Home › Frost dates › Indiana
Indiana frost dates
Across the 14Indiana weather stations below, the average last spring frost ranges from Apr 4 in Evansville to May 1 in South Bend Michiana. The statewide middle is about Apr 16 for the last spring frost and Oct 23 for the first fall frost. Evansville has the longest growing season, about 208 days. Hardiness zones in these places: 6a, 6b, 7a.
Frost dates by city
| Place | Zone | Last spring frost | 90% safe after | First fall frost | Frost-free days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evansville | 7a | Apr 4 | Apr 19 | Oct 29 | 208 |
| Bedford 5 Wnw | 6b | Apr 10 | Apr 30 | Oct 30 | 203 |
| Indianapolis Eagle Creek | 6a | Apr 12 | Apr 29 | Oct 29 | 200 |
| Shelbyville | 6a | Apr 14 | Apr 29 | Oct 23 | 192 |
| Terre Haute Caa | 6a | Apr 14 | May 2 | Oct 24 | 193 |
| Indianapolis | 6b | Apr 15 | May 2 | Oct 26 | 194 |
| Muncie Delaware | 6a | Apr 16 | May 2 | Oct 25 | 192 |
| Terre Haute Hulman | 6a | Apr 16 | May 3 | Oct 18 | 185 |
| Bloomington Monroe | 6b | Apr 17 | May 5 | Oct 22 | 188 |
| Valparaiso Porter | 6a | Apr 20 | May 7 | Oct 26 | 189 |
| Ft Wayne | 6a | Apr 24 | May 10 | Oct 21 | 180 |
| Lafayette Purdue | 6a | Apr 26 | May 14 | Oct 18 | 175 |
| Goshen | 6a | Apr 28 | May 13 | Oct 19 | 174 |
| South Bend Michiana | 6a | May 1 | May 17 | Oct 19 | 171 |
Dates are the 50% probability of a 32°F freeze (NOAA 1991–2020 normals); "90% safe after" is the date after which a later spring freeze happens in only 1 year in 10.
When to plant in Indiana
Using the statewide middle dates (last frost Apr 16, first frost Oct 23). Adjust for your town with the table above or the planting calendar.
| Plant | When to plant in Indiana |
|---|---|
| Tomatoes | Apr 23 – May 7 |
| Peas | Mar 5 – Mar 26; fall: Jul 31 – Aug 21 |
| Potatoes | Mar 19 – Apr 9 |
| Green beans | Apr 23 – May 7; fall: Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
| Garlic | Oct 23 – Nov 20 |
| Tulips | Oct 9 – Nov 20 |