In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Indianapolis 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 9 – Apr 13 | May 4 – Aug 10 plant out | Jul 3 – Oct 22 |
| Pepper | Mar 5 – Apr 9 | May 14 – Aug 6 plant out | Jul 11 – Oct 22 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Mar 10 – Apr 14 | May 19 – Aug 3 plant out | Jul 18 – Oct 22 |
| Cucumber | Apr 11 – May 8 | May 9 – Aug 20 sow | Jun 25 – Oct 22 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Apr 6 – May 3 | May 4 – Aug 23 sow | Jun 19 – Oct 22 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Apr 6 – May 3 | May 4 – Jul 23 sow | Jul 23 – Oct 25 |
| Watermelon | Apr 21 – May 18 | May 19 – Aug 2 sow | Jul 21 – Oct 22 |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 24 – Aug 5 sow | Jul 6 – Oct 22 |
| Green beans | – | May 4 – Aug 20 sow | Jun 22 – Oct 22 |
| Peas | – | Mar 21 – Apr 7 sow | Jun 1 – Jul 3 |
| Lettuce | Feb 11 – Mar 11 | Mar 18 – Apr 29, Aug 16 – Sep 14 sow | May 21 – Jul 5, Sep 22 – Nov 5 |
| Spinach | – | Mar 11 – Apr 24, Sep 16 – Sep 21 sow | May 16 – Jun 28, Oct 31 – Nov 25 |
| Kale | Feb 2 – Mar 9 | Mar 16 – Sep 10 sow | May 28 – Dec 10 |
| Cabbage | Feb 5 – Mar 12, May 26 – Jun 30 | Mar 26 – May 1, Jul 14 – Aug 29 plant out | Jun 10 – Jul 25, Sep 7 – Nov 16 |
| Broccoli | Feb 5 – Mar 12, Jun 2 – Jul 7 | Mar 26 – May 9, Jul 21 – Sep 4 plant out | Jun 2 – Jul 24, Sep 7 – Nov 9 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 26 – Sep 2 sow | Jun 6 – Dec 10 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Mar 26 – Sep 9 sow | May 30 – Nov 16 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 16 – May 15, Aug 30 – Oct 2 sow | May 2 – Jun 18, Sep 20 – Nov 9 |
| Onions | Jan 10 – Feb 14 | Mar 21 – Aug 4 plant out | Jun 27 – Oct 26 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 15 – Nov 9 sow | May 21 – Jun 10 |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 1 – Jul 3 sow | Jun 26 – Oct 22 |
| Swiss chard | – | Apr 1 – Sep 13 sow | May 28 – Nov 16 |
| Basil | Apr 2 – Apr 30 | May 14 – Sep 7 plant out | Jun 10 – Oct 22 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Mar 26 – May 7, Aug 30 – Sep 22 sow | May 15 – Jul 4, Sep 29 – Nov 9 |
| Parsley | Feb 2 – Mar 9 | Mar 30 – Aug 30 sow | Jun 11 – Nov 25 |
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 Indianapolis
- Average last spring frost
- April 15
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- May 2
- Average first autumn frost
- October 26
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 13
- Frost-free growing season
- 193 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, Indianapolis (12 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 6b from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -20°C-5°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 30°C87°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -6°C20°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 | 2°C36°F | -6°C20°F | -2°C28°F | 71 mm2.8 in |
| February | 5°C41°F | -5°C23°F | 0°C32°F | 63 mm2.5 in |
| March | 11°C52°F | 0°C33°F | 6°C42°F | 86 mm3.4 in |
| April | 18°C65°F | 6°C43°F | 12°C54°F | 106 mm4.2 in |
| May | 24°C75°F | 12°C54°F | 18°C64°F | 116 mm4.6 in |
| June | 29°C83°F | 17°C63°F | 23°C73°F | 104 mm4.1 in |
| July | 30°C87°F | 19°C66°F | 25°C76°F | 107 mm4.2 in |
| August | 30°C86°F | 18°C64°F | 24°C75°F | 80 mm3.2 in |
| September | 27°C80°F | 13°C56°F | 20°C68°F | 76 mm3.0 in |
| October | 20°C68°F | 7°C45°F | 14°C56°F | 74 mm2.9 in |
| November | 12°C53°F | 1°C34°F | 6°C44°F | 87 mm3.4 in |
| December | 5°C41°F | -4°C25°F | 1°C33°F | 79 mm3.1 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).