In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Cincinnati planting calendar
Bars show when each crop can go in and when a planting from that window is ready. The blue band is the frost season, from the average first autumn frost to the average last spring frost. Hover or tap a crop for details.
Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday
Swipe sideways to see the whole year →
Dates by crop
| Crop | Sow indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 4 – Apr 8 | Apr 29 – Aug 12 plant out | Jun 29 – Oct 24 |
| Pepper | Mar 1 – Apr 5 | May 10 – Aug 9 plant out | Jul 8 – Oct 24 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Mar 6 – Apr 10 | May 15 – Aug 5 plant out | Jul 14 – Oct 24 |
| Cucumber | Apr 6 – May 3 | May 4 – Aug 22 sow | Jun 21 – Oct 24 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Apr 1 – Apr 28 | Apr 29 – Aug 26 sow | Jun 15 – Oct 24 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Apr 1 – Apr 28 | Apr 29 – Jul 25 sow | Jul 19 – Oct 24 |
| Watermelon | Apr 17 – May 14 | May 15 – Aug 4 sow | Jul 18 – Oct 24 |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 23 – Aug 8 sow | Jul 3 – Oct 24 |
| Green beans | – | Apr 29 – Aug 22 sow | Jun 18 – Oct 24 |
| Peas | – | Mar 15 – Mar 30 sow | May 27 – Jun 27 |
| Lettuce | Feb 12 – Mar 12 | Mar 19 – Apr 21, Aug 19 – Sep 15 sow | May 17 – Jun 28, Sep 25 – Nov 4 |
| Spinach | – | Mar 5 – Apr 16, Sep 19 – Sep 24 sow | May 11 – Jun 21, Nov 3 – Nov 24 |
| Kale | Jan 29 – Mar 5 | Mar 12 – Jun 2, Jul 5 – Sep 14 sow | May 23 – Dec 9 |
| Cabbage | Jan 30 – Mar 6, Jun 1 – Jul 6 | Mar 20 – Apr 22, Jul 20 – Aug 31 plant out | Jun 5 – Jul 17, Sep 13 – Nov 15 |
| Broccoli | Feb 5 – Mar 12, Jun 23 – Jul 28 | Mar 26 – Apr 30, Aug 11 – Sep 6 plant out | May 30 – Jul 16, Sep 28 – Nov 8 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 26 – Sep 6 sow | Jun 3 – Dec 9 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Mar 26 – Sep 11 sow | May 26 – Nov 15 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 12 – May 8, Sep 5 – Oct 4 sow | Apr 27 – Jun 11, Sep 26 – Nov 8 |
| Onions | Jan 8 – Feb 12 | Mar 19 – Aug 5 plant out | Jun 23 – Oct 25 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 18 – Nov 8 sow | May 18 – Jun 7 |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 2 – Jun 22 sow | Jun 24 – Oct 11 |
| Swiss chard | – | Apr 2 – Sep 15 sow | May 25 – Nov 15 |
| Basil | Mar 29 – Apr 26 | May 10 – Sep 9 plant out | Jun 6 – Oct 24 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Mar 26 – Apr 29, Sep 5 – Sep 24 sow | May 12 – Jun 27, Oct 6 – Nov 8 |
| Parsley | Jan 29 – Mar 5 | Mar 26 – Sep 2 sow | Jun 6 – Nov 24 |
Dates are for a typical year and the middle of the window is the safest. Sow a little at a time across a window rather than all at once. Cold snaps, heat waves, frost pockets and city warmth all shift the real dates; watch the forecast.
Frost dates in Cincinnati
- Average last spring frost
- April 16
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- May 3
- Average first autumn frost
- October 25
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 12
- Frost-free growing season
- 191 days
“Average” is the date with an even chance of a later (spring) or earlier (autumn) frost: a night at or below 0 °C (32 °F) at screen height. Tender crops go out a week or two after the spring date, which brings the risk down to about one year in ten.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Cincinnati Muni Ap Lunken Fld (8 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 7a from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -18°C0°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 31°C88°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -5°C23°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 25 of 25
The zone follows the USDA scheme: bands of the average lowest temperature of the year, 10 °F wide, split into a and b halves. Worked out from the coldest night of each year 1991–2020 at the NOAA station. It tells you which perennials survive winter, not when to sow.
Temperature and rain by month
Average highAverage lowRainFreezing point
| Month | High | Low | Mean | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5°C41°F | -5°C23°F | 0°C32°F | 78 mm3.1 in |
| February | 7°C45°F | -4°C26°F | 2°C35°F | 71 mm2.8 in |
| March | 13°C55°F | 1°C34°F | 7°C45°F | 108 mm4.2 in |
| April | 20°C68°F | 6°C43°F | 13°C55°F | 113 mm4.5 in |
| May | 25°C78°F | 12°C54°F | 19°C66°F | 123 mm4.8 in |
| June | 29°C85°F | 17°C62°F | 23°C74°F | 108 mm4.3 in |
| July | 31°C88°F | 19°C66°F | 25°C77°F | 104 mm4.1 in |
| August | 31°C87°F | 18°C65°F | 24°C76°F | 83 mm3.3 in |
| September | 27°C81°F | 14°C57°F | 21°C69°F | 75 mm3.0 in |
| October | 21°C70°F | 8°C46°F | 14°C58°F | 75 mm3.0 in |
| November | 13°C56°F | 2°C35°F | 8°C46°F | 81 mm3.2 in |
| December | 7°C45°F | -2°C28°F | 2°C36°F | 84 mm3.3 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).