When to plant in Lexington, OH
Planting dates worked out from Lexington's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 20
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 2
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 9
1 year in 10 by Sep 22
Frost-free days
157
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Mansfield 5 W · 9.6 km away · station 412 m, town 371 m. How we match towns to stations
This season
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | May 20 – Jun 3 | Jul 14 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | May 20 – Jun 3 | Jul 19 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 28 – Mar 7 | Apr 4 – Apr 18 | May 14 |
| Peas | — | Mar 30 – Apr 27 | May 24 |
| Bush beans | — | May 13 – Jun 3 | Jul 2 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 11 – May 23 | Jun 10 |
| Beet | — | Apr 7 – May 19 | May 27 |
| Potato | — | Apr 11 – May 2 | Jun 20 |
| Kale | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | May 19 |
| Broccoli | Feb 21 – Mar 7 | Apr 4 – Apr 25 | Jun 3 |
| Cucumber | Apr 22 – Apr 29 | May 20 – Jun 3 | Jul 9 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 22 – Apr 29 | May 20 – Jun 3 | Jul 4 |
| Winter squash | Apr 22 – Apr 29 | May 20 – Jun 3 | Aug 8 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 13 – Jun 3 | Jul 12 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 4 – Apr 25 | Jul 3 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 25 – Oct 23 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 30 – Apr 27 | May 7 |
| Basil | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | May 20 – Jun 3 | Jul 16 |
Lexington's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1917 | May 3 |
| 1918 | Apr 25 |
| 1919 | Apr 27 |
| 1921 | Apr 18 |
| 1922 | Apr 29 |
| 1923 | May 10 |
| 1925 | May 25 |
| 1926 | May 4 |
| 1927 | Apr 28 |
| 1928 | May 8 |
| 1929 | May 17 |
| 1930 | Apr 26 |
| 1931 | May 1 |
| 1932 | May 3 |
| 1933 | Apr 27 |
| 1934 | May 16 |
| 1935 | May 17 |
| 1936 | May 15 |
| 1937 | Apr 23 |
| 1938 | May 13 |
| 1939 | May 4 |
| 1940 | May 10 |
| 1941 | May 18 |
| 1942 | Apr 23 |
| 1943 | May 2 |
| 1944 | Apr 30 |
| 1945 | Jun 6 |
| 1946 | May 13 |
| 1947 | May 30 |
| 1949 | Jun 8 |
| 1950 | May 8 |
| 1951 | May 24 |
| 1952 | May 3 |
| 1953 | Apr 28 |
| 1954 | May 22 |
| 1955 | May 18 |
| 1956 | May 24 |
| 1957 | May 7 |
| 1958 | May 21 |
| 1959 | May 16 |
| 1960 | May 2 |
| 1961 | May 30 |
| 1962 | Apr 24 |
| 1963 | May 24 |
| 1964 | May 30 |
| 1965 | Apr 28 |
| 1966 | Jun 2 |
| 1967 | May 8 |
| 1968 | May 7 |
| 1969 | May 26 |
| 1970 | May 18 |
| 1971 | May 23 |
| 1972 | Jun 11 |
| 1973 | May 18 |
| 1974 | May 8 |
| 1975 | May 7 |
| 1976 | May 19 |
| 1977 | May 9 |
| 1978 | May 3 |
| 1979 | May 5 |
| 1980 | May 10 |
| 1981 | Apr 26 |
| 1982 | May 1 |
| 1985 | Apr 11 |
| 1986 | May 5 |
| 1987 | May 1 |
| 1988 | Apr 26 |
| 1989 | May 8 |
| 1990 | Apr 19 |
| 1991 | Apr 13 |
| 1992 | Apr 13 |
| 1993 | Apr 28 |
| 1994 | May 2 |
| 1995 | Apr 26 |
| 1996 | May 14 |
| 1997 | May 2 |
| 1998 | Apr 28 |
| 1999 | Apr 25 |
| 2000 | Apr 27 |
| 2001 | Apr 26 |
| 2002 | May 22 |
| 2003 | Apr 27 |
| 2004 | May 4 |
| 2006 | May 21 |
| 2007 | Apr 18 |
| 2008 | Apr 30 |
| 2009 | May 18 |
| 2010 | May 10 |
| 2012 | Apr 29 |
| 2013 | May 27 |
| 2014 | May 19 |
| 2015 | Apr 28 |
| 2018 | Apr 30 |
| 2019 | Apr 15 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1917 | 156 |
