Frost dates · USDA zone 6b
Frost dates for Bloomington, IN
Bloomington, IN sees its last 32 °F night of spring around April 15 and its first of fall around October 26 — a 192-day freeze-free season in a typical year.
Pick a sauce; the Plan Builder runs this station's dates and hands back the calendar, plant count and gear list.
Freeze odds, by date
| Odds | Last spring freeze after | First fall freeze before |
|---|---|---|
| 9 years in 10 | Mar 31 | Nov 9 |
| Median — 1 year in 2 | Apr 15 | Oct 26 |
| 1 year in 10 | May 3 | Oct 11 |
The top row is the risky edge: in 9 years of 10 a spring freeze still comes after it, so tender transplants set out then need cover. The bottom row is the cautious date — only 1 year in 10 freezes after it — and the one to plan uncovered tender transplants against. Freeze-free season: 192 days median, at least 169 in 9 years of 10, at least 214 days in 1 year of 10. NOAA ranks season length year by year, so it is not the gap between two rows above. A hard freeze (28 °F) has a median last date of Apr 2 and first of Nov 4.
Bloomington planting calendar, 2027
Every row runs from the median last frost (Apr 15) and median first frost (Oct 26) above, using each cultivar's days to maturity. Same engine as the Plan Builder.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant | First harvest | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardneck GarlicSiberian (porcelain hardneck) | — | Oct 15prior fall | Jun 12 | 240 from sow |
| Spanish OnionYellow Sweet Spanish (long-day) | Jan 21 | Mar 18 | Jul 6 | 110 from transplant |
| Mustard greensGarnet Giant (Brassica juncea) | Direct sow | Apr 15 | May 15 | 30 from sow |
| CilantroSlow Bolt (Coriandrum sativum) | Apr 1 | Apr 1 | May 16 | 45 from sow |
| Genovese BasilGenovese | Mar 18 | Apr 29 | Jun 28 | 60 from transplant |
| CayenneLong Slim Cayenne (Capsicum annuum) | Feb 18 | Apr 22 | Jul 6 | 75 from transplant |
| HabaneroOrange Habanero (Capsicum chinense) | Feb 4 | Apr 29 | Aug 2 | 95 from transplant |
| JalapeñoEarly Jalapeño (Capsicum annuum) | Feb 18 | Apr 22 | Jul 6 | 75 from transplant |
| Marconi Red PepperMarconi Red (Capsicum annuum) | Feb 18 | Apr 22 | Jul 11 | 80 from transplant |
| SerranoSerrano Tampiqueño (Capsicum annuum) | Feb 18 | Apr 22 | Jul 11 | 80 from transplant |
| Nantes CarrotScarlet Nantes | Apr 1 | Apr 1 | Jun 10 | 70 from sow |
| TomatilloToma Verde | Mar 4 | Apr 22 | Jul 1 | 70 from transplant |
| Roma TomatoRoma VF (determinate paste) | Mar 4 | Apr 22 | Jul 6 | 75 from transplant |
| San Marzano TomatoSan Marzano (indeterminate paste) | Mar 4 | Apr 22 | Jul 11 | 80 from transplant |
Tight means first harvest lands within two weeks of the median first fall frost: start that crop indoors on time or cover it in fall.
What sauce can Bloomington grow?
Each sauce, scheduled for a Bloomington container garden: when the first seeds go in and when enough fruit has ripened for one batch.
Bloomington frost questions
When is the last frost in Bloomington, IN?
The median last 32 °F freeze at BLOOMINGTON INDIANA UNIV, IN is April 15: half of years see a later one. One year in ten, a freeze still comes after May 3; nine years in ten, it comes after March 31. Source: NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals.
When is the first frost in Bloomington, IN?
The median first 32 °F freeze of fall is October 26. One year in ten it arrives before October 11; nine years in ten, before November 9.
How long is the growing season in Bloomington, IN?
192 days between the last spring and first fall 32 °F freeze in a median year. Nine years in ten the season runs at least 169 days; one year in ten, at least 214 days.
What growing zone is Bloomington, IN?
USDA hardiness zone 6b, per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for ZIP 47405. A zone describes the coldest winter night, not when frost ends, so it is the wrong number for a planting calendar — the frost dates on this page are the right one.
When should I plant tomatoes in Bloomington, IN?
Start Roma VF (determinate paste) seeds indoors around Mar 4 and transplant around Apr 22, 1 week after the median last frost. To cut the freeze risk to one year in ten, wait for May 3. First ripe fruit lands around Jul 6.
When should I plant peppers in Bloomington, IN?
Sow jalapeño indoors on a heat mat around Feb 18; transplant no earlier than Apr 22, and wait past it until nights hold above 50 °F — that can run weeks later. First green pods around Jul 6.
Nearby in Indiana
- Columbuslast frost Apr 11
- Greenwoodlast frost Apr 20
- Indianapolislast frost Apr 20
- Terre Hautelast frost Apr 15
- Lawrencelast frost Apr 18
- Carmellast frost Apr 21
All Indiana frost dates → · How frost-date math drives a sowing calendar →