Akron, Ohio: planting zone & frost dates
Akron 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 30 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 9 | Oct 12 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 30 | Oct 22 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 24 | Oct 28 |
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 AKRON FULTON INTL AP, OH (USW00014813), 4.2 mi (6.8 km) from the city center and 82 ft higher than the city center (+25 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 19 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Akron
All 18 ZIP codes covering Akron are in zone 6b.
Vegetable planting calendar for Akron
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 30, 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 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 13 – Sep 10 |
| Green Beans | — | — | May 7 – Jun 11 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | May 7 – Jun 4 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Apr 2 – Apr 9 | May 7 – May 21 | May 7 – May 28 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Cucumber | Apr 2 – Apr 9 | May 14 – May 21 | May 7 – May 28 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Carrot | — | — | Apr 9 – May 14 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| 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 27 – Sep 24 |
| Kale | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | Aug 13 – Sep 10 |
| Broccoli | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 16 – May 7 | — | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 19 – Apr 9 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
| Eggplant | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | May 14 – May 28 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Mar 5 – Mar 19 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | — | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 26 – May 14 | Sep 10 – Oct 8 |
| Strawberry | — | Apr 2 – Apr 23 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Apr 9 – May 21 | Aug 13 – Aug 27 |
Nearby cities in Ohio
- Parma — zone 6b, last frost Apr 27, first frost Oct 30
- Cleveland — zone 7a, last frost Apr 14, first frost Nov 7
- Columbus — zone 6b, last frost Apr 27, first frost Oct 20
- Toledo — zone 6b, last frost Apr 27, first frost Oct 22
- Dayton — zone 6b, last frost Apr 25, first frost Oct 21
- 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
Akron gardening questions
When is the last frost in Akron, OH?
Plan around Apr 30. At NOAA's Akron Fulton Int'l Airport, OH station, 4.2 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 24, and after May 9 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Apr 13. The 90% and 10% dates are 29 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in Akron, OH?
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 175 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 Akron?
About 186 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 206 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 12 and a 30% chance by Oct 22. That ranks 6th longest of 7 Ohio cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Akron?
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 Akron's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, Akron 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 Akron compare with Parma, OH?
Both are in zone 6b. The typical last spring frost in Akron (Apr 30) comes about the same time as in Parma, OH (Apr 27), 24 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 22 versus Oct 30. The two cities use different NOAA stations.