Fall in zone 6aPhoto: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Frost dates for ZIP 46809 (Fort Wayne, IN)
Average last spring and first fall frost dates with 10%, 50% and 90% odds, from NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals for the nearest weather station, Ft Wayne Intl AP, IN (2 miles away).
- Average last spring frostApr 2450% chance of a 32°F freeze after this date
- Average first fall frostOct 2150% chance of a 32°F freeze by this date
- Growing season (frost-free)178 daysmedian, 32°F threshold
- USDA hardiness zone6a-10 to -5°F avg. coldest night
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This week in your yard
As of Oct 18, 2026, from your frost dates, zone and soil temperature. Lawn timing · Vegetables · Pruning · Plants
Soil temperature now
2-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
4-inch depth
No soil station with a fresh reading within 62 miles.
Fall: Texas A&M AgriLife times fall pre-emergent (for winter weeds such as annual bluegrass) to soil cooling to about 70°F for several days. The 50–55°F band is the spring trigger. Always read and follow the product label.
7-day forecast and frost risk
The latest National Weather Service 7-day forecast and any Frost Advisory or Freeze Warning for 46809 load here. You can also open the NWS forecast for this ZIP.
Pre-emergent
No soil reading near this ZIP. Typical extension timing for your region: spring mid-April to early May.
Fertilizer window
Lawn region: North (cool-season). Timing only; always follow the product label.
- Kentucky bluegrass (cool-season): Early fall: Around Labor Day (late August–September); Late fall: Late October–November, before the ground freezes; Late spring: Optional around Memorial Day. Avoid: Early-spring and midsummer feeding (pushes top growth, favors crabgrass).
Plant now
No vegetable planting windows are open this week.
Prune now
No frost-timed pruning windows are open this week.
Your average first frost is Oct 21: skip heavy pruning in the 6–8 weeks before it, because new growth may not harden off in time.
Spring-flowering shrubs are pruned right after their flowers fade, not by date. See the pruning guide.
Last spring frost odds
| Chance of a 32°F freeze after this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 90% (early: most years still freeze after this) | Apr 10 |
| 50% (the "average" last frost) | Apr 24 |
| 10% (cautious: only 1 year in 10 freezes later) | May 10 |
Most gardeners plant frost-tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) after the 50% date, and closer to the 10% date for less risk.
First fall frost odds
| Chance the first 32°F freeze has happened by this date | Date |
|---|---|
| 10% (early: 1 year in 10 freezes this soon) | Oct 8 |
| 50% (the "average" first frost) | Oct 21 |
| 90% (late: most years have frozen by now) | Nov 1 |
Light frost, freeze and hard freeze
| Threshold | Last spring (50%) | First fall (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| 36°F (light frost possible on clear, calm nights) | May 4 | Oct 9 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 24 | Oct 21 |
| 28°F (hard freeze) | Apr 12 | Nov 1 |
n/a means NOAA did not publish a date at that threshold for this station (usually because it rarely gets that cold).
Vegetable planting calendar for 46809
Dates count from your average last spring frost (Apr 24) and first fall frost (Oct 21). Half of years have a frost after the spring date, so give tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) some slack.
| Crop | Start indoors | Spring planting | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 27–Mar 13 | May 1–15 (transplant) | – |
| Pepper (sweet and hot) | Feb 13–27 | May 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Eggplant | Feb 13–27 | May 8–22 (transplant) | – |
| Tomatillo | Feb 27–Mar 13 | May 1–15 (transplant) | – |
| Lettuce | Feb 27–Mar 13 | Apr 3–24 (transplant) Mar 27–May 8 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 16 (transplant) Aug 12–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Spinach | – | Mar 13–Apr 3 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 16 (sowing) |
| Kale | Feb 27–Mar 13 | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) Mar 27–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | Jul 29–Aug 26 (transplant) Jul 15–Aug 12 (sowing) |
| Collards | Feb 27–Mar 13 | Mar 27–Apr 24 (transplant) Mar 27–Apr 24 (sow outdoors) | Jul 29–Aug 26 (transplant) Jul 15–Aug 12 (sowing) |
| Broccoli | Feb 13–27 | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) | Jul 15–Aug 12 (transplant) |
| Cabbage | Feb 13–27 | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) | Jul 15–Aug 12 (transplant) |
| Cauliflower | Feb 13–27 | Apr 10–24 (transplant) | Jul 15–Aug 12 (transplant) |
| Brussels sprouts | Jan 30–Feb 13 | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) | Jul 1–22 (transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Feb 27–Mar 13 | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) Mar 27–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Bok choy / Asian greens | – | Mar 27–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Arugula | – | Mar 27–Apr 24 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 23 (sowing) |
