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When to plant in Crawfordsville, IN

USDA Zone 5b

Here are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for Crawfordsville, Indiana — all computed from Crawfordsville's nearest NOAA weather station.

In zone 5b, Crawfordsville gardeners can grow many hardy perennials, while the last and first frost still dictate the annual vegetable calendar.

Station · CRAWFORDSVILLE 6 SE · 9.3 km
Last spring frost
April 27
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 12
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
168 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for CrawfordsvilleA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Crawfordsville: last spring frost around April 27, first fall frost around October 12, about 168 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

CRAWFORDSVILLE 6 SE · 1991–2020

The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Crawfordsville’s own odds, recorded at CRAWFORDSVILLE 6 SE.

Frost-probability curves for CrawfordsvilleProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 27 and the first fall frost around October 12, giving about 168 frost-free days.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FMay 22May 7Apr 22Sep 19Oct 2Oct 15
32°FMay 13Apr 27Apr 11Sep 26Oct 12Oct 25
28°FMay 2Apr 14Mar 31Oct 6Oct 23Nov 6

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowopen now
Rutabaga
July 6July 20
Fall sowin 1 days
Broccoli
July 20August 3
Fall sowin 1 days
Cabbage
July 20August 3
Fall sowin 1 days
Carrot
July 20August 3
Fall sowin 1 days
Cauliflower
July 20August 3
Fall sowin 1 days
Napa Cabbage
July 20August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Beet
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Collards
August 3August 31
Fall sowin 15 days
Endive
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Escarole
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Fennel (Bulb)
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Kale
August 3August 31
Fall sowin 15 days
Kohlrabi
August 3August 31
Fall sowin 15 days
Peas
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Radicchio
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Swiss Chard
August 3August 17
Fall sowin 15 days
Turnip
August 3August 31

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Crawfordsville, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 29 km · complete 32°F normals

When stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.

CRAWFORDSVILLE 6 SE
Primary
9 km · 255 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 27
FALL
Oct 12
LAFAYETTE 8 S
28 km · 223 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 20
FALL
Oct 20
JAMESTOWN 2 E
29 km · 293 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 23
FALL
Oct 19

Crawfordsville planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Crawfordsville, IN?

Crawfordsville's average last spring frost falls near April 27 — the 50% mark at 32°F in the 1991–2020 normals. Hold tender transplants until the risk has passed, then plant out.

When is the first fall frost in Crawfordsville, IN?

The first fall frost in Crawfordsville typically arrives around October 12 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is Crawfordsville in?

Crawfordsville is in USDA hardiness zone 5b. In zone 5b, winters are cold — pick cold-hardy varieties and protect tender crops.

How long is the growing season in Crawfordsville?

Crawfordsville has about 168 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (April 27) and first fall frost (October 12).

When should I plant tomatoes in Crawfordsville?

For Crawfordsville, sow tomatoes indoors about March 2–March 16 and move the seedlings out around May 4, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Crawfordsville

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Crawfordsville’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at CRAWFORDSVILLE 6 SE, 9 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Crawfordsville, IN — Frost Dates & Zone 5b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00121873. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/indiana/crawfordsville.
When to Plant in Crawfordsville, IN — Frost Dates & Zone 5b — BlissGarden