Columbus, Ohio planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Columbus

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Columbus Port Columbus International Airport, 6.6 miles ENE of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers.

What to plant each month in Columbus

1. January

   Start indoors: broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, petunias, ranunculus

2. February

   Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, 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, 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, zinnias, zoysiagrass

7. July

   Plant for fall: brussels sprouts, collard greens, lettuce, swiss chard

8. August

   Plant for fall: bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, daylilies, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, 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, lettuce, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, tall fescue, tulips, turnips

10. October

    Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, 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 Columbus

All 10 of Columbus's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Columbus Port Columbus International Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 6b.

Planting dates for popular crops in Columbus

Nearby cities

• Newark, OH zone 6a, last frost Apr 29
• Springfield, OH zone 6a, last frost Apr 25
• Kettering, OH zone 6b, last frost Apr 18
• Dayton, OH zone 6b, last frost Apr 18
• Middletown, OH zone 6b, last frost Apr 24
• Hamilton, OH zone 6b, last frost Apr 19