When to plant in Springfield, OH
Planting dates worked out from Springfield's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 13
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 27
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 15
1 year in 10 by Oct 6
Frost-free days
169
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Springfield Wtp · 5.5 km away · station 290 m, town 298 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 18 – Apr 1 | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 7 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 12 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 23 – Mar 2 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | May 9 |
| Peas | — | Mar 26 – Apr 23 | May 20 |
| Bush beans | — | May 6 – May 27 | Jun 25 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 6 – May 18 | Jun 5 |
| Beet | — | Apr 4 – May 16 | May 24 |
| Potato | — | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | Jun 15 |
| Kale | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | Apr 2 – Apr 16 | May 15 |
| Broccoli | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | May 29 |
| Cucumber | Apr 15 – Apr 22 | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 2 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 15 – Apr 22 | May 13 – May 27 | Jun 27 |
| Winter squash | Apr 15 – Apr 22 | May 13 – May 27 | Aug 1 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 6 – May 27 | Jul 5 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Jun 28 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 1 – Oct 29 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 26 – Apr 23 | May 3 |
| Basil | Apr 1 – Apr 15 | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 9 |
Springfield'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 |
|---|---|
| 1970 | May 8 |
| 1971 | May 4 |
| 1972 | May 11 |
| 1973 | May 18 |
| 1974 | May 7 |
| 1975 | Apr 22 |
| 1976 | May 9 |
| 1977 | May 11 |
| 1978 | May 3 |
| 1979 | May 5 |
| 1980 | May 9 |
| 1981 | May 2 |
| 1982 | Apr 24 |
| 1984 | Apr 25 |
| 1987 | Apr 10 |
| 1989 | May 8 |
| 1990 | Apr 19 |
| 1991 | Apr 12 |
| 1992 | Apr 7 |
| 1993 | Apr 27 |
| 1994 | May 2 |
| 1995 | Apr 16 |
| 1996 | May 14 |
| 1997 | Apr 29 |
| 1998 | Apr 12 |
| 1999 | Apr 26 |
| 2000 | Apr 13 |
| 2001 | Apr 27 |
| 2002 | May 23 |
| 2003 | Apr 28 |
| 2004 | May 4 |
| 2005 | May 5 |
| 2006 | Apr 27 |
| 2007 | Apr 15 |
| 2008 | Apr 16 |
| 2009 | Apr 24 |
| 2010 | May 10 |
| 2011 | May 5 |
| 2013 | Apr 27 |
| 2014 | Apr 17 |
| 2015 | Apr 29 |
| 2016 | May 17 |
| 2018 | Apr 30 |
| 2019 | Apr 4 |
| 2020 | May 12 |
| 2021 | May 10 |
| 2022 | Apr 28 |
| 2023 | Apr 26 |
| 2024 | Apr 23 |
| 2025 | Apr 17 |
| 2026 | Apr 19 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1970 | 143 |
| 1971 | 160 |
| 1972 | 151 |
| 1973 | 151 |
| 1974 | 138 |
| 1975 | 163 |
| 1976 | 153 |
| 1977 | 155 |
| 1978 | 157 |
| 1979 | 161 |
| 1980 | 149 |
| 1981 | 153 |
| 1982 | 175 |
| 1984 | 159 |
| 1987 | 176 |
| 1989 | 148 |
| 1990 | 189 |
| 1991 | 178 |
| 1992 | 192 |
| 1993 | 165 |
| 1994 | 161 |
| 1995 | 159 |
| 1996 | 157 |
| 1997 | 169 |
| 1998 | 193 |
| 1999 | 175 |
| 2000 | 177 |
| 2001 | 162 |
| 2002 | 143 |
| 2003 | 156 |
| 2004 | 152 |
| 2005 | 173 |
| 2006 | 168 |
| 2008 | 185 |
| 2009 | 169 |
| 2010 | 164 |
| 2011 | 169 |
| 2013 | 178 |
| 2014 | 197 |
| 2015 | 169 |
| 2018 | 170 |
| 2019 | 197 |
| 2020 | 157 |
| 2021 | 169 |
| 2022 | 162 |
| 2023 | 180 |
| 2024 | 176 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1970 | 18.7 °C |
| 1971 | 17.5 °C |
| 1972 | 17.4 °C |
| 1973 | 17.9 °C |
| 1974 | 17.2 °C |
| 1975 | 17.5 °C |
| 1976 | 16.8 °C |
| 1977 | 18.8 °C |
| 1978 | 17.9 °C |
| 1979 | 17.3 °C |
| 1980 | 18.2 °C |
| 1981 | 17.8 °C |
| 1982 | 17.5 °C |
| 1983 | 18.1 °C |
| 1984 | 17.4 °C |
| 1987 | 19.5 °C |
| 1989 | 17.4 °C |
| 1990 | 17.6 °C |
| 1991 | 19.9 °C |
| 1992 | 17.0 °C |
| 1993 | 18.3 °C |
| 1994 | 17.8 °C |
| 1995 | 18.1 °C |
| 1996 | 17.4 °C |
| 1997 | 16.4 °C |
| 1998 | 18.9 °C |
| 1999 | 18.9 °C |
| 2000 | 17.9 °C |
| 2001 | 18.4 °C |
| 2002 | 19.4 °C |
| 2003 | 17.7 °C |
| 2004 | 18.4 °C |
| 2005 | 18.9 °C |
| 2006 | 18.3 °C |
| 2008 | 18.2 °C |
| 2009 | 17.8 °C |
| 2010 | 19.7 °C |
| 2011 | 18.9 °C |
| 2013 | 18.1 °C |
| 2014 | 17.6 °C |
| 2015 | 18.5 °C |
| 2019 | 19.1 °C |
| 2020 | 18.2 °C |
| 2021 | 18.9 °C |
| 2022 | 18.7 °C |
| 2023 | 18.1 °C |
| 2024 | 20.8 °C |
| 2026 | 19.3 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1970, Springfield's last spring frost has come about 2 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 4 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Springfield Wtp (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.