Gardening in zone 6a
In USDA zone 6a, the coldest winter night averages -10 to -5°F. The typical last spring frost is around Apr 29 and the first fall frost around Oct 17.
A zone tells you about winter cold, not about timing: across zone 6a, last spring frosts range from about Apr 17 to May 12, and first fall frosts from Oct 3 to Oct 24. Plan from your own frost dates where you can.
Zone 6a is common in: Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New York, Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Massachusetts, Utah
Zone 6a planting schedule
Dates below count from the zone’s typical frost dates, so treat them as a starting point. For dates set to your exact ZIP code, use the planting calendar.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant or sow outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Around Mar 18 | Around May 13 | — |
| Pepper | Around Mar 4 | Around May 13 | — |
| Eggplant | Around Mar 4 | Around May 13 | — |
| Basil | Around Mar 18 | Around May 13 | — |
| Cucumber | Around Apr 8 | Around May 13 | — |
| Zucchini | Around Apr 8 | Around May 6 | — |
| Butternut Squash | Around Apr 8 | Around May 6 | — |
| Watermelon | Around Apr 8 | Around May 13 | — |
| Corn | — | Around Apr 29 | — |
| Green Bean | — | Around May 6 | — |
| Pea | — | Around Mar 18 | Around Aug 8 |
| Lettuce | — | Around Apr 1 | Around Aug 29 |
| Spinach | — | Around Mar 18 | Around Aug 22 |
| Kale | Around Mar 18 | Around Apr 29 | Around Aug 8 |
| Broccoli | Around Mar 4 | Around Apr 15 | Around Jul 11 |
| Cabbage | Around Mar 18 | Around Apr 29 | Around Jul 11 |
| Carrot | — | Around Apr 8 | Around Aug 1 |
| Beet | — | Around Apr 1 | Around Aug 8 |
| Radish | — | Around Apr 1 | Around Sep 5 |
| Onion | Around Feb 18 | Around Apr 8 | — |
| Potato | — | Around Apr 15 | — |
| Garlic | — | — | Around Oct 31 |
Zones: 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Frost dates: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (50% chance of 32°F), middle value across the zone's ZIP codes.
Other zones: 3b · 4a · 4b · 5a · 5b · 6b · 7a · 7b · 8a · 8b · 9a · 9b · 10a