When to plant tomatoes in zone 6b
In zone 6b, where the last spring frost typically comes around April 23, start tomatoes indoors March 17 to 31 and plant out May 12 to 26.
The zone 6b schedule for tomatoes
- Start seeds indoors
- March 17 to 31
- Plant out
- May 12 to 26
- Soil warm enough (60°F), about
- May 12
- First harvest, roughly
- July 3 to August 24
From the median frost dates of the NOAA stations assigned to the 4,514 ZIP codes in zone 6b, and the timing recommended by Cooperative Extension guides for tomatoes.
Frost risk in zone 6b
Zones are based on winter cold, not on frost dates, so the last spring frost varies a lot within a zone. Across zone 6b, the typical last frost ranges from about April 10 in the earliest tenth of ZIP codes to May 6 in the latest tenth, and the first fall frost from October 9 to October 29. For a typical place in the zone:
- April 8Risky: a later frost happens in 9 years out of 10
- April 23Typical: frost after this date in half of years
- May 9Safe: a later frost only 1 year in 10
Tomatoes are killed by frost, so if you want to be safe, plant out after the safe date rather than the typical one, or be ready to cover plants on a cold night.
Your dates for tomatoes
Set your ZIP code at the top of the page and we will work out when to plant tomatoes where you live, from the frost records of the nearest NOAA weather station. Your ZIP code is remembered on this device only.
Tomatoes in zone 6b cities
| City | Typical last frost | Start indoors | Plant out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | Apr 18 | Mar 11 to 25 | May 6 to 20 |
| Boston, MA | Apr 4 | Mar 27 to Apr 10 | May 22 to Jun 5 |
| Detroit, MI | Apr 21 | Mar 22 to Apr 5 | May 17 to 31 |
| Kansas City, MO | Apr 4 | Mar 2 to 16 | Apr 27 to May 11 |
| Cleveland, OH | Apr 8 | Mar 20 to Apr 3 | May 15 to 29 |
| Cincinnati, OH | Apr 16 | Mar 7 to 21 | May 2 to 16 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | Apr 24 | Mar 16 to 30 | May 11 to 25 |
| Buffalo, NY | Apr 24 | Mar 28 to Apr 11 | May 23 to Jun 6 |
| Toledo, OH | Apr 20 | Mar 18 to Apr 1 | May 13 to 27 |
| Boise City, ID | Apr 24 | Mar 21 to Apr 4 | May 16 to 30 |
| Spokane, WA | Apr 26 | Apr 4 to 18 | May 30 to Jun 13 |
| Rochester, NY | Apr 24 | Mar 25 to Apr 8 | May 20 to Jun 3 |
How to grow tomatoesAll zonesTomatoes in zone 6aTomatoes in zone 7aAbout zone 6b
Sources
- Tomato (HGIC 1323) · Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home & Garden Information Center
- How to Grow Tomatoes in Your Garden · Utah State University Extension
- Easy Gardening: Tomatoes (EHT-043) · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
- Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (SP 103/VH021) · UF/IFAS Extension
- Vegetable Planting Calendar for Maricopa County (AZ1005) · University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
- Soil Temperature Conditions for Vegetable Seed Germination (Garden Notes GN 154) · UC Cooperative Extension Sacramento County (UC ANR)
- Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato) · NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Vegetable Gardening in Containers (E-545) · Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
- Types of Containers for Growing Vegetables · University of Maryland Extension