When to plant in Kettering, OH
USDA Zone 6bKettering, Ohio frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.
In zone 6b, Kettering gardeners can grow many hardy perennials, while the last and first frost still dictate the annual vegetable calendar.
The average last spring frost in Kettering is now 7 days later than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
DAYTON MCD · 1991–2020The 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 Kettering’s own odds, recorded at DAYTON MCD.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | May 15 | Apr 30 | Apr 14 | Oct 4 | Oct 16 | Oct 26 |
| 32°F | May 5 | Apr 18 | Apr 3 | Oct 13 | Oct 25 | Nov 7 |
| 28°F | Apr 24 | Apr 6 | Mar 23 | Oct 23 | Nov 4 | Nov 18 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Kettering, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 21 km · complete 32°F normalsWhen 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.
Kettering planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Kettering, OH?
Plan for the last spring frost in Kettering around April 18 (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 Kettering, OH?
In Kettering, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around October 25 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.
What hardiness zone is Kettering in?
Kettering 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 Kettering?
Kettering has about 190 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (April 18) and first fall frost (October 25).
When should I plant tomatoes in Kettering?
For Kettering, sow tomatoes indoors about February 21–March 7 and move the seedlings out around April 25, after the last spring frost.
Never miss a window in Kettering
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Kettering’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reach- Centerville · 7 km
- Beavercreek · 9 km
- West Carrollton · 9 km
- Riverside · 10 km
- Dayton · 11 km
- Miamisburg · 13 km
- Shiloh · 15 km
- Springboro · 16 km
Frost dates recorded at DAYTON MCD, 8 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Kettering, OH — Frost Dates & Zone 6b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00332067. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/ohio/kettering.