| Mustard greens | – | Mar 27–Apr 17 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Swiss chard | Mar 13–27 | Apr 10–May 1 (transplant) Apr 10–May 8 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Beet | – | Mar 27–Apr 24 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Carrot | – | Apr 3–May 1 (sow outdoors) | Jul 29–Aug 12 (sowing) |
| Radish | – | Mar 20–May 1 (sow outdoors) | Sep 9–23 (sowing) |
| Turnip | – | Mar 27–Apr 17 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Parsnip | – | Apr 3–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pea (garden, snap, snow) | – | Feb 27–Mar 27 (sow outdoors) | Jul 29–Aug 12 (sowing) |
| Onion (bulbing) | Jan 30–Feb 13 | Mar 13–27 (transplant) | – |
| Green onion / scallion | – | Mar 13–Apr 10 (sow outdoors) | Aug 12–26 (sowing) |
| Leek | Jan 30–Feb 13 | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) | – |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 9–Oct 7 (sowing) |
| Shallot | – | Mar 13–27 (transplant) | Sep 9–Oct 7 (sowing) |
| Potato | – | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) | Jul 1–15 (transplant) |
| Sweet potato | – | May 15–29 (transplant) | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, bush (snap) | – | May 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Bean, pole | – | May 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Lima bean | – | May 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Southern pea (cowpea, black-eyed pea) | – | May 15–Jun 5 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cucumber | Mar 27–Apr 3 | May 1–15 (transplant) May 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Mar 27–Apr 3 | May 1–15 (transplant) May 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Winter squash | Mar 27–Apr 3 | May 1–15 (transplant) May 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Pumpkin | – | May 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Watermelon | Mar 27–Apr 3 | May 8–22 (transplant) May 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cantaloupe / muskmelon | Mar 27–Apr 3 | May 8–22 (transplant) May 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Okra | Mar 13–27 | May 8–22 (transplant) May 8–22 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Celery | Jan 30–Feb 13 | May 1–8 (transplant) | – |
| Basil | Mar 13–27 | May 1–15 (transplant) May 1–15 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Cilantro | – | Apr 10–May 8 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Parsley | Feb 13–27 | Apr 10–24 (transplant) Apr 3–24 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Dill | – | Apr 24–May 8 (sow outdoors) | Aug 26–Sep 9 (sowing) |
| Sunflower | – | Apr 24–May 8 (sow outdoors) | – |
| Asparagus (crowns) | – | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) | – |
| Rhubarb (crowns) | – | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) | – |
| Strawberry (plants) | – | Mar 27–Apr 10 (transplant) | Aug 12–Sep 9 (transplant) |
Typical ranges from university extension planting calendars, adjusted to your frost dates. Probabilities, not guarantees. Fall windows that would overlap spring planting are left out, as are fall crops of frost-tender plants where the frost-free season is under 210 days.
Where these numbers come from
Station: Ft Wayne Intl AP, IN (NOAA GHCN-Daily ID USW00014827), elevation 791 ft, 2.1 miles from the ZIP's center point. NOAA completeness flag: S (standard, 24+ years).
Nearby stations
| Station | Distance | Last frost (50%) | First frost (50%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluffton 6N, IN | 13 mi | Apr 24 | Oct 20 |
| Columbia City, IN | 17 mi | Apr 27 | Oct 17 |
| Huntington, IN | 18 mi | May 1 | Oct 14 |
The average last-frost dates of these stations span 8 days, a rough guide to local variation. See data sources & methods.
Frost questions for 46809
When is the last frost in 46809?
The average (50% chance) last spring freeze of 32°F for ZIP 46809 is April 24. For a more cautious planting date, use May 10, when only 1 year in 10 still sees a later freeze.
When is the first frost in 46809?
The average first fall freeze is October 21. In 1 year in 10 it comes by October 8.
What hardiness zone is 46809?
ZIP 46809 is in USDA zone 6a (-10 to -5°F average coldest winter night), per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP listing.
What is the soil temperature in 46809 right now?
This page shows the latest 2-inch and 4-inch soil temperature from the nearest public soil station (USDA SCAN, NOAA USCRN or TexMesonet), or a labeled estimate when no station is close, against the 50–55°F spring pre-emergent band.
Nearby ZIP codes
46804 Fort Wayne 46798 46819 Fort Wayne 46807 Fort Wayne 46802 Fort Wayne 46814 Fort Wayne 46799 Zanesville 46808 Fort Wayne
Other ZIP codes in Allen County
46704 46741 46743 46745 46748 46765 46773 46774 46797 46798 46802 46803 46804 46805 46806 46807 46808 46814 46815 46816 46818 46819 46825 46835 All Allen County frost dates · Indiana frost dates
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Weekly yard timing, plus frost and soil-temperature alerts for your ZIP code.
- Freeze alerts
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Free. One weekly email plus alerts when your ZIP has a frost or a soil-temperature change worth acting on. After you submit, Kit (our email provider) sends a confirmation email: check your email and click the link to confirm. You aren't subscribed until you do. We collect only your email address and ZIP, sent to Kit to deliver The Dial. Unsubscribe anytime.