USDA hardiness zone lookup
Columbus, OH — USDA Zone 6b
Columbus, Ohio · 175-day growing season
Frost dates and growing season in Columbus
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 6b |
|---|---|
| Average last spring frost | April 25 |
| Average first fall frost | October 17 |
| Growing season length | ~175 days |
| Temperature range (F) | -10 to 0°F |
| Temperature range (C) | -23 to -18°C |
All of Columbus's mapped ZIP codes fall in the same hardiness band, Zone 6b.
These are 50%-probability averages modeled from Columbus'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 25, 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 Columbus
Columbus, Ohio sits in USDA Zone 6b, with roughly 175 frost-free days between an average last spring frost around April 25 and a first fall frost around October 17. That is a standard temperate season — most common vegetables finish comfortably, and a single main planting plus one succession round works well. Columbus lies near 40.0°N; higher-latitude gardens get longer midsummer days but a tighter shoulder season at this zone. As a large metro, the built-up core typically runs up to half a zone warmer than outlying suburbs through the urban heat-island effect — sheltered city gardens often push tender crops a little earlier than the average suggests.
What grows in Columbus
Columbus falls in USDA Zone 6b, so the same hardiness constraints apply as the full Zone 6 guide. Vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees rated to Zone 6b (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 Columbus this week
Columbus 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 Columbus
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 Columbus
Drill down to the precise frost window and planting calendar for a specific ZIP in Columbus:
- 43215 — Columbus (Zone 6b)
- 43229 — Columbus (Northland) (Zone 6b)
- 43204 — Columbus (Hilltop) (Zone 6b)
Local microclimate notes
Zone tables give you the average — but Columbusgardens 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 Columbus'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 Ohio
- Akron, OH — USDA Zone 6a
- Canton, OH — USDA Zone 6a
- Cincinnati, OH — USDA Zone 6b
- Cleveland, OH — USDA Zone 6a
- Dayton, OH — USDA Zone 6b
- Dublin, OH — USDA Zone 6a
- Medina, OH — USDA Zone 6a
- Mentor, OH — USDA Zone 6a
- Toledo, OH — USDA Zone 6a
- Troy, OH — USDA Zone 6a
- Westerville, OH — USDA Zone 6a
- Youngstown, OH — USDA Zone 6a
- All of Ohio by zone