Frost dates for Cleveland, OH
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 8
typical year
Safe to plant
April 20
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 12
typical year
Growing season
217 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 11 – 25 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 25 – Mar 18 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 11 – Apr 1 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 11 – Apr 22 | Oct 1 – 15 |
| Onions | – | Mar 11 – 25 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | Aug 20 – Sep 3 |
| Beets | – | Mar 11 – 25 | Sep 3 – 17 |
| Kale | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Mar 11 – 25 | Sep 3 – 17 |
| Broccoli | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | Sep 3 – 17 |
| Cabbage | Jan 14 – 28 | Mar 11 – 25 | Sep 3 – 17 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 1 – 22 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 20 – May 4 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Apr 27 – May 11 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 20 – May 11 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 20 – May 18 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 20 – May 11 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 20 – Sep 3 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 20 – May 18 | – |
| Basil | Mar 16 – 30 | Apr 27 – May 4 | – |
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 | April 20 | April 8 | March 29 |
| Fall frost before | November 1 | November 12 | November 28 |
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 1 (April 13 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 22.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 33 towns.
Cleveland, Euclid, Cleveland Heights, Garfield Heights, Shaker Heights, Solon, Maple Heights, South Euclid, Beachwood, Lyndhurst, Warrensville Heights, East Cleveland, University Heights, Bedford, Seven Hills, Bedford Heights, Richmond Heights, Independence, Pepper Pike, Northfield, Orange, Moreland Hills, Oakwood, Walton Hills, Valley View, Newburgh Heights, Brooklyn Heights, Bratenahl, North Randall, Glenwillow, Highland Hills, Woodmere, Cuyahoga Heights
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CLEVELAND BURKE AP, OH US (USW00004853), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 29 zip codes, all within 15 miles:
44101, 44102, 44103, 44104, 44105, 44106, 44108, 44109, 44110, 44112, 44113, 44114, 44115, 44117, 44118, 44119, 44120, 44121, 44122, 44123, 44124, 44125, 44127, 44128, 44131, 44137, 44139, 44144, 44146
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.