Kentucky vegetable planting calendar 2027: frost dates and when to plant
In Kentucky, the average last spring frost is April 15 in Frankfort and March 31 in Louisville (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). Below are planting dates for Frankfort and Louisville for 27 common vegetables and herbs, worked out the way the Rowtime app does it: NOAA's average frost dates for the nearest weather station, with the planting rules of state extension guides. Dates are for the 2027 season.
Rowtime: Garden Planner works these dates out for your own ZIP code in Kentucky, shows where each one comes from, and recalculates when a planting slips. Get Rowtime on the App Store.
Dates are estimates. Check your local extension office before you plant, and use your own frost records if you have them. Dates shift by a week or more within a state, so pick the city closest to your conditions.
Frankfort
When to plant tomatoes in Frankfort?
In Frankfort, Kentucky, the average last spring frost is April 15 and the average first fall frost is October 24 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, FRANKFORT CAPITAL CITY AP station, 6.3 km from ZIP 40601). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors March 20 to May 26 and plant out seedlings May 5 to July 26, following University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center) and Purdue University Extension. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 24, 2026.
Frost dates for Frankfort (40601)
- Last spring frost: Apr 15 on average, May 5 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Oct 24 on average, Oct 13 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 6b (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Apr 7 to Apr 21 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 18 to Sep 15 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Feb 27 to Apr 5 Plant out seedlings: Mar 24 to Apr 7 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 18 to Sep 15 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Feb 20 to Mar 19 Plant out seedlings: Mar 24 to Apr 7 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 18 to Sep 15 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Apr 7 to Apr 21 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Mar 6 to Apr 5 Plant out seedlings: Apr 7 to Apr 21 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jun 24 to Jul 24 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: May 19 to Aug 15 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Apr 6 to May 5 Plant out seedlings: May 19 to Jul 26 |
| Green onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 24 to Apr 7 Plant out seedlings for fall: Aug 18 to Sep 15 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Mar 24 to Apr 7 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 18 to Sep 15 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Apr 7 to Apr 21 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 18 to Sep 15 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: May 19 to Jul 16 |
| Okra | Plant out seedlings: May 19 to Aug 20 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 24 to Apr 7 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Mar 24 to Apr 7 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Mar 20 to Apr 19 Plant out seedlings: May 19 to Jul 26 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Mar 24 to Apr 7 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: May 5 to Aug 25 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Mar 24 to Apr 7 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 18 to Sep 15 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: May 19 to Aug 25 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: May 5 to Jul 26 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: Apr 20 to May 19 Plant out slips: May 19 to Jun 16 |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Mar 20 to May 26 Plant out seedlings: May 5 to Jul 26 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: May 19 to Jul 16 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: May 19 to Aug 18 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Feb 19 to Apr 18 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 1 to Sep 15 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Apr 3 to Apr 18 Sow outdoors for fall: Jul 17 to Aug 31 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Apr 6 to May 5 Plant outdoors for fall: Jul 17 to Sep 15 |
Louisville
When to plant tomatoes in Louisville?
In Louisville, Kentucky, the average last spring frost is March 31 and the average first fall frost is November 9 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, LOUISVILLE MCALPINE station, 4.4 km from ZIP 40202). For tomatoes, start seeds indoors March 5 to May 11 and plant out seedlings April 14 to August 11, following University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center) and Purdue University Extension. Dates are for the 2027 season; sources last checked October 24, 2026.
Frost dates for Louisville (40202)
- Last spring frost: Mar 31 on average, Apr 14 for a 10% risk of a later frost.
- First fall frost: Nov 9 on average, Oct 31 for a 10% risk of an earlier frost.
