Seed Starting Calendar for Kentucky

Q: When is the last frost in Kentucky?

It depends on the station. The earliest median last spring freeze in Kentucky is March 27 at Eddyville 5S; the latest is May 2 at Grayson 3 SW. A median is a coin flip: at Lexington the last 32°F freeze comes after April 13 in half of years, and has passed by May 1 in 9 of 10 years (NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals).

Q: When can I plant tomatoes outside in Kentucky?

UNH Extension sets tomatoes out 1 to 2 weeks after the last frost, which at Lexington is Apr 20 to Apr 27 in 2027. Tomatoes are frost tender, so the date to watch is May 1, when 9 of 10 springs at Lexington have had their last 32°F night. Hardening off starts two weeks before setting out (Apr 6 to Apr 20).

Q: What does University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service say about planting dates in Kentucky?

University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service's Home Vegetable Gardening in Kentucky puts it this way: "Table 20.14. Vegetable gardener’s calendar with planting dates for Western, Central, and Eastern Kentucky" The guide is linked below with the date it was read (September 21, 2026).

Q: How many weeks before the last frost do I start peppers and eggplant?

UNH Extension gives 8 to 10 weeks from seed to transplant for both, and sets peppers out 2 weeks after the last frost and eggplant 2 to 3 weeks after, so the sowing date is 6 to 8 weeks before the median last frost. At Lexington that is Feb 16 to Mar 2 for peppers.

Q: How long do seedlings need to harden off?

About two weeks. University of Missouri Extension: "Hardening should be started about two weeks before planting in the garden." University of Minnesota Extension adds that seedlings should go out on a cloudy day or in the late afternoon.

Median last frost from Apr 2 to Apr 26 across Kentucky

NOAA stations

Median last frost, Lexington

Apr 13

Passed in 9 of 10 years

May 1

Last frost

Last spring frost dates in Kentucky

Louisville reaches its median last frost around Mar 31, Paducah and Bowling Green around Apr 5, and London on the Cumberland Plateau around Apr 15.

Three dates per station from the NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals. The median is the date half of springs run past. The last column is the date the last 32°F night has passed by in 9 years out of 10, the one to hold tender transplants for.

Station	Elevation	Early (1 in 10 years later than this)	Median last frost	Passed in 9 of 10 years	Median first fall frost
LouisvilleLouisville Intl Airport, USW00093821	488 ft	Mar 14	Mar 31	Apr 16	Nov 7
PaducahPaducah, USW00003816	392 ft	Mar 19	Apr 5	Apr 21	Oct 28
Bowling Green Warren County AirportBowling Green Warren County Airport, USW00093808	523 ft	Mar 20	Apr 5	Apr 21	Oct 31
LexingtonLexington Bluegrass Airport, USW00093820	980 ft	Mar 30	Apr 13	May 1	Oct 28
LondonLondon Corbin Airport, USW00003849	1,188 ft	Mar 31	Apr 15	May 3	Oct 25

Crop chart

When to start seeds in Kentucky, spring 2027

Counted back from the median last frost at Lexington, April 13. Pick another station to redraw the chart for it.

Start indoorsHarden offSet outSow outdoorsMedian last frostLast freeze passed in 9 of 10 years

Every crop, counted from a median last frost of April 13
Crop	Start indoors	Set out	Sow outdoors	Frost class
Tomato	Feb 23 to Mar 9	Apr 20 to Apr 27		Tender, very tender
Pepper	Feb 16 to Mar 2	Apr 27 to May 4		Tender, very tender
Eggplant	Feb 16 to Mar 2	Apr 27 to May 4		Tender, very tender
Basil	Mar 2 to Mar 16	Apr 27 to May 4		Tender
Celery	Jan 19 to Feb 2	Apr 13 to Apr 20		Tender
Cucumber	Mar 23 to Mar 30	Apr 20 to Apr 27	Apr 13 to Apr 20	Tender
Summer squash	Mar 30 to Apr 6	Apr 27 to May 4	Apr 13 to Apr 20	Tender
Winter squash	Mar 30 to Apr 6	Apr 27 to May 4	Apr 27 to May 4	Tender, very tender
Pumpkin	Mar 30 to Apr 6	Apr 27 to May 4	Apr 27 to May 4	Tender, very tender
Melon (cantaloupe)	Mar 30 to Apr 6	Apr 27 to May 4		Tender, very tender
Watermelon	Mar 23 to Apr 6	Apr 27 to May 4		Tender, very tender
Onion (from seed)	Jan 5 to Jan 19	Mar 16 to Mar 23		Hardy
Leek	Jan 5 to Jan 19	Mar 16 to Mar 23		Hardy
Parsley	Jan 12 to Jan 19	Mar 23 to Mar 30		Half-hardy
Broccoli	Feb 2 to Feb 16	Mar 16 to Mar 30		Hardy
Brussels sprouts	Feb 2 to Feb 16	Mar 16 to Mar 30		Hardy
Cabbage	Feb 2 to Feb 16	Mar 16 to Mar 23		Hardy
Cauliflower	Feb 16 to Mar 2	Mar 30 to Apr 6		Half-hardy
Kale	Feb 2 to Feb 16	Mar 16 to Mar 23		Hardy
Lettuce	Feb 9 to Feb 16	Mar 16 to Mar 23		Hardy
Swiss chard	Feb 16 to Mar 2	Mar 30 to Apr 6	Mar 16 to Mar 23	Half-hardy
Spinach	Jan 19 to Feb 2	Mar 2 to Mar 23	Mar 16 to Mar 30	Hardy
Peas			Mar 16 to Mar 30	Hardy
Radish			Mar 16 to Mar 30	Hardy
Carrot			Mar 30 to Apr 13	Half-hardy
Beet			Mar 30 to Apr 13	Half-hardy
Beans			Apr 13 to Apr 20	Tender
Sweet corn			Apr 13 to Apr 20	Tender

