South Bend, Indiana: planting zone & frost dates
South Bend is in USDA plant hardiness zone 6a, where the average coldest winter night reaches -10 to -5°F (-23.3 to -20.6°C). The typical last spring frost is around May 7 and the first fall frost around Oct 14.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | May 17 | Oct 5 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | May 7 | Oct 14 |
| Median (50%) | May 1 | Oct 19 |
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 SOUTH BEND MICHIANA RGNL AP, IN (USW00014848), 3.2 mi (5.2 km) from the city center and 52 ft higher than the city center (+16 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 30 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across South Bend
All 9 ZIP codes covering South Bend are in zone 6a.
Vegetable planting calendar for South Bend
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost May 7, first frost Oct 14). 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 12 – Mar 26 | May 14 – May 28 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | May 21 – Jun 4 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Apr 23 – May 14 | Apr 9 – May 21 | Aug 5 – Sep 2 |
| Green Beans | — | — | May 14 – Jun 18 | Jul 22 – Aug 5 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | May 14 – Jun 11 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Apr 9 – Apr 16 | May 14 – May 28 | May 14 – Jun 4 | Jul 22 – Aug 5 |
| Cucumber | Apr 9 – Apr 16 | May 21 – May 28 | May 14 – Jun 4 | Jul 22 – Aug 5 |
| Carrot | — | — | Apr 16 – May 21 | Jul 22 – Aug 5 |
| Onion | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | May 21 – Jun 4 | May 21 – Jun 11 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 26 – Apr 23 | Aug 19 – Sep 16 |
| Kale | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | Aug 5 – Sep 2 |
| Broccoli | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | Apr 23 – May 14 | — | Jul 22 – Aug 5 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Eggplant | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | May 21 – Jun 4 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | Apr 9 – Apr 23 | — | Jul 22 – Aug 5 |
| Radish | — | — | Apr 2 – May 21 | Sep 2 – Sep 30 |
| Strawberry | — | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Apr 16 – May 28 | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
Nearby cities in Indiana
- Hammond — zone 6a, last frost Apr 30, first frost Oct 15
- Fort Wayne — zone 6a, last frost May 1, first frost Oct 16
- Carmel — zone 6a, last frost Apr 28, first frost Oct 15
- Fishers — zone 6a, last frost Apr 28, first frost Oct 15
- Indianapolis — zone 6b, last frost Apr 26, first frost Oct 16
- Bloomington — zone 6b, last frost Apr 22, first frost Oct 21
More: all Indiana cities · other zone 6a cities: Chicago, IL, Denver, CO, Milwaukee, WI, Colorado Springs, CO, Omaha, NE, Aurora, CO, Lincoln, NE, Fort Wayne, IN
South Bend gardening questions
When is the last frost in South Bend, IN?
Plan around May 7. At NOAA's South Bend Michiana Regional Airport, IN station, 3.2 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 May 1, and after May 17 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Apr 19. The 90% and 10% dates are 31 days apart, close to the 36-day median for cities on this site.
When should I plant tomatoes in South Bend, IN?
Start seeds indoors Mar 12 – Mar 26 and set transplants outside May 14 – May 28, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 160 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 South Bend?
About 170 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 149 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 189 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 5 and a 30% chance by Oct 14. That is the shortest of the 8 Indiana cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in South Bend?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 14): transplant broccoli Jul 22 – Aug 5; sow kale Aug 5 – Sep 2; sow lettuce Aug 5 – Sep 2; sow radishes Sep 2 – Sep 30. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Oct 31. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did South Bend's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
No. Going by the zone that covers most of the city's land, South Bend is zone 6a 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 South Bend compare with Hammond, IN?
Both are in zone 6a. The typical last spring frost in South Bend (May 7) comes about 7 days later than in Hammond, IN (Apr 30), 63 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 14 versus Oct 15. The two cities use different NOAA stations.