- USDA hardiness zone 7a (PRISM 2023 listing).
| Crop | When |
|---|---|
| Beet | Sow outdoors: Mar 17 to Mar 31 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 5 to Oct 3 |
| Broccoli | Start seeds indoors: Feb 12 to Mar 21 Plant out seedlings: Mar 3 to Mar 17 Plant out seedlings for fall: Sep 5 to Oct 3 |
| Cabbage | Start seeds indoors: Feb 5 to Mar 4 Plant out seedlings: Mar 3 to Mar 17 Plant out seedlings for fall: Sep 5 to Oct 3 |
| Carrot | Sow outdoors: Mar 17 to Mar 31 |
| Cauliflower | Start seeds indoors: Feb 19 to Mar 21 Plant out seedlings: Mar 17 to Mar 31 Plant out seedlings for fall: Jul 10 to Aug 9 |
| Cucumber | Sow outdoors: Apr 28 to Aug 31 |
| Eggplant | Start seeds indoors: Mar 22 to Apr 20 Plant out seedlings: Apr 28 to Aug 11 |
| Green onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 3 to Mar 17 Plant out seedlings for fall: Sep 5 to Oct 3 |
| Kale | Sow outdoors: Mar 3 to Mar 17 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 5 to Oct 3 |
| Lettuce | Sow outdoors: Mar 17 to Mar 31 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 5 to Oct 3 |
| Melon and watermelon | Sow outdoors: Apr 28 to Aug 1 |
| Okra | Plant out seedlings: Apr 28 to Sep 5 |
| Onion | Plant onion sets: Mar 3 to Mar 17 |
| Pea | Sow outdoors: Mar 3 to Mar 17 |
| Pepper | Start seeds indoors: Mar 5 to Apr 4 Plant out seedlings: Apr 28 to Aug 11 |
| Potato | Plant seed potatoes: Mar 3 to Mar 17 |
| Snap bean | Sow outdoors: Apr 14 to Sep 10 |
| Spinach | Sow outdoors: Mar 3 to Mar 17 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 5 to Oct 3 |
| Summer squash | Sow outdoors: Apr 28 to Sep 10 |
| Sweet corn | Sow outdoors: Apr 14 to Aug 11 |
| Sweet potato | Sprout slips indoors: Apr 5 to May 4 Plant out slips: Apr 28 to Jul 2 |
| Tomato | Start seeds indoors: Mar 5 to May 11 Plant out seedlings: Apr 14 to Aug 11 |
| Winter squash and pumpkin | Sow outdoors: Apr 28 to Aug 1 |
| Basil | Plant outdoors: May 4 to Aug 3 |
| Cilantro | Sow outdoors: Feb 4 to Apr 3 Sow outdoors for fall: Sep 17 to Oct 1 |
| Dill | Sow outdoors: Mar 19 to Apr 3 Sow outdoors for fall: Aug 2 to Sep 16 |
| Parsley | Sow outdoors: Mar 22 to Apr 20 Plant outdoors for fall: Aug 2 to Oct 1 |
Sources
Planting rules, in the order Rowtime tries them here:
- Purdue University Extension, Indiana Vegetable Planting Calendar (HO-186-W). Checked October 20, 2026.
- University of Maryland Extension (Home & Garden Information Center), Vegetable Planting Calendar for Central Maryland. Checked October 24, 2026.
- NC State Extension, Central North Carolina Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs (AG-756-01). Checked October 21, 2026.
Frost dates, locations and zones:
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 annual/seasonal (freeze probabilities).
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Gazetteer Files: ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
- PRISM Group, Oregon State University / USDA ARS, 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP code listings. PRISM Group, Oregon State University, https://prism.oregonstate.edu, accessed 20 Oct 2026.
How the dates are worked out: a guide's rule such as "two weeks after the last frost" is applied to the station's NOAA date. Purdue's dates are 10% dates, so they are counted from the station's 10% date. When a guide gives no last date, the window closes early enough for the crop's longest days to harvest before the first fall frost. When a guide gives no first date for a fall planting, no fall window is shown. "Season too short" means the guide's window would close before it opens at this station's frost dates.
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