When to plant pumpkins in Ohio
Sow outdoors 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.
- Sow outdoors, Columbus
- May 4–May 18
- Last sowing for a harvest
- Jun 12
- Last frost, Columbus
- Apr 20
Sow outdoors 2–4 weeks after the last frost. For Halloween pumpkins, count back the variety's days to maturity from late September.
Pumpkins 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 | Sow outdoors | Last frost |
|---|---|---|
| Columbus | May 4 to May 18 | Apr 20 |
| Cleveland | Apr 22 to May 6 | Apr 8 |
| Cincinnati | Apr 30 to May 14 | Apr 16 |
| Toledo | May 4 to May 18 | Apr 20 |
| Akron | May 8 to May 22 | Apr 24 |
| Dayton | May 2 to May 16 | Apr 18 |
| Parma | May 4 to May 18 | Apr 20 |
| Canton | May 8 to May 22 | Apr 24 |
| Lorain | May 8 to May 22 | Apr 24 |
| Hamilton | May 6 to May 20 | Apr 22 |
| Youngstown | May 15 to May 29 | May 1 |
| Springfield | May 9 to May 23 | Apr 25 |
| Kettering | May 2 to May 16 | Apr 18 |
| Elyria | May 6 to May 20 | Apr 22 |
| Middletown | May 8 to May 22 | Apr 24 |
| Newark | May 13 to May 27 | Apr 29 |
| Cuyahoga Falls | May 14 to May 28 | Apr 30 |
| Dublin | May 6 to May 20 | Apr 22 |
| Lakewood | May 4 to May 18 | Apr 20 |
| Beavercreek | May 2 to May 16 | Apr 18 |
| Euclid | Apr 22 to May 6 | Apr 8 |
| Mansfield | May 10 to May 24 | Apr 26 |
| Mentor | Apr 29 to May 13 | Apr 15 |
| Delaware | May 3 to May 17 | Apr 19 |
| Strongsville | May 4 to May 18 | Apr 20 |
| Grove City | May 7 to May 21 | Apr 23 |
| Fairfield | May 6 to May 20 | Apr 22 |
| Huber Heights | Apr 30 to May 14 | Apr 16 |
| Cleveland Heights | Apr 22 to May 6 | Apr 8 |
| Reynoldsburg | May 2 to May 16 | Apr 18 |
| Lancaster | May 6 to May 20 | Apr 22 |
| Findlay | May 6 to May 20 | Apr 22 |
| Hilliard | May 6 to May 20 | Apr 22 |
| Warren | May 22 to Jun 5 | May 8 |
| Westerville | May 6 to May 20 | Apr 22 |
| North Ridgeville | May 6 to May 20 | Apr 22 |
| Gahanna | May 2 to May 16 | Apr 18 |
| Upper Arlington | May 4 to May 18 | Apr 20 |
| Mason | May 6 to May 20 | Apr 22 |
| Fairborn | May 8 to May 22 | Apr 24 |
| Marion | May 9 to May 23 | Apr 25 |
| Brunswick | May 4 to May 18 | Apr 20 |
| Lima | May 8 to May 22 | Apr 24 |
| Stow | May 14 to May 28 | Apr 30 |
| Westlake | May 4 to May 18 | Apr 20 |
| Massillon | May 8 to May 22 | Apr 24 |
| North Olmsted | May 4 to May 18 | Apr 20 |
| Bowling Green | May 6 to May 20 | Apr 22 |
| North Royalton | May 4 to May 18 | Apr 20 |
| Austintown | May 22 to Jun 5 | May 8 |
| Marysville | May 3 to May 17 | Apr 19 |
| Garfield Heights | Apr 22 to May 6 | Apr 8 |
| Shaker Heights | Apr 22 to May 6 | Apr 8 |
| Kent | May 5 to May 19 | Apr 21 |
| Green | May 8 to May 22 | Apr 24 |
| Troy | May 2 to May 16 | Apr 18 |
| Wooster | May 14 to May 28 | Apr 30 |
| Avon Lake | May 6 to May 20 | Apr 22 |
| Xenia | May 2 to May 16 | Apr 18 |
| Pickerington | May 7 to May 21 | Apr 23 |
| Medina | May 13 to May 27 | Apr 29 |
| Avon | May 6 to May 20 | Apr 22 |
| Perrysburg | May 6 to May 20 | Apr 22 |
| Athens | May 9 to May 23 | Apr 25 |
| Centerville | May 1 to May 15 | Apr 17 |
| Zanesville | May 10 to May 24 | Apr 26 |
| Barberton | May 8 to May 22 | Apr 24 |
| Wadsworth | May 13 to May 27 | Apr 29 |
| Riverside | May 2 to May 16 | Apr 18 |
| Willoughby | May 10 to May 24 | Apr 26 |
| Sandusky | Apr 24 to May 8 | Apr 10 |
| Solon | Apr 22 to May 6 | Apr 8 |
| Trotwood | May 2 to May 16 | Apr 18 |
| Hudson | May 14 to May 28 | Apr 30 |
| Maple Heights | Apr 22 to May 6 | Apr 8 |
| Oxford | May 3 to May 17 | Apr 19 |
| Lebanon | May 8 to May 22 | Apr 24 |
| Chillicothe | May 4 to May 18 | Apr 20 |
| Alliance | May 8 to May 22 | Apr 24 |
| Rocky River | May 4 to May 18 | Apr 20 |
| South Euclid | Apr 22 to May 6 | Apr 8 |
| Piqua | May 2 to May 16 | Apr 18 |
| Painesville | Apr 29 to May 13 | Apr 15 |
| Miamisburg | May 1 to May 15 | Apr 17 |
| Parma Heights | May 4 to May 18 | Apr 20 |
| Sidney | May 11 to May 25 | Apr 27 |
| Forest Park | May 6 to May 20 | Apr 22 |
Questions
When should I plant pumpkins in Ohio?
In Columbus, sow outdoors 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?
Sow outdoors 2–4 weeks after the last frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.
More for Ohio
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Tulip bulbs
Garlic
Strawberries
Onions
Carrots
Sunflowers
Cucumbers
Daffodil bulbs
Corn
Sweet potatoes
Asparagus
Watermelon
Lettuce
Green beans
Pumpkins in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming