When to plant peppers in Ohio

Plant out in Columbus

May 4–May 18

Across Ohio the window opens between April 22 and May 22. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Start indoors, Columbus: Feb 9–Feb 23
Plant out, Columbus: May 4–May 18
Last sowing for a harvest: Jul 12
Last frost, Columbus: Apr 20

Start seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost; plant out 2–4 weeks after the last frost. Peppers germinate slowly. A heat mat under the seed tray speeds them up.

Peppers planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

ColumbusMay 4–May 18

ClevelandApr 22–May 6

CincinnatiApr 30–May 14

ToledoMay 4–May 18

AkronMay 8–May 22

DaytonMay 2–May 16

ParmaMay 4–May 18

CantonMay 8–May 22

LorainMay 8–May 22

HamiltonMay 6–May 20

YoungstownMay 15–May 29

SpringfieldMay 9–May 23

KetteringMay 2–May 16

ElyriaMay 6–May 20

MiddletownMay 8–May 22

NewarkMay 13–May 27

Cuyahoga FallsMay 14–May 28

DublinMay 6–May 20

LakewoodMay 4–May 18

BeavercreekMay 2–May 16

EuclidApr 22–May 6

MansfieldMay 10–May 24

MentorApr 29–May 13

DelawareMay 3–May 17

StrongsvilleMay 4–May 18

Grove CityMay 7–May 21

FairfieldMay 6–May 20

Huber HeightsApr 30–May 14

Cleveland HeightsApr 22–May 6

ReynoldsburgMay 2–May 16

All 87 cities

City	Start indoors	Plant out	Last frost
Columbus	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Cleveland	Jan 28 to Feb 11	Apr 22 to May 6	Apr 8
Cincinnati	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 30 to May 14	Apr 16
Toledo	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Akron	Feb 13 to Feb 27	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Dayton	Feb 7 to Feb 21	May 2 to May 16	Apr 18
Parma	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Canton	Feb 13 to Feb 27	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Lorain	Feb 13 to Feb 27	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Hamilton	Feb 11 to Feb 25	May 6 to May 20	Apr 22
Youngstown	Feb 20 to Mar 6	May 15 to May 29	May 1
Springfield	Feb 14 to Feb 28	May 9 to May 23	Apr 25
Kettering	Feb 7 to Feb 21	May 2 to May 16	Apr 18
Elyria	Feb 11 to Feb 25	May 6 to May 20	Apr 22
Middletown	Feb 13 to Feb 27	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Newark	Feb 18 to Mar 4	May 13 to May 27	Apr 29
Cuyahoga Falls	Feb 19 to Mar 5	May 14 to May 28	Apr 30
Dublin	Feb 11 to Feb 25	May 6 to May 20	Apr 22
Lakewood	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Beavercreek	Feb 7 to Feb 21	May 2 to May 16	Apr 18
Euclid	Jan 28 to Feb 11	Apr 22 to May 6	Apr 8
Mansfield	Feb 15 to Mar 1	May 10 to May 24	Apr 26
Mentor	Feb 4 to Feb 18	Apr 29 to May 13	Apr 15
Delaware	Feb 8 to Feb 22	May 3 to May 17	Apr 19
Strongsville	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Grove City	Feb 12 to Feb 26	May 7 to May 21	Apr 23
Fairfield	Feb 11 to Feb 25	May 6 to May 20	Apr 22
Huber Heights	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Apr 30 to May 14	Apr 16
Cleveland Heights	Jan 28 to Feb 11	Apr 22 to May 6	Apr 8
Reynoldsburg	Feb 7 to Feb 21	May 2 to May 16	Apr 18
Lancaster	Feb 11 to Feb 25	May 6 to May 20	Apr 22
Findlay	Feb 11 to Feb 25	May 6 to May 20	Apr 22
Hilliard	Feb 11 to Feb 25	May 6 to May 20	Apr 22
Warren	Feb 27 to Mar 13	May 22 to Jun 5	May 8
Westerville	Feb 11 to Feb 25	May 6 to May 20	Apr 22
