When to plant tomatoes in Ohio

Plant out in Columbus

Apr 27–May 11

Across Ohio the window opens between April 15 and May 15. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Start indoors, Columbus: Feb 23–Mar 9
Plant out, Columbus: Apr 27–May 11
Last sowing for a harvest: Jul 17
Last frost, Columbus: Apr 20

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost; plant out 1–3 weeks after the last frost. Wait for nights that stay above 50°F. A cold snap after transplanting stalls tomatoes for weeks.

Tomatoes planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

ColumbusApr 27–May 11

ClevelandApr 15–Apr 29

CincinnatiApr 23–May 7

ToledoApr 27–May 11

AkronMay 1–May 15

DaytonApr 25–May 9

ParmaApr 27–May 11

CantonMay 1–May 15

LorainMay 1–May 15

HamiltonApr 29–May 13

YoungstownMay 8–May 22

SpringfieldMay 2–May 16

KetteringApr 25–May 9

ElyriaApr 29–May 13

MiddletownMay 1–May 15

NewarkMay 6–May 20

Cuyahoga FallsMay 7–May 21

DublinApr 29–May 13

LakewoodApr 27–May 11

BeavercreekApr 25–May 9

EuclidApr 15–Apr 29

MansfieldMay 3–May 17

MentorApr 22–May 6

DelawareApr 26–May 10

StrongsvilleApr 27–May 11

Grove CityApr 30–May 14

FairfieldApr 29–May 13

Huber HeightsApr 23–May 7

Cleveland HeightsApr 15–Apr 29

ReynoldsburgApr 25–May 9

All 87 cities

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

Questions

When should I plant tomatoes in Ohio?

In Columbus, plant out from April 27 to May 11. Across Ohio the window opens between April 15 and May 15, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost; plant out 1–3 weeks after the last frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Ohio

Tomatoes in other states

Frost dates for every city in Ohio