When to plant in Kentucky
Most of Kentucky sees its last spring frost between Apr 3 and Apr 24, and its first fall frost between Oct 18 and Nov 2. The middle of the state is around April 15 and October 25: that's what the dates below use.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Harvest | Plant for fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 14 | May 2 – May 16 | Jul 11 – Oct 3 | — |
| Pepper | Feb 28 | May 2 – May 16 | Jul 16 – Oct 8 | — |
| Cucumber | — | May 2 – May 16 | Jun 26 – Aug 14 | — |
| Zucchini / Summer squash | — | May 2 – May 16 | Jun 21 – Aug 30 | — |
| Winter squash | — | May 2 – May 16 | Aug 5 – Sep 9 | — |
| Green beans (bush) | — | May 2 – May 16 | Jun 26 – Aug 7 | — |
| Peas | — | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | May 3 – Jun 7 | Aug 5 – Aug 19 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 2 – May 16 | Jul 16 – Aug 13 | — |
| Lettuce | — | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | May 2 – Jun 13 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Spinach | — | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | Apr 13 – May 25 | Sep 15 – Sep 29 |
| Kale | Feb 4 | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | May 12 – Aug 4 | Sep 14 – Sep 28 |
| Broccoli | Feb 11 | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | May 24 – Jun 28 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Cabbage | Feb 4 | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | May 27 – Jul 1 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
| Carrot | — | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | Jun 3 – Jul 15 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 |
| Beet | — | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | May 19 – Jun 30 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Radish | — | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | Apr 5 – May 3 | Sep 16 – Sep 30 |
| Onion (sets) | — | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | Jun 19 – Jul 24 | — |
| Garlic | — | Oct 18 – Nov 8 (fall) | Jun 10 – Jul 1 next year | — |
| Potato | — | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | Jun 23 – Jul 28 | — |
| Sweet potato | Mar 25 | May 6 – May 20 | Aug 14 – Sep 11 | — |
| Watermelon | — | May 6 – May 20 | Jul 30 – Sep 3 | — |
| Basil | Mar 21 | May 2 – May 16 | Jun 1 – Sep 7 | — |
| Strawberry (June-bearing) | — | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | May 13 – Jun 10 (once established) | — |
| Sunflower | — | May 2 – May 16 | Jul 21 – Aug 25 | — |
Dates for a typical spot in Kentucky. Colder and higher places plant later, warmer ones earlier: enter your ZIP code for yours, or see the calendar for your zone.
Frost dates around Kentucky
| Place | Zone | Last frost | First frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | 7a | Apr 3 | Nov 3 |
| Lexington | 7a | Apr 13 | Oct 28 |
| Frankfort | 6b | Apr 15 | Oct 24 |
| Covington | 6b | Apr 17 | Oct 25 |
| London | 7a | Apr 15 | Oct 25 |
| Ashland | 7a | Apr 22 | Oct 30 |
| Bowling Green | 7a | Apr 5 | Oct 31 |
| Owensboro | 7a | Apr 2 | Nov 1 |
| Newport | 6b | Apr 16 | Oct 25 |
| Paducah | 7a | Apr 6 | Oct 27 |
Average dates from the nearest NOAA weather stations (1991–2020). Click a place for its full planting calendar.