North Ridgeville	Feb 11 to Feb 25	May 6 to May 20	Apr 22
Gahanna	Feb 7 to Feb 21	May 2 to May 16	Apr 18
Upper Arlington	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Mason	Feb 11 to Feb 25	May 6 to May 20	Apr 22
Fairborn	Feb 13 to Feb 27	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Marion	Feb 14 to Feb 28	May 9 to May 23	Apr 25
Brunswick	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Lima	Feb 13 to Feb 27	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Stow	Feb 19 to Mar 5	May 14 to May 28	Apr 30
Westlake	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Massillon	Feb 13 to Feb 27	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
North Olmsted	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Bowling Green	Feb 11 to Feb 25	May 6 to May 20	Apr 22
North Royalton	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Austintown	Feb 27 to Mar 13	May 22 to Jun 5	May 8
Marysville	Feb 8 to Feb 22	May 3 to May 17	Apr 19
Garfield Heights	Jan 28 to Feb 11	Apr 22 to May 6	Apr 8
Shaker Heights	Jan 28 to Feb 11	Apr 22 to May 6	Apr 8
Kent	Feb 10 to Feb 24	May 5 to May 19	Apr 21
Green	Feb 13 to Feb 27	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Troy	Feb 7 to Feb 21	May 2 to May 16	Apr 18
Wooster	Feb 19 to Mar 5	May 14 to May 28	Apr 30
Avon Lake	Feb 11 to Feb 25	May 6 to May 20	Apr 22
Xenia	Feb 7 to Feb 21	May 2 to May 16	Apr 18
Pickerington	Feb 12 to Feb 26	May 7 to May 21	Apr 23
Medina	Feb 18 to Mar 4	May 13 to May 27	Apr 29
Avon	Feb 11 to Feb 25	May 6 to May 20	Apr 22
Perrysburg	Feb 11 to Feb 25	May 6 to May 20	Apr 22
Athens	Feb 14 to Feb 28	May 9 to May 23	Apr 25
Centerville	Feb 6 to Feb 20	May 1 to May 15	Apr 17
Zanesville	Feb 15 to Mar 1	May 10 to May 24	Apr 26
Barberton	Feb 13 to Feb 27	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Wadsworth	Feb 18 to Mar 4	May 13 to May 27	Apr 29
Riverside	Feb 7 to Feb 21	May 2 to May 16	Apr 18
Willoughby	Feb 15 to Mar 1	May 10 to May 24	Apr 26
Sandusky	Jan 30 to Feb 13	Apr 24 to May 8	Apr 10
Solon	Jan 28 to Feb 11	Apr 22 to May 6	Apr 8
Trotwood	Feb 7 to Feb 21	May 2 to May 16	Apr 18
Hudson	Feb 19 to Mar 5	May 14 to May 28	Apr 30
Maple Heights	Jan 28 to Feb 11	Apr 22 to May 6	Apr 8
Oxford	Feb 8 to Feb 22	May 3 to May 17	Apr 19
Lebanon	Feb 13 to Feb 27	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Chillicothe	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Alliance	Feb 13 to Feb 27	May 8 to May 22	Apr 24
Rocky River	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
South Euclid	Jan 28 to Feb 11	Apr 22 to May 6	Apr 8
Piqua	Feb 7 to Feb 21	May 2 to May 16	Apr 18
Painesville	Feb 4 to Feb 18	Apr 29 to May 13	Apr 15
Miamisburg	Feb 6 to Feb 20	May 1 to May 15	Apr 17
Parma Heights	Feb 9 to Feb 23	May 4 to May 18	Apr 20
Sidney	Feb 16 to Mar 2	May 11 to May 25	Apr 27
Forest Park	Feb 11 to Feb 25	May 6 to May 20	Apr 22

Questions

When should I plant peppers in Ohio?

In Columbus, plant out from May 4 to May 18. Across Ohio the window opens between April 22 and May 22, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Start seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost; plant out 2–4 weeks after the last frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Ohio

Peppers in other states

Frost dates for every city in Ohio