USDA hardiness zone lookup
Carmel, IN — USDA Zone 6a
Carmel, Indiana · 175-day growing season
Frost dates and growing season in Carmel
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 6a |
|---|---|
| Average last spring frost | April 24 |
| Average first fall frost | October 16 |
| Growing season length | ~175 days |
| Temperature range (F) | -10 to 0°F |
| Temperature range (C) | -23 to -18°C |
All of Carmel's mapped ZIP codes fall in the same hardiness band, Zone 6a.
These are 50%-probability averages modeled from Carmel's USDA hardiness zone and regional climate normals — not a single-station reading. In a typical year the last spring frost will have passed by April 24, but a colder-than-average year can run 1-2 weeks later. Plant tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) once both soil and night temperatures are consistently warm — a thermometer beats the calendar.
Growing season in Carmel
Carmel, Indiana sits in USDA Zone 6a, with roughly 175 frost-free days between an average last spring frost around April 24 and a first fall frost around October 16. That is a standard temperate season — most common vegetables finish comfortably, and a single main planting plus one succession round works well.
What grows in Carmel
Carmel falls in USDA Zone 6a, so the same hardiness constraints apply as the full Zone 6 guide. Vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees rated to Zone 6a (or hardier) will overwinter here in a typical year.
- Tomatoes (all types)
- Peppers, eggplant
- Squash, melons, cucumbers
- Beans, peas
- Sweet corn
- Apples, pears, peaches, plums
- Cherries, blueberries
- Asparagus, rhubarb
- Garlic (fall-planted)
- Strawberries
What to plant in Carmel this week
Carmel is in high summer — most spring plantings are in. Keep an eye on watering and start planning your fall crop. Cool-season seedlings (broccoli, cabbage, lettuce) can be started indoors for a fall transplant.
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 6
- When to plant peppers in zone 6
- When to plant bush beans in zone 6
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 6
- When to plant basil in zone 6
Full planting calendar for Carmel
Crop-by-crop sowing, transplant, and harvest dates calibrated to zone 6 averages:
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 6
- When to plant peppers in zone 6
- When to plant basil in zone 6
- When to plant garlic in zone 6
- When to plant lettuce in zone 6
- When to plant bush beans in zone 6
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 6
- When to plant summer squash in zone 6
- When to plant peas in zone 6
- When to plant carrots in zone 6
ZIP codes in Carmel
Drill down to the precise frost window and planting calendar for a specific ZIP in Carmel:
Local microclimate notes
Zone tables give you the average — but Carmelgardens vary. South-facing walls and paved areas can run a full half-zone warmer than the published rating. Low-lying spots, frost pockets, and shaded north sides can run colder. If you've gardened here a few seasons, your own frost record — the last time you actually got frost damage — beats any national average.
Source and methodology
Hardiness zone from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 revision). Frost-date and growing-season figures are modeled from Carmel's USDA hardiness zone and regional NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals — zone-level estimates, not a per-station record, so treat them as planning guidance and confirm against your own local frost history. Crop recommendations draw on US Cooperative Extension references, curated by the Growli editorial team. Last reviewed June 2026.
Other cities in Indiana
- Bloomington, IN — USDA Zone 6b
- Evansville, IN — USDA Zone 7a
- Fort Wayne, IN — USDA Zone 6a
- Indianapolis, IN — USDA Zone 6a
- Merrillville, IN — USDA Zone 6a
- Mishawaka, IN — USDA Zone 6a
- Noblesville, IN — USDA Zone 6a
- Portage, IN — USDA Zone 6a
- South Bend, IN — USDA Zone 6a
- Valparaiso, IN — USDA Zone 6a
- West Lafayette, IN — USDA Zone 6a
- All of Indiana by zone