In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Columbus 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 10 – Apr 14 | May 5 – Aug 8 plant out | Jul 4 – Oct 21 |
| Pepper | Mar 6 – Apr 10 | May 15 – Aug 5 plant out | Jul 13 – Oct 21 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Mar 12 – Apr 16 | May 21 – Aug 1 plant out | Jul 20 – Oct 21 |
| Cucumber | Apr 12 – May 9 | May 10 – Aug 19 sow | Jun 26 – Oct 21 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Apr 7 – May 4 | May 5 – Aug 22 sow | Jun 20 – Oct 21 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Apr 7 – May 4 | May 5 – Jul 22 sow | Jul 25 – Oct 26 |
| Watermelon | Apr 23 – May 20 | May 21 – Jul 31 sow | Jul 24 – Oct 21 |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 25 – Aug 4 sow | Jul 7 – Oct 21 |
| Green beans | – | May 5 – Aug 19 sow | Jun 24 – Oct 21 |
| Peas | – | Mar 21 – Apr 6, Aug 28 – Sep 1 sow | Jun 2 – Jul 4, Oct 23 – Nov 3 |
| Lettuce | Feb 14 – Mar 14 | Mar 21 – Apr 29, Aug 13 – Sep 13 sow | May 22 – Jul 6, Sep 19 – Nov 6 |
| Spinach | – | Mar 11 – Apr 24, Sep 13 – Sep 20 sow | May 17 – Jun 28, Oct 26 – Nov 26 |
| Kale | Feb 2 – Mar 9 | Mar 16 – Sep 9 sow | May 29 – Dec 11 |
| Cabbage | Feb 5 – Mar 12, May 24 – Jun 28 | Mar 26 – May 1, Jul 12 – Aug 28 plant out | Jun 10 – Jul 25, Sep 5 – Nov 17 |
| Broccoli | Feb 7 – Mar 14, May 30 – Jul 4 | Mar 28 – May 9, Jul 18 – Sep 3 plant out | Jun 4 – Jul 24, Sep 4 – Nov 10 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 28 – Sep 2 sow | Jun 7 – Dec 11 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Mar 28 – Sep 8 sow | May 31 – Nov 17 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 16 – May 15, Aug 28 – Oct 1 sow | May 3 – Jun 18, Sep 18 – Nov 10 |
| Onions | Jan 10 – Feb 14 | Mar 21 – Aug 4 plant out | Jun 28 – Oct 27 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 13 – Nov 10 sow | May 23 – Jun 12 |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 4 – Jul 2 sow | Jun 28 – Oct 21 |
| Swiss chard | – | Apr 4 – Sep 12 sow | May 30 – Nov 17 |
| Basil | Apr 3 – May 1 | May 15 – Sep 6 plant out | Jun 11 – Oct 21 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Mar 28 – May 7, Aug 28 – Sep 22 sow | May 16 – Jul 4, Sep 27 – Nov 10 |
| Parsley | Feb 3 – Mar 10 | Mar 31 – Aug 29 sow | Jun 12 – Nov 26 |
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 Columbus
- Average last spring frost
- April 18
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- May 5
- Average first autumn frost
- October 27
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 14
- 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, John Glenn Intl Ap (11 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 6b from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -18°C-1°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 30°C87°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -6°C22°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 | 3°C38°F | -6°C22°F | -1°C30°F | 66 mm2.6 in |
| February | 5°C42°F | -4°C24°F | 0°C33°F | 57 mm2.3 in |
| March | 11°C52°F | 0°C32°F | 6°C42°F | 76 mm3.0 in |
| April | 18°C65°F | 5°C42°F | 12°C53°F | 95 mm3.8 in |
| May | 24°C75°F | 11°C52°F | 18°C64°F | 108 mm4.2 in |
| June | 29°C83°F | 16°C62°F | 22°C72°F | 110 mm4.3 in |
| July | 30°C87°F | 18°C65°F | 24°C76°F | 100 mm3.9 in |
| August | 30°C85°F | 17°C63°F | 24°C74°F | 79 mm3.1 in |
| September | 26°C80°F | 13°C56°F | 20°C68°F | 84 mm3.3 in |
| October | 20°C67°F | 7°C44°F | 13°C56°F | 64 mm2.5 in |
| November | 12°C53°F | 1°C34°F | 6°C44°F | 70 mm2.8 in |
| December | 6°C42°F | -3°C27°F | 1°C35°F | 72 mm2.8 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).