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Fishers, Indiana planting calendar and frost dates

Fishers is in USDA hardiness zone 6a. The last spring frost typically comes around April 21 and the first fall frost around October 21, giving about 183 frost-free days a year.

Hardiness zone
Zone 6a
Typical last frost
April 21
Typical first frost
October 21
Frost-free season
183 days

Frost dates in Fishers

Last spring frost

  • April 5Risky: frost later than this in 9 years out of 10
  • April 21Typical: a later frost in half of years
  • May 8Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10

First fall frost

  • October 6Risky: frost earlier than this 1 year in 10
  • October 21Typical: an earlier frost in half of years
  • November 2Late: frost before this in 9 years out of 10

The growing season between the typical last and first frosts is about 183 days. Frost here means a low of 32°F at the weather station. A hard freeze (28°F), which damages most hardy crops too, typically ends around April 8 and returns around November 1.

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Carmel 3 E, 2.4 miles W of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers. Fishers shares this station with Carmel, so the two cities have the same frost dates and planting calendar.

What to plant each month in Fishers

  1. January

    Start indoors: collard greens, leeks, onions, petunias, ranunculus

  2. February

    Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, chives, collard greens, ginger, kale, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, onions, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons

  3. March

    Start indoors: basil, black-eyed susans, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, eggplants, ginger, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, peppers, ranunculus, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tomatoes

    Plant or sow outdoors: beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, figs, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, poppies, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, turnips, wildflowers

  4. April

    Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, ranunculus, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

    Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, perennial ryegrass, petunias, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, turnips

  5. May

    Start indoors: zinnias

    Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, garden mums, ginger, grapes, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, okra, oregano, parsley, peanuts, peppers, perennial ryegrass, petunias, pumpkins, rosemary, sage, st. augustinegrass, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, sweet potatoes, tall fescue, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zoysiagrass, zucchini

  6. June

    Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, green onions, okra, peanuts, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, zinnias, zoysiagrass

  7. July

    Plant for fall: bearded irises, brussels sprouts, carrots, collard greens, lettuce, peas, snapdragons, swiss chard

  8. August

    Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, collard greens, coneflowers, daylilies, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, turnips

  9. September

    Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, hydrangeas, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, roses, saffron, spinach, tall fescue, tulips, turnips

  10. October

    Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips

  11. November

    Plant for fall: crocuses, garlic, hyacinths, ornamental alliums, tulips

  12. December

    Start indoors: onions

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Fishers

All 4 of Fishers's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Carmel 3 E, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 6a.

ZIP codeZoneWeather stationTypical last frostTypical first frost
460376aCarmel 3 E, 2.4 mi WApr 21Oct 21
460386aCarmel 3 E, 2.4 mi WApr 21Oct 21
460406aCarmel 3 E, 2.4 mi WApr 21Oct 21
460556aCarmel 3 E, 2.4 mi WApr 21Oct 21

Carmel 3 E also supplies the frost dates for Carmel, Noblesville and Westfield, so their planting calendars match Fishers's.

Planting dates for popular crops in Fishers

PlantStart indoorsPlant or sow outdoorsFall planting
TomatoesMar 17 to 31May 12 to 26—
Strawberries—Mar 10 to 24—
LettuceFeb 24 to Mar 10Apr 14 to 28Jul 22 to Aug 26
CilantroMar 10 to 24Apr 21 to 28—
BasilMar 24 to Apr 7May 12 to 19—
Potatoes—Apr 12 to 19—
Garlic—Mar 10 to 24Oct 21 to Nov 4
OnionsDec 30 to Feb 10Mar 24 to Apr 7—
CucumbersApr 14 to 28May 12 to 26—
PumpkinsApr 14 to 28May 12 to 26—
PeppersFeb 24 to Mar 24May 12 to 26—
Carrots—Mar 31 to Apr 21Jul 29 to Aug 19
Sweet Potatoes—May 26 to Jun 2—
WatermelonsApr 7 to 21May 12 to 26—
Sweet Corn—Apr 21 to May 5—
Green Beans—May 12 to 26—
ZucchiniApr 14 to 28May 12 to 26—
BroccoliFeb 3 to 24Mar 24 to Apr 7Aug 5 to Sep 2
Peas—Mar 10 to 24Jul 29 to Aug 12
SpinachMar 10 to 17Apr 14 to 28Aug 12 to Sep 16
Sunflowers—Apr 21 to May 12—
ZinniasMay 14 to 21Jun 11 to 25—
Tulips——Sep 9 to Nov 4
Daffodils——Sep 9 to Oct 21
Grass Seed—Mar 10 to 24Sep 9 to 23

Nearby cities

Planting in IndianaAbout zone 6aPrintable calendar for Fishers

Questions

When is the last frost in Fishers?

Around April 21 in a typical year, based on NOAA's 1991-2020 records for Carmel 3 E. There is still a 1 in 10 chance of frost after May 8.

What planting zone is Fishers in?

USDA hardiness zone 6a (2023 map). The zone tells you which perennials survive the winter; planting dates depend on frost dates instead.

When should I plant tomatoes in Fishers?

Start seeds indoors March 17 to 31 and set plants out May 12 to 26.

When is the first frost in Fishers?

Around October 21 in a typical year, and before October 6 about 1 year in 10.