Louisville, Kentucky: planting zone & frost dates
Louisville is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 0 to 5°F (-17.8 to -15.0°C). The typical last spring frost is around Apr 13 and the first fall frost around Oct 29.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | Apr 23 | Oct 21 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | Apr 13 | Oct 29 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 6 | Nov 1 |
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 LOUISVILLE WFO, KY (USC00154958), 3.5 mi (5.6 km) from the city center and 112 ft higher than the city center (+34 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 24 years.
Hardiness zone across Louisville
All 18 ZIP codes covering Louisville are in zone 7a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Louisville
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost Apr 13, first frost Oct 29). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 20 – May 4 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Apr 27 – May 11 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Mar 16 – Apr 27 | Aug 20 – Sep 17 |
| Green Beans | — | — | Apr 20 – May 25 | Aug 6 – Aug 20 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | Apr 20 – May 18 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Mar 16 – Mar 23 | Apr 20 – May 4 | Apr 20 – May 11 | Aug 6 – Aug 20 |
| Cucumber | Mar 16 – Mar 23 | Apr 27 – May 4 | Apr 20 – May 11 | Aug 6 – Aug 20 |
| Carrot | — | — | Mar 23 – Apr 27 | Aug 6 – Aug 20 |
| Onion | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | Apr 27 – May 11 | Apr 27 – May 18 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 2 – Mar 30 | Sep 3 – Oct 1 |
| Kale | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | Aug 20 – Sep 17 |
| Broccoli | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | — | Aug 6 – Aug 20 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 2 – Mar 23 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Eggplant | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Apr 27 – May 11 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | — | Aug 6 – Aug 20 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 9 – Apr 27 | Sep 17 – Oct 15 |
| Strawberry | — | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Mar 23 – May 4 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
Nearby cities in Kentucky
- Lexington — zone 7a, last frost Apr 20, first frost Oct 23
- Bowling Green — zone 7a, last frost Apr 11, first frost Oct 26
More: all Kentucky cities · other zone 7a cities: Wichita, KS, Cleveland, OH, Lexington, KY, St. Louis, MO, Boise, ID, Amarillo, TX, Providence, RI, Paterson, NJ