Calendars by city / OH
Columbus, Ohio vegetable planting calendar
Planting windows for Columbus, Ohio built from the NOAA 1991–2020 freeze normals at PORT COLUMBUS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, OH US (station USW00014821), not from a hardiness zone.
Columbus, Ohio planting dates for 27 vegetables
The same windows as a table
Each row applies a published extension rule to the frost dates above. Hardy crops go out 2–4 weeks before the last frost; semi-hardy crops 0–2 weeks before; tender crops around the frost date; very tender crops 2 or more weeks after. The last fall planting date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost. The rules and their sources are on the methodology page.
| Crop | Frost class | Start seeds indoors | Plant outdoors | Last fall planting | Days to harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beets | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 2 – Apr 16 | Sep 4 | 60 |
| Broccoli | Hardy | Jan 29 – Feb 26 | Transplant: Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Sep 6 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Cabbage | Hardy | Jan 29 – Feb 26 | Transplant: Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Aug 17 | 85 (from transplant) |
| Carrots | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 2 – Apr 16 | Aug 25 | 70 |
| Cauliflower | Semi-hardy | Feb 12 – Mar 12 | Transplant: Apr 2 – Apr 16 | Aug 30 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Sep 21 | 50 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Sep 11 | 60 |
| Onions (green) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Sep 11 | 60 |
| Onions (dry, from seed) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Jul 23 | 110 |
| Onions (dry, from sets) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant sets: Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Jul 23 | 110 |
| Parsnips | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 2 – Apr 16 | Aug 25 | 70 |
| Peas | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Sep 6 | 65 |
| Potatoes | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant seed potatoes: Apr 2 – Apr 16 | Jul 1 | 125 |
| Radishes | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Oct 11 | 30 |
| Spinach | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Oct 1 | 40 |
| Swiss chard | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 2 – Apr 16 | Sep 4 | 60 |
| Turnips | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Sep 21 | 50 |
| Snap beans | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 16 – Apr 23 | Aug 28 | 60 |
| Cantaloupe | Very tender | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 30 – May 14 | Aug 3 | 85 |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 16 – Apr 23 | Jul 29 | 60–90 |
| Cucumbers | Tender | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 16 – Apr 23 | Sep 2 | 55 |
| Eggplant | Very tender | Feb 26 – Apr 2 | Transplant: Apr 30 – May 14 | Aug 28 | 60 (from transplant) |
| Peppers | Very tender | Mar 5 – Apr 2 | Transplant: Apr 30 – May 14 | Aug 18 | 70 (from transplant) |
| Tomatoes | Very tender | Mar 12 – Apr 9 | Transplant: Apr 30 – May 14 | Aug 23 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Summer squash | Tender | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 16 – Apr 23 | Sep 7 | 50 |
| Winter squash | Very tender | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 30 – May 14 | Jul 19 | 100 |
| Watermelon | Very tender | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 30 – May 14 | Aug 3 | 85 |
What the Columbus, Ohio frost-free season means for your choices
At 194 frost-free days, Columbus, Ohio gardeners should compare that number to the days-to-harvest column before buying seed. A crop whose days to harvest plus its transplant age is close to the season length needs either an early start indoors or a short-season variety.
- Hardy crops (peas, spinach, radishes, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage) can go in from about Mar 19 – Apr 2 and again for fall.
- Very tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, winter squash) should wait until Apr 30 – May 14; start tomato seeds indoors Mar 12 – Apr 9.
- Fall sowing is worthwhile only for the rows that show a separate fall date; for the others the spring window already covers the season.
Columbus, OH planting questions
When is the last frost in Columbus, Ohio?
The 50% probability date for the last spring 32°F reading at PORT COLUMBUS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, OH US is Apr 16, from the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. In half the years on that record the last frost came later than that date, so tender crops are safer a week or two after it. The last 28°F hard freeze averages Apr 5.
When can I plant tomatoes in Columbus, Ohio?
Tomatoes are a very tender crop, so the Colorado State Extension rule puts them out 2 or more weeks after the last spring frost: Apr 30 – May 14 in Columbus, Ohio. Start the seeds indoors Mar 12 – Apr 9, which is 5 to 7 weeks before that transplant window.
How long is the growing season in Columbus, Ohio?
Columbus, Ohio averages 194 frost-free days, between the 50% last spring frost on Apr 16 and the 50% first fall frost on Oct 27 at PORT COLUMBUS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, OH US. Check a variety's days to harvest against that number before buying seed.
When should I start seeds indoors in Columbus, Ohio?
The earliest indoor sowing on this calendar is broccoli and cabbage at Jan 29 – Feb 26. Hardy crops are transplanted out Mar 19 – Apr 2 here, and each crop's indoor window is simply its outdoor window minus the transplant age published by Colorado State Extension, so nothing starts earlier than that.
What can I plant in fall in Columbus, Ohio?
The crops with a separate fall sowing here, latest first, are radishes, spinach, kohlrabi, turnips, lettuce (leaf) and onions (green), plus 21 more on the chart above. Each fall date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost on Oct 27, plus an allowance for frost-tolerant crops that is our own assumption, not the source's.
Station data and limitations
| NOAA station | PORT COLUMBUS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, OH US (USW00014821) |
|---|---|
| Location | 39.9907, -82.877 · elevation 248.7 m |
| Last spring 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Apr 16 / Apr 5 |
| First fall 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Oct 27 / Nov 6 |
| Dataset | NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal product, data types ANN-TMIN-PRBLST/PRBFST-T32FP50 and T28FP50 |
| Retrieved | 2026-10-16 |
The normals describe the airport station, not your yard. They are averages of a 30-year record and say nothing about this year's weather. Watch the local forecast around the dates shown, and use soil temperature for warm-season crops, which the Colorado State guide treats as the better signal.
Nearby calendars
- Cleveland, Ohio — last spring frost Apr 22
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — last spring frost Apr 24
- Detroit, Michigan — last spring frost Apr 20
- Indianapolis, Indiana — last spring frost Apr 16
Read the method behind these dates: last frost date vs hardiness zone.