In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Louisville 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 | Feb 26 – Apr 2 | Apr 23 – Aug 18 plant out | Jun 22 – Oct 30 |
| Pepper | Feb 22 – Mar 29 | May 3 – Aug 14 plant out | Jul 1 – Oct 30 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Feb 28 – Apr 4 | May 9 – Aug 11 plant out | Jul 8 – Oct 30 |
| Cucumber | Mar 31 – Apr 27 | Apr 28 – Aug 28 sow | Jun 14 – Oct 30 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Mar 26 – Apr 22 | Apr 23 – Sep 1 sow | Jun 8 – Oct 30 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Mar 26 – Apr 22 | Apr 23 – Jul 31 sow | Jul 13 – Nov 2 |
| Watermelon | Apr 11 – May 8 | May 9 – Aug 10 sow | Jul 12 – Oct 30 |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 12 – Aug 13 sow | Jun 25 – Oct 30 |
| Green beans | – | Apr 23 – Aug 28 sow | Jun 12 – Oct 30 |
| Peas | – | Mar 5 – Mar 27 sow | May 19 – Jun 22 |
| Lettuce | Jan 30 – Feb 27 | Mar 6 – Apr 18, Aug 23 – Sep 22 sow | May 8 – Jun 24, Sep 29 – Nov 13 |
| Spinach | – | Feb 20 – Apr 13, Sep 24 – Sep 30 sow | May 3 – Jun 17, Nov 8 – Dec 3 |
| Kale | Jan 16 – Feb 20 | Feb 27 – May 21, Jul 16 – Sep 19 sow | May 15 – Dec 18 |
| Cabbage | Jan 20 – Feb 24, Jun 7 – Jul 12 | Mar 10 – Apr 17, Jul 26 – Sep 7 plant out | May 28 – Jul 12, Sep 19 – Nov 24 |
| Broccoli | Jan 23 – Feb 27, Jul 5 – Aug 8 | Mar 13 – Apr 24, Aug 23 – Sep 12 plant out | May 21 – Jul 10, Oct 11 – Nov 17 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 13 – Sep 12 sow | May 25 – Dec 18 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Mar 13 – Sep 18 sow | May 17 – Nov 24 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 27 – May 4, Sep 11 – Oct 10 sow | Apr 18 – Jun 7, Oct 2 – Nov 17 |
| Onions | Dec 26 – Jan 30 | Mar 6 – Aug 12 plant out | Jun 14 – Nov 3 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 23 – Nov 17 sow | May 12 – Jun 1 |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 20 – Jun 15 sow | Jun 14 – Oct 4 |
| Swiss chard | – | Mar 20 – Sep 21 sow | May 16 – Nov 24 |
| Basil | Mar 22 – Apr 19 | May 3 – Sep 15 plant out | May 31 – Oct 30 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Mar 13 – Apr 26, Sep 11 – Oct 1 sow | May 2 – Jun 23, Oct 12 – Nov 17 |
| Parsley | Jan 19 – Feb 23 | Mar 16 – Sep 8 sow | May 29 – Dec 3 |
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 Louisville
- Average last spring frost
- April 3
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- April 19
- Average first autumn frost
- November 3
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 21
- Frost-free growing season
- 213 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, Louisville Bowman Fld (9 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 7b from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -15°C6°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 32°C89°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -3°C27°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 | 6°C44°F | -3°C27°F | 2°C35°F | 92 mm3.6 in |
| February | 9°C49°F | -2°C29°F | 4°C39°F | 84 mm3.3 in |
| March | 14°C58°F | 3°C37°F | 9°C47°F | 114 mm4.5 in |
| April | 21°C70°F | 8°C46°F | 14°C58°F | 125 mm4.9 in |
| May | 26°C78°F | 14°C56°F | 20°C67°F | 134 mm5.3 in |
| June | 30°C86°F | 18°C65°F | 24°C76°F | 104 mm4.1 in |
| July | 32°C89°F | 20°C68°F | 26°C79°F | 117 mm4.6 in |
| August | 31°C88°F | 19°C67°F | 25°C77°F | 83 mm3.3 in |
| September | 28°C83°F | 15°C59°F | 22°C71°F | 72 mm2.8 in |
| October | 22°C71°F | 9°C48°F | 15°C60°F | 81 mm3.2 in |
| November | 14°C58°F | 3°C38°F | 9°C48°F | 87 mm3.4 in |
| December | 8°C47°F | -1°C30°F | 4°C39°F | 99 mm3.9 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).