Hammond, Indiana: planting zone & frost dates
Hammond 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 Apr 30 and the first fall frost around Oct 15.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | May 11 | Oct 6 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 30 | Oct 15 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 23 | Oct 20 |
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 PARK FOREST, IL (USC00116616), 12.9 mi (20.7 km) from the city center and 121 ft higher than the city center (+37 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 26 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Hammond
All 5 ZIP codes covering Hammond are in zone 6a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Hammond
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 30, first frost Oct 15). 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 5 – Mar 19 | May 7 – May 21 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | May 14 – May 28 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | Apr 16 – May 7 | Apr 2 – May 14 | Aug 6 – Sep 3 |
| Green Beans | — | — | May 7 – Jun 11 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | May 7 – Jun 4 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Apr 2 – Apr 9 | May 7 – May 21 | May 7 – May 28 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Cucumber | Apr 2 – Apr 9 | May 14 – May 21 | May 7 – May 28 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Carrot | — | — | Apr 9 – May 14 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Onion | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 19 – Apr 2 | May 14 – May 28 | May 14 – Jun 4 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 19 – Apr 16 | Aug 20 – Sep 17 |
| Kale | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Aug 6 – Sep 3 |
| Broccoli | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 16 – May 7 | — | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Aug 6 – Aug 20 |
| Eggplant | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | May 14 – May 28 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | — | Jul 23 – Aug 6 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 26 – May 14 | Sep 3 – Oct 1 |
| Strawberry | — | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Apr 9 – May 21 | Aug 6 – Aug 20 |
Nearby cities in Indiana
- South Bend — zone 6a, last frost May 7, first frost Oct 14
- Carmel — zone 6a, last frost Apr 28, first frost Oct 15
- Fishers — zone 6a, last frost Apr 28, first frost Oct 15
- Indianapolis — zone 6b, last frost Apr 26, first frost Oct 16
- Fort Wayne — zone 6a, last frost May 1, first frost Oct 16
- Bloomington — zone 6b, last frost Apr 22, first frost Oct 21
More: all Indiana cities · other zone 6a cities: Chicago, IL, Denver, CO, Milwaukee, WI, Colorado Springs, CO, Omaha, NE, Aurora, CO, Lincoln, NE, Fort Wayne, IN
Hammond gardening questions
When is the last frost in Hammond, IN?
Plan around Apr 30. At NOAA's Park Forest, IL station, 12.9 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 23, and after May 11 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 32 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Hammond, IN?
Start seeds indoors Mar 5 – Mar 19 and set transplants outside May 7 – May 21, 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 Hammond?
About 179 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 159 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 198 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 6 and a 30% chance by Oct 15. That ranks 6th longest of 8 Indiana cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Hammond?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 15): transplant broccoli Jul 23 – Aug 6; sow kale Aug 6 – Sep 3; sow lettuce Aug 6 – Sep 3; sow radishes Sep 3 – Oct 1. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Oct 30. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Hammond's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Hammond was zone 5b on the 2012 map and is zone 6a 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 Hammond compare with Chicago, IL?
Both are in zone 6a. The typical last spring frost in Hammond (Apr 30) comes about 13 days later than in Chicago, IL (Apr 17), 18 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 15 versus Nov 1. The two cities use different NOAA stations.