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Toledo, Ohio planting calendar and frost dates

Toledo is in USDA hardiness zone 6b. The last spring frost typically comes around April 20 and the first fall frost around October 27, giving about 188 frost-free days a year.

Hardiness zone
Zone 6b
Typical last frost
April 20
Typical first frost
October 27
Frost-free season
188 days

Frost dates in Toledo

Last spring frost

  • April 5Risky: frost later than this in 9 years out of 10
  • April 20Typical: a later frost in half of years
  • May 7Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10

First fall frost

  • October 14Risky: frost earlier than this 1 year in 10
  • October 27Typical: an earlier frost in half of years
  • November 9Late: frost before this in 9 years out of 10

The growing season between the typical last and first frosts is about 188 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 7.

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Toledo Metcalf Fld, 8.1 miles SSE 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 Toledo

  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, tomatoes, 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 or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, zoysiagrass

    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 Toledo

All 12 of Toledo's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Toledo Metcalf Fld, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 6b.

ZIP codeZoneWeather stationTypical last frostTypical first frost
436046bToledo Metcalf Fld, 8.1 mi SSEApr 20Oct 27
436056bToledo Metcalf Fld, 8.1 mi SSEApr 20Oct 27
436066bToledo Metcalf Fld, 8.1 mi SSEApr 20Oct 27
436076bToledo Metcalf Fld, 8.1 mi SSEApr 20Oct 27
436086bToledo Metcalf Fld, 8.1 mi SSEApr 20Oct 27
436096bToledo Metcalf Fld, 8.1 mi SSEApr 20Oct 27
436116bToledo Metcalf Fld, 8.1 mi SSEApr 20Oct 27
436126bToledo Metcalf Fld, 8.1 mi SSEApr 20Oct 27
436136bToledo Metcalf Fld, 8.1 mi SSEApr 20Oct 27
436146bToledo Metcalf Fld, 8.1 mi SSEApr 20Oct 27
436156bToledo Metcalf Fld, 8.1 mi SSEApr 20Oct 27
436236bToledo Metcalf Fld, 8.1 mi SSEApr 20Oct 27

Planting dates for popular crops in Toledo

PlantStart indoorsPlant or sow outdoorsFall planting
TomatoesMar 18 to Apr 1May 13 to 27—
Strawberries—Mar 9 to 23—
LettuceFeb 23 to Mar 9Apr 13 to 27Jul 28 to Sep 1
CilantroMar 9 to 23Apr 20 to 27—
BasilMar 25 to Apr 8May 13 to 20—
Potatoes—Apr 17 to 24—
Garlic—Mar 9 to 23Oct 27 to Nov 10
OnionsDec 29 to Feb 9Mar 23 to Apr 6—
CucumbersApr 15 to 29May 13 to 27—
PumpkinsApr 15 to 29May 13 to 27—
PeppersFeb 25 to Mar 25May 13 to 27—
Carrots—Mar 30 to Apr 20Aug 4 to 25
Sweet Potatoes—May 27 to Jun 3—
WatermelonsApr 8 to 22May 13 to 27—
Sweet Corn—Apr 20 to May 4—
Green Beans—May 13 to 27—
ZucchiniApr 15 to 29May 13 to 27—
BroccoliFeb 2 to 23Mar 23 to Apr 6Aug 11 to Sep 8
Peas—Mar 9 to 23Aug 4 to 18
SpinachMar 9 to 16Apr 13 to 27Aug 18 to Sep 22
Sunflowers—Apr 20 to May 11—
ZinniasMay 15 to 22Jun 12 to 26—
Tulips——Sep 15 to Nov 10
Daffodils——Sep 15 to Oct 27
Grass Seed—Mar 9 to 23Sep 15 to 29

Nearby cities

Planting in OhioAbout zone 6bPrintable calendar for Toledo

Questions

When is the last frost in Toledo?

Around April 20 in a typical year, based on NOAA's 1991-2020 records for Toledo Metcalf Fld. There is still a 1 in 10 chance of frost after May 7.

What planting zone is Toledo in?

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

When should I plant tomatoes in Toledo?

Start seeds indoors March 18 to April 1 and set plants out May 13 to 27.

When is the first frost in Toledo?

Around October 27 in a typical year, and before October 14 about 1 year in 10.