Frost dates for Gary, IN
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
April 22
typical year
Safe to plant
May 8
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 27
typical year
Growing season
188 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | Sep 1 – 15 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | Sep 1 – 15 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 25 – May 6 | Sep 15 – 29 |
| Onions | – | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 1 – 15 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 1 – 22 | Aug 4 – 18 |
| Beets | – | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Kale | Feb 11 – 25 | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Broccoli | Feb 11 – 25 | Apr 8 – 22 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Cabbage | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | Aug 18 – Sep 1 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 15 – Oct 6 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 13 – 27 | May 8 – 22 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 6 – 20 | May 15 – 29 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 8 – 29 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 8 – Jun 5 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 8 – 29 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 8 – Aug 18 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 8 – Jun 5 | – |
| Basil | Apr 3 – 17 | May 15 – 22 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | May 8 | April 22 | April 7 |
| Fall frost before | October 15 | October 27 | November 9 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around April 8 (April 23 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 7.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 11 towns.
Gary, Portage, Chesterton, Lake Station, Porter, Burns Harbor, New Chicago, Ogden Dunes, Beverly Shores, Town of Pines, Dune Acres
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station INDIANA DUNES NL, IN US (USC00124244), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 10 zip codes, all within 16 miles:
46301, 46304, 46368, 46402, 46403, 46404, 46405, 46407, 46408, 46409
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.