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When to plant in Amherst, OH

USDA Zone 6b

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

Zone 6b means Amherst sees real winter cold, but a good range of perennials survive; the frost dates above govern when annual vegetables go out.

Station · ELYRIA LORAIN CO AP · 7.9 km
Last spring frost
April 24
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 24
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
183 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for AmherstA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Amherst: last spring frost around April 24, first fall frost around October 24, about 183 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

ELYRIA LORAIN CO AP · 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 Amherst’s own odds, recorded at ELYRIA LORAIN CO AP.

Frost-probability curves for AmherstProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 24 and the first fall frost around October 24, giving about 183 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 19May 5Apr 21Sep 28Oct 10Oct 26
32°FMay 10Apr 24Apr 9Oct 8Oct 24Nov 6
28°FApr 26Apr 11Mar 29Oct 21Nov 4Nov 19

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 18August 1
Fall sowin 13 days
Broccoli
August 1August 15
Fall sowin 13 days
Cabbage
August 1August 15
Fall sowin 13 days
Carrot
August 1August 15
Fall sowin 13 days
Cauliflower
August 1August 15
Fall sowin 13 days
Napa Cabbage
August 1August 29
Fall sowin 27 days
Beet
August 15August 29
Fall sowin 27 days
Collards
August 15September 12
Fall sowin 27 days
Endive
August 15August 29
Fall sowin 27 days
Escarole
August 15August 29
Fall sowin 27 days
Fennel (Bulb)
August 15August 29
Fall sowin 27 days
Kale
August 15September 12
Fall sowin 27 days
Kohlrabi
August 15September 12
Fall sowin 27 days
Peas
August 15August 29
Fall sowin 27 days
Radicchio
August 15August 29
Fall sowin 27 days
Swiss Chard
August 15August 29
Fall sowin 27 days
Turnip
August 15September 12

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 Amherst, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 15 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.

ELYRIA LORAIN CO AP
Primary
8 km · 242 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 24
FALL
Oct 24
OBERLIN
14 km · 249 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 27
FALL
Oct 22
ELYRIA 3 E
15 km · 223 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 22
FALL
Nov 1

Amherst planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Amherst, OH?

Plan for the last spring frost in Amherst around April 24 (the date it has a 50% chance of a 32°F freeze). Anything frost-sensitive should go out after it.

When is the first fall frost in Amherst, OH?

The first fall frost in Amherst typically arrives around October 24 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is Amherst in?

Amherst is in USDA hardiness zone 6b. In zone 6b, winters are moderate — most common vegetables grow well in season.

How long is the growing season in Amherst?

There are roughly 183 frost-free days in Amherst (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around April 24 to the first fall frost near October 24.

When should I plant tomatoes in Amherst?

In Amherst, start tomato seeds indoors around February 27–March 13, then transplant seedlings outdoors around May 1 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Amherst

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at ELYRIA LORAIN CO AP, 8 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 Amherst, OH — Frost Dates & Zone 6b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00004849. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/ohio/amherst.
When to Plant in Amherst, OH — Frost Dates & Zone 6b — BlissGarden