| 1918 | 190 |
| 1921 | 177 |
| 1922 | 166 |
| 1923 | 127 |
| 1925 | 137 |
| 1926 | 173 |
| 1927 | 169 |
| 1928 | 139 |
| 1929 | 158 |
| 1930 | 174 |
| 1931 | 169 |
| 1932 | 163 |
| 1933 | 169 |
| 1934 | 149 |
| 1935 | 135 |
| 1936 | 161 |
| 1937 | 157 |
| 1938 | 141 |
| 1939 | 151 |
| 1940 | 138 |
| 1941 | 158 |
| 1942 | 154 |
| 1943 | 155 |
| 1944 | 146 |
| 1945 | 118 |
| 1946 | 108 |
| 1947 | 115 |
| 1950 | 138 |
| 1951 | 106 |
| 1952 | 153 |
| 1953 | 138 |
| 1954 | 123 |
| 1955 | 117 |
| 1956 | 119 |
| 1957 | 139 |
| 1958 | 133 |
| 1959 | 123 |
| 1960 | 151 |
| 1961 | 121 |
| 1962 | 149 |
| 1963 | 123 |
| 1964 | 106 |
| 1965 | 158 |
| 1966 | 105 |
| 1967 | 137 |
| 1968 | 150 |
| 1969 | 125 |
| 1970 | 133 |
| 1971 | 137 |
| 1972 | 111 |
| 1973 | 123 |
| 1974 | 137 |
| 1975 | 129 |
| 1976 | 149 |
| 1977 | 160 |
| 1978 | 157 |
| 1979 | 158 |
| 1980 | 147 |
| 1982 | 167 |
| 1985 | 173 |
| 1986 | 164 |
| 1987 | 155 |
| 1988 | 160 |
| 1989 | 138 |
| 1990 | 188 |
| 1991 | 160 |
| 1992 | 186 |
| 1993 | 157 |
| 1994 | 161 |
| 1995 | 149 |
| 1996 | 142 |
| 1997 | 170 |
| 1998 | 156 |
| 1999 | 149 |
| 2000 | 162 |
| 2001 | 163 |
| 2002 | 144 |
| 2003 | 156 |
| 2004 | 151 |
| 2006 | 143 |
| 2009 | 104 |
| 2010 | 158 |
| 2013 | 147 |
| 2014 | 157 |
| 2015 | 171 |
| 2018 | 168 |
| 2019 | 185 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1917 | 16.1 °C |
| 1918 | 17.9 °C |
| 1919 | 18.1 °C |
| 1921 | 19.6 °C |
| 1922 | 18.2 °C |
| 1923 | 17.1 °C |
| 1925 | 17.9 °C |
| 1926 | 16.9 °C |
| 1927 | 16.4 °C |
| 1928 | 16.5 °C |
| 1929 | 17.1 °C |
| 1930 | 18.7 °C |
| 1931 | 18.6 °C |
| 1932 | 17.1 °C |
| 1933 | 18.9 °C |
| 1934 | 19.1 °C |
| 1935 | 16.6 °C |
| 1936 | 18.6 °C |
| 1937 | 17.3 °C |
| 1938 | 17.9 °C |
| 1939 | 18.1 °C |
| 1940 | 15.9 °C |
| 1941 | 18.6 °C |
| 1942 | 18.2 °C |
| 1943 | 17.5 °C |
| 1944 | 17.5 °C |
| 1945 | 16.2 °C |
| 1946 | 15.9 °C |
| 1947 | 16.4 °C |
| 1950 | 15.1 °C |
| 1951 | 15.4 °C |
| 1952 | 16.9 °C |
| 1953 | 16.9 °C |
| 1954 | 16.8 °C |
| 1955 | 17.5 °C |
| 1956 | 15.6 °C |
| 1957 | 16.5 °C |
| 1958 | 15.8 °C |
| 1959 | 17.8 °C |
| 1960 | 17.0 °C |
| 1961 | 15.7 °C |
| 1962 | 17.0 °C |
| 1963 | 15.7 °C |
| 1964 | 17.1 °C |
| 1965 | 17.0 °C |
| 1966 | 15.8 °C |
| 1967 | 15.9 °C |
| 1968 | 16.8 °C |
| 1969 | 16.9 °C |
| 1970 | 17.9 °C |
| 1971 | 16.4 °C |
| 1972 | 16.4 °C |
| 1973 | 17.2 °C |
| 1974 | 16.2 °C |
| 1975 | 16.4 °C |
| 1976 | 16.4 °C |
| 1977 | 18.4 °C |
| 1978 | 17.7 °C |
| 1979 | 16.7 °C |
| 1980 | 16.9 °C |
| 1981 | 16.8 °C |
| 1982 | 16.3 °C |
| 1983 | 16.7 °C |
| 1984 | 16.1 °C |
| 1985 | 16.8 °C |
| 1986 | 17.3 °C |
| 1987 | 17.6 °C |
| 1988 | 17.3 °C |
| 1989 | 16.6 °C |
| 1990 | 16.8 °C |
| 1991 | 19.0 °C |
| 1992 | 16.4 °C |
| 1993 | 17.3 °C |
| 1994 | 17.2 °C |
| 1995 | 17.4 °C |
| 1996 | 16.9 °C |
| 1997 | 15.8 °C |
| 1998 | 18.2 °C |
| 1999 | 18.2 °C |
| 2000 | 17.1 °C |
| 2001 | 17.6 °C |
| 2002 | 18.2 °C |
| 2003 | 16.2 °C |
| 2004 | 15.3 °C |
| 2005 | 18.5 °C |
| 2006 | 17.8 °C |
| 2007 | 18.0 °C |
| 2008 | 17.8 °C |
| 2009 | 17.2 °C |
| 2010 | 19.0 °C |
| 2012 | 19.1 °C |
| 2013 | 17.8 °C |
| 2015 | 18.6 °C |
| 2017 | 18.0 °C |
| 2018 | 18.8 °C |
| 2019 | 18.9 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1917, Lexington's last spring frost has stayed at about the same time of year. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Mansfield 5 W (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.