Fort Wayne, Indiana: planting zone & frost dates
Fort Wayne is in USDA plant hardiness zone 6a, where the average coldest winter night reaches -10 to -5°F (-23.3 to -20.6°C). The typical last spring frost is around May 1 and the first fall frost around Oct 16.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | May 10 | Oct 8 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | May 1 | Oct 16 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 24 | Oct 21 |
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 FT WAYNE INTL AP, IN (USW00014827), 8.8 mi (14.1 km) from the city center and 33 ft higher than the city center (+10 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 30 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Fort Wayne
All 16 ZIP codes covering Fort Wayne are in zone 6a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Fort Wayne
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost May 1, first frost Oct 16). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | May 8 – May 22 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | May 15 – May 29 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Apr 17 – May 8 | Apr 3 – May 15 | Aug 7 – Sep 4 |
| Green Beans | — | — | May 8 – Jun 12 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | May 8 – Jun 5 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Apr 3 – Apr 10 | May 8 – May 22 | May 8 – May 29 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Cucumber | Apr 3 – Apr 10 | May 15 – May 22 | May 8 – May 29 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Carrot | — | — | Apr 10 – May 15 | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Onion | Feb 6 – Feb 20 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 15 – May 29 | May 15 – Jun 5 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 20 – Apr 17 | Aug 21 – Sep 18 |
| Kale | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | Aug 7 – Sep 4 |
| Broccoli | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Apr 17 – May 8 | — | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 20 – Apr 10 | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
| Eggplant | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | May 15 – May 29 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | — | Jul 24 – Aug 7 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 27 – May 15 | Sep 4 – Oct 2 |
| Strawberry | — | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Apr 10 – May 22 | Aug 7 – Aug 21 |
Nearby cities in Indiana
- South Bend — zone 6a, last frost May 7, first frost Oct 14
- Fishers — zone 6a, last frost Apr 28, first frost Oct 15
- Carmel — zone 6a, last frost Apr 28, first frost Oct 15
- Indianapolis — zone 6b, last frost Apr 26, first frost Oct 16
- Bloomington — zone 6b, last frost Apr 22, first frost Oct 21
- Hammond — zone 6a, last frost Apr 30, first frost Oct 15
More: all Indiana cities · other zone 6a cities: Chicago, IL, Denver, CO, Milwaukee, WI, Colorado Springs, CO, Omaha, NE, Aurora, CO, Lincoln, NE, Worcester, MA
Fort Wayne gardening questions
When is the last frost in Fort Wayne, IN?
Plan around May 1. At NOAA's Ft Wayne Int'l Airport, IN station, 8.8 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 Apr 24, and after May 10 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Apr 12. The 90% and 10% dates are 30 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Fort Wayne, IN?
Start seeds indoors Mar 6 – Mar 20 and set transplants outside May 8 – May 22, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 168 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 Fort Wayne?
About 178 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 157 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 199 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 8 and a 30% chance by Oct 16. That ranks 7th longest of 8 Indiana cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Fort Wayne?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 16): transplant broccoli Jul 24 – Aug 7; sow kale Aug 7 – Sep 4; sow lettuce Aug 7 – Sep 4; sow radishes Sep 4 – Oct 2. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 1. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Fort Wayne's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Fort Wayne is zone 6a on both the 2012 and the 2023 USDA maps (PRISM/OSU ZIP listings). About 42% of U.S. ZIP codes kept their half-zone in 2023. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Fort Wayne compare with South Bend, IN?
Both are in zone 6a. The typical last spring frost in Fort Wayne (May 1) comes about 6 days earlier than in South Bend, IN (May 7), 71 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 16 versus Oct 14. The two cities use different NOAA stations.