Six square pots of dark compost seen from above, each holding a single seedling with two narrow seed leaves — Tomato seedlings at the seed leaf stage, one to a pot. The University of Minnesota Extension holds off on fertilizer until a seedling has several sets of true leaves, then feeds at quarter strength once a week. “Tomato Seedlings (49768696597)” by Amanda Slater from Coventry, West Midlands, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0

Extension guide

What University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service advises

University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service publishes the planting guide Kentucky gardeners work from, Home Vegetable Gardening in Kentucky (ID-128).

“Table 20.14. Vegetable gardener’s calendar with planting dates for Western, Central, and Eastern Kentucky”

University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, Home Vegetable Gardening in Kentucky, quoted exactly.

“Transplants should be started four to seven weeks before planting time.”

University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, on tomato, quoted exactly.

“Begin transplants indoors eight to ten weeks before planting time. Set plants after all danger of frost has past.”

University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, on pepper, quoted exactly.

“For an early spring crop, start the seed about eight weeks before the plants are to be transplanted to the garden. Well-grown transplants can be transplanted to the garden by March 15 in most areas of Kentucky”

University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, on brussels sprouts, quoted exactly.

“Buy transplants locally or produce your own and set out April 1 to 15 or by August 1.”

University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, on broccoli, quoted exactly.

Planting months

University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service planting months for Kentucky

The extension also publishes planting months by region. Each filled cell is a month the guide gives for planting that crop.

Western Kentucky

Crop	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep
tomato			May
pepper			May
eggplant			May
broccoli		Apr				Aug
cabbage	Mar					Aug
cauliflower		Apr				Aug
brussels sprouts	Mar	Apr				Aug
lettuce	Mar	Apr	May			Aug
onion	Mar	Apr
peas	Mar					Aug
spinach	Mar	Apr				Aug	Sep
carrot	Mar	Apr		Jun	Jul
sweet corn		Apr	May	Jun	Jul
beans			May	Jun		Aug
melon			May

Planting months from University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, Home Vegetable Gardening in Kentucky, read 2026-09-21. Tomatoes in Western Kentucky: May.

A gardener kneeling beside a raised bed setting a young tomato plant into dark soil, an empty nursery pot beside her — Setting out a tomato in June at a community garden. Tender crops go out after the last frost, and after a week or two of hardening off outdoors. “Volunteer planting heirloom tomato (4704185147)”, Pacific Southwest Region 5, Public domain

Seed starting questions for Kentucky

When should I start seeds indoors in Kentucky?

Count back from the median last frost where you garden. At Lexington (Lexington Bluegrass Airport) that date is April 13, so for spring 2027 onions start indoors Jan 5 to Jan 19, peppers Feb 16 to Mar 2 and tomatoes Feb 23 to Mar 9. Across Kentucky's 96 NOAA stations the median last frost runs from Apr 2 to Apr 26 for the middle 90 percent, so a garden near Grayson 3 SW starts later than one near Eddyville 5S.

When is the last frost in Kentucky?

When can I plant tomatoes outside in Kentucky?

What months do I plant vegetables in Kentucky?

What does University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service say about planting dates in Kentucky?

How many weeks before the last frost do I start peppers and eggplant?

How long do seedlings need to harden off?

Why do seed starting dates differ across Kentucky?

Frost dates from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, annual/seasonal, by station (v1.0.1). Planting guidance from University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, quoted exactly. Seed starting weeks from UNH Cooperative Extension. Compiled 2026-09-21.

First frost in KentuckyThe other end of the season: when fall frost ends the tender crops.Soil temperatureBeans, corn and squash sown direct wait on warm soil as well as the last frost.Kentucky lawn care calendarSpring seeding, feeding and mowing dates on the same climate.Fall planting calendarGarlic, cool season crops and a second sowing window in the fall.Frost dates by ZIPFirst and last frost odds for any address.