | May 20 – Aug 12 | Sep 12 – Sep 26 |
| Broccoli | Feb 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | Jun 1 – Jul 6 | Aug 17 – Aug 31 |
| Cabbage | Feb 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Jun 4 – Jul 9 | Aug 14 – Aug 28 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | Jun 11 – Jul 23 | Aug 14 – Aug 28 |
| Beet | — | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | May 27 – Jul 8 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Radish | — | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Apr 13 – May 11 | Sep 14 – Sep 28 |
| Onion (sets) | — | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Jun 27 – Aug 1 | — |
| Garlic | — | Oct 16 – Nov 6 (fall) | Jun 18 – Jul 9 next year | — |
| Potato | — | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | Jul 1 – Aug 5 | — |
| Sweet potato | Apr 2 | May 14 – May 28 | Aug 22 – Sep 19 | — |
| Watermelon | — | May 14 – May 28 | Aug 7 – Sep 11 | — |
| Basil | Mar 28 | May 9 – May 23 | Jun 8 – Sep 14 | — |
| Strawberry (June-bearing) | — | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | May 21 – Jun 18 (once established) | — |
| Sunflower | — | May 9 – May 23 | Jul 28 – Sep 1 | — |
Dates for a typical spot in Ohio. 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 Ohio
| Place | Zone | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | 6b | Apr 17 | Oct 26 |
| Columbus | 6b | Apr 20 | Oct 24 |
| Dayton | 6b | Apr 18 | Oct 25 |
| Cleveland | 7a | Apr 8 | Nov 12 |
| Toledo | 6b | Apr 20 | Oct 27 |
| Akron | 6b | Apr 24 | Oct 28 |
| Canton | 6b | Apr 24 | Oct 26 |
| Youngstown | 6a | May 1 | Oct 17 |
| Mansfield | 6a | Apr 26 | Oct 22 |
| Lima | 6a | Apr 24 | Oct 24 |
Average dates from the nearest NOAA weather stations (1991–2020). Click a place for its full planting calendar.