USDA hardiness zone lookup
Fort Wayne, IN — USDA Zone 6a
Fort Wayne, Indiana · 167-day growing season
Frost dates and growing season in Fort Wayne
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 6a |
|---|---|
| Average last spring frost | April 27 |
| Average first fall frost | October 11 |
| Growing season length | ~167 days |
| Temperature range (F) | -10 to 0°F |
| Temperature range (C) | -23 to -18°C |
All of Fort Wayne's mapped ZIP codes fall in the same hardiness band, Zone 6a.
These are 50%-probability averages modeled from Fort Wayne'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 27, 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 Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana sits in USDA Zone 6a, with roughly 167 frost-free days between an average last spring frost around April 27 and a first fall frost around October 11. 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 Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne 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 Fort Wayne this week
Fort Wayne 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 Fort Wayne
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 Fort Wayne
Drill down to the precise frost window and planting calendar for a specific ZIP in Fort Wayne:
Local microclimate notes
Zone tables give you the average — but Fort Waynegardens 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 Fort Wayne'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
- Carmel, IN — USDA Zone 6a
- Evansville, IN — USDA Zone 7a
- 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