Indiana frost dates

Average last spring and first fall frost dates for Indiana’s largest cities, with each city’s USDA hardiness zone.

Reviewed October 2026

Among Indiana’s 20 largest cities, the average last spring frost ranges from Mar 29 in Evansville to Apr 27 in Kokomo. Elevation, distance from the coast and city heat all shift the date, so use your own ZIP code below for the closest match.

City	Average last spring frost	Average first fall frost	Frost-free days	Hardiness zone	Weather station used
Indianapolis	Apr 20	Oct 21	184	6a–6b	Indianapolis Se Side, IN, 6 mi
Fort Wayne	Apr 24	Oct 21	180	6a	Ft Wayne Intl Airport, IN, 9 mi
Evansville	Mar 29	Nov 10	226	7a	Evansville Museum, IN, 3 mi
Fishers	Apr 21	Oct 21	183	6a	Carmel 3 E, IN, 5 mi
South Bend	Apr 23	Oct 23	183	6a	S Bend, IN, 2 mi
Carmel	Apr 21	Oct 21	183	6a–6b	Carmel 3 E, IN, 5 mi
Bloomington	Apr 15	Oct 26	194	6b	Bloomington Indiana Univ, IN
Hammond	Apr 23	Oct 20	180	6a	Park Forest, IL, 13 mi
Noblesville	Apr 21	Oct 21	183	6a	Carmel 3 E, IN, 6 mi
Lafayette	Apr 26	Oct 18	175	6a	Lafayette Purdue Univ Airport, IN, 4 mi
Greenwood	Apr 20	Oct 21	184	6a–6b	Indianapolis Se Side, IN, 8 mi
Gary	Apr 22	Oct 27	188	6a	Indiana Dunes Nl, IN, 14 mi
Muncie	Apr 16	Oct 25	192	6a	Muncie Delaware Co Airport, IN, 2 mi
Westfield	Apr 21	Oct 21	183	6a	Carmel 3 E, IN, 7 mi
Kokomo	Apr 27	Oct 18	174	6a	Kokomo 3 Wsw, IN, 3 mi
Terre Haute	Apr 15	Oct 19	187	6a	Terre Haute Indiana State, IN, 2 mi
Anderson	Apr 19	Oct 23	187	6a	Anderson Sewage Plt, IN, 2 mi
Elkhart	Apr 26	Oct 21	178	6a	Goshen 3Sw, IN, 10 mi
Jeffersonville	Mar 31	Nov 9	223	7a	Louisville Mcalpine, KY, 6 mi
Columbus	Apr 11	Oct 25	197	6b	Columbus, IN, 3 mi

Frost dates are the dates after (spring) or before (fall) which the chance of a 32°F freeze is below 50%, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals for the weather station nearest each city’s center. Zones are from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for the ZIP codes around each city; a range means nearby ZIP codes differ. Cities are the 20 largest by Census Bureau 2024 population estimates.

An average is not a guarantee. There’s still about a 1 in 2 chance of frost after the average last spring date. Many gardeners wait an extra week or two before setting out tomatoes, peppers and basil, and keep covers handy.

Planting dates for Indianapolis

Timed from Indianapolis’s average last frost of Apr 20, using University of New Hampshire Extension’s planting guidance. For your exact dates, enter your ZIP code in the calendar below.

Crop	Start seeds indoors	Plant outside
Tomatoes	Mar 2 to Mar 16	Apr 27 to May 4
Peppers	Feb 23 to Mar 9	May 4
Lettuce	Feb 16 to Feb 23	Mar 23 to Mar 30
Broccoli	Feb 9 to Feb 23	Mar 23 to Apr 6
Cucumbers	Mar 30 to Apr 6	Apr 27 to May 4
Basil	Mar 9 to Mar 23	May 4

When to plant, for your garden

Your seed-starting and planting dates, timed from your last spring frost. Full calendar, 12 crops.

ZIP code

Last frost date

Enter your ZIP code to look up your average last frost date and hardiness zone, or type the date in yourself.

Frost dates: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Hardiness zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023, ZIP code data from PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed Oct. 20, 2026.

More about frost dates

How to find your last frost date, and what your zone means · Full planting calendar · How to start seeds indoors

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