Toledo, Ohio: planting zone & frost dates
Toledo is in USDA plant hardiness zone 6b, where the average coldest winter night reaches -5 to 0°F (-20.6 to -17.8°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 27 and the first fall frost around Oct 22.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | May 7 | Oct 14 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 27 | Oct 22 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 20 | Oct 27 |
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 TOLEDO METCALF FLD, OH (USW00004848), 8.8 mi (14.2 km) from the city center and 13 ft higher than the city center (+4 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 19 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Toledo
All 14 ZIP codes covering Toledo are in zone 6b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Toledo
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 27, first frost Oct 22). 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 2 – Mar 16 | May 4 – May 18 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | May 11 – May 25 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | Apr 13 – May 4 | Mar 30 – May 11 | Aug 13 – Sep 10 |
| Green Beans | — | — | May 4 – Jun 8 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | May 4 – Jun 1 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 30 – Apr 6 | May 4 – May 18 | May 4 – May 25 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Cucumber | Mar 30 – Apr 6 | May 11 – May 18 | May 4 – May 25 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Carrot | — | — | Apr 6 – May 11 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Onion | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | May 11 – May 25 | May 11 – Jun 1 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 16 – Apr 13 | Aug 27 – Sep 24 |
| Kale | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Aug 13 – Sep 10 |
| Broccoli | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Apr 13 – May 4 | — | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Eggplant | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | May 11 – May 25 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | — | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 23 – May 11 | Sep 10 – Oct 8 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Apr 6 – May 18 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
Nearby cities in Ohio
- Columbus — zone 6b, last frost Apr 27, first frost Oct 20
- Parma — zone 6b, last frost Apr 27, first frost Oct 30
- Cleveland — zone 7a, last frost Apr 14, first frost Nov 7
- Dayton — zone 6b, last frost Apr 25, first frost Oct 21
- Akron — zone 6b, last frost Apr 30, first frost Oct 22
- Cincinnati — zone 6b, last frost Apr 24, first frost Oct 21
More: all Ohio cities · other zone 6b cities: Columbus, OH, Indianapolis, IN, Boston, MA, Detroit, MI, Kansas City, MO, Cincinnati, OH, Pittsburgh, PA, Buffalo, NY
Toledo gardening questions
When is the last frost in Toledo, OH?
Plan around Apr 27. At NOAA's Toledo Metcalf Field, OH 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 20, and after May 7 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Apr 8. 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 Toledo, OH?
Start seeds indoors Mar 2 – Mar 16 and set transplants outside May 4 – May 18, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 178 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 Toledo?
About 188 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 167 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 209 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 14 and a 30% chance by Oct 22. That ranks 5th longest of 7 Ohio cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Toledo?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 22): transplant broccoli Jul 30 – Aug 13; sow kale Aug 13 – Sep 10; sow lettuce Aug 13 – Sep 10; sow radishes Sep 10 – Oct 8. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Nov 7. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Toledo's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Toledo is zone 6b 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 Toledo compare with Ann Arbor, MI?
Toledo is zone 6b and Ann Arbor is zone 6a. The typical last spring frost in Toledo (Apr 27) comes about 14 days earlier than in Ann Arbor, MI (May 11), 43 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 22 versus Oct 4. Toledo sits about 280 ft lower, which explains part of the gap. The two cities use different NOAA stations.