Gardening in zone 6b
In USDA zone 6b, the coldest winter night averages -5 to 0°F. The typical last spring frost is around Apr 23 and the first fall frost around Oct 22.
A zone tells you about winter cold, not about timing: across zone 6b, last spring frosts range from about Apr 10 to May 5, and first fall frosts from Oct 9 to Oct 29. Plan from your own frost dates where you can.
Zone 6b is common in: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri, Kansas, West Virginia, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, Indiana, Michigan, Connecticut, Kentucky
Zone 6b 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 12 | Around May 7 | — |
| Pepper | Around Feb 26 | Around May 7 | — |
| Eggplant | Around Feb 26 | Around May 7 | — |
| Basil | Around Mar 12 | Around May 7 | — |
| Cucumber | Around Apr 2 | Around May 7 | — |
| Zucchini | Around Apr 2 | Around Apr 30 | — |
| Butternut Squash | Around Apr 2 | Around Apr 30 | — |
| Watermelon | Around Apr 2 | Around May 7 | — |
| Corn | — | Around Apr 23 | — |
| Green Bean | — | Around Apr 30 | — |
| Pea | — | Around Mar 12 | Around Aug 13 |
| Lettuce | — | Around Mar 26 | Around Sep 3 |
| Spinach | — | Around Mar 12 | Around Aug 27 |
| Kale | Around Mar 12 | Around Apr 23 | Around Aug 13 |
| Broccoli | Around Feb 26 | Around Apr 9 | Around Jul 16 |
| Cabbage | Around Mar 12 | Around Apr 23 | Around Jul 16 |
| Carrot | — | Around Apr 2 | Around Aug 6 |
| Beet | — | Around Mar 26 | Around Aug 13 |
| Radish | — | Around Mar 26 | Around Sep 10 |
| Onion | Around Feb 12 | Around Apr 2 | — |
| Potato | — | Around Apr 9 | — |
| Garlic | — | — | Around Nov 5 |
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 · 6a · 7a · 7b · 8a · 8b · 9a · 9b · 10a