Evansville, Indiana: planting zone & frost dates
Evansville is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 0 to 5°F (-17.8 to -15.0°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 2 and the first fall frost around Nov 4.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 11 | Oct 27 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 2 | Nov 4 |
| Median (50%) | Mar 29 | Nov 10 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station EVANSVILLE MUSEUM, IN (USC00122731), 2.6 mi (4.2 km) from the city center and 23 ft lower than the city center (-7 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 18 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Evansville
All 9 ZIP codes covering Evansville are in zone 7a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Evansville
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 2, first frost Nov 4). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | — | — |
| Pepper | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Mar 5 – Apr 16 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 9 – May 14 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 9 – May 7 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 5 – Mar 12 | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Cucumber | Mar 5 – Mar 12 | Apr 16 – Apr 23 | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 12 – Apr 16 | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Onion | Jan 8 – Jan 22 | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | — | — |
| Basil | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | Apr 16 – May 7 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Feb 19 – Mar 19 | Sep 9 – Oct 7 |
| Kale | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | Aug 26 – Sep 23 |
| Broccoli | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | — | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Peas | — | — | Feb 19 – Mar 12 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Eggplant | Jan 22 – Feb 5 | Apr 16 – Apr 30 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | — | Aug 12 – Aug 26 |
| Radish | — | — | Feb 26 – Apr 16 | Sep 23 – Oct 21 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 5 – Mar 26 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 12 – Apr 23 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
Nearby cities in Indiana
- Bloomington — zone 6b, last frost Apr 22, first frost Oct 21
- Indianapolis — zone 6b, last frost Apr 26, first frost Oct 16
- Carmel — zone 6a, last frost Apr 28, first frost Oct 15
- Fishers — zone 6a, last frost Apr 28, first frost Oct 15
- Hammond — zone 6a, last frost Apr 30, first frost Oct 15
- South Bend — zone 6a, last frost May 7, first frost Oct 14
More: all Indiana cities · other zone 7a cities: Louisville, KY, Wichita, KS, Cleveland, OH, Lexington, KY, St. Louis, MO, Boise, ID, Amarillo, TX, Providence, RI
Evansville gardening questions
When is the last frost in Evansville, IN?
Plan around Apr 2. At NOAA's Evansville Museum, IN station, 2.6 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Mar 29, and after Apr 11 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Mar 18. The last frost is fairly predictable here: only 28 days separate the 90% and 10% dates (median for cities on this site: 36 days).
When should I plant tomatoes in Evansville, IN?
Start seeds indoors Feb 5 – Feb 19 and set transplants outside Apr 9 – Apr 23, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 216 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Evansville?
About 225 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 204 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 245 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 27 and a 30% chance by Nov 4. That is the longest of the 8 Indiana cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Evansville?
Count back from the first fall frost (Nov 4): transplant broccoli Aug 12 – Aug 26; sow kale Aug 26 – Sep 23; sow lettuce Aug 26 – Sep 23; sow radishes Sep 23 – Oct 21. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 20. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Evansville's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Evansville was zone 6b on the 2012 map and is zone 7a on the 2023 map — half a zone warmer, like about 56% of U.S. ZIP codes. The shift comes from a newer 1991–2020 averaging period plus more weather stations and better mapping; it does not mean last frost comes earlier. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Evansville compare with Bowling Green, KY?
Both are in zone 7a. The typical last spring frost in Evansville (Apr 2) comes about 9 days earlier than in Bowling Green, KY (Apr 11), 92 miles away, and the first fall frost is Nov 4 versus Oct 26. The two cities use different NOAA stations.