Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for Cleveland, OH

Cleveland, OH is in USDA zones 6a to 7a across its 40 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 8 and the first fall frost November 12.

Cleveland on the zone map

Outlined: its 29 ZIP code areas · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zones6a–7a−10 to 5 °F
ZIP codes40
Last frostApr 8
First frostNov 12
Growing season217 days

6a 1 ZIP   6b 17 ZIPs   7a 22 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Cleveland, OH…

Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates in Cleveland, OH

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 8median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 20only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 12median — 10% chance by Nov 1
Growing season217 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 1 and returns around November 22.

From the NOAA station Cleveland Burke Airport, OH, elevation 584 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in Cleveland

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 25 – Mar 11
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 25 – Mar 18
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 28 – Feb 11
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 18 – Apr 1
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 11 – Mar 25
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 18 – Apr 1
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 11 – Mar 25
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 18 – Apr 1
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 11 – Feb 25
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 15 – Apr 29
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 28 – Feb 11
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 22 – May 6
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 15 – Apr 29
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 15 – Apr 29
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 15 – Apr 29
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 17 – Oct 1
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 29 – Dec 3
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 8) and first fall frost (Nov 12) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 44103 came on Mar 12 — 19 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 31).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Native plants for zone 6a in Ohio

565 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Ohio, and rated by the USDA to survive −10 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 6a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 70

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican beech80 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −44 °FAmerican chestnut115 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican sycamore100 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −34 °Farborvitae50 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Shrubs 109

alderleaf buckthorn3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAllegheny serviceberry35 ft · blooms early spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °FAmerican black currant3 ft · blooms early spring · to −46 °FAmerican hazelnut10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican holly40 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −20 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 202

American bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican speedwell0.8 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican vetch1.3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Grasses 164

American beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °Farctic brome3 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbeaked spikerush3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °FBebb's sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FBicknell's sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Vines 8

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fsummer grape30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °Ftrumpet creeper2 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −13 °F

Source: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov), National Plant Data Team — state distribution, native status and the “Temperature, Minimum” characteristic. Check light, moisture and soil needs before buying; local nurseries and your state native plant society can confirm what thrives in Cleveland, OH.

Soil in Cleveland, OH

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 44103 is Elnora — loamy fine sand, moderately well drained. Much of the area is built over (urban land); this is the natural soil underneath.

TextureLoamy fine sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH5.5moderately acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageModerately well drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter4%moderate
Hydrologic groupA/Ddrains fast once dried out; wet otherwise
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Urban land-Elnora complex, nearly level.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 44103; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Cleveland, OH

Summer high81 °Faverage high, July
Winter low24 °Faverage low, January
Hot days9days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights92nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,326base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 11 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 10 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation33.3 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 35 °F, low 24 °F 35°24° JanFebruary: average high 37 °F, low 25 °F 37°25° FebMarch: average high 45 °F, low 31 °F 45°31° MarApril: average high 57 °F, low 41 °F 57°41° AprMay: average high 68 °F, low 53 °F 68°53° MayJune: average high 77 °F, low 63 °F 77°63° JunJuly: average high 81 °F, low 68 °F 81°68° JulAugust: average high 80 °F, low 67 °F 80°67° AugSeptember: average high 74 °F, low 60 °F 74°60° SepOctober: average high 63 °F, low 49 °F 63°49° OctNovember: average high 51 °F, low 38 °F 51°38° NovDecember: average high 40 °F, low 30 °F 40°30° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″January: 1.76 in precipitation 1.8 JanFebruary: 1.53 in precipitation 1.5 FebMarch: 2.35 in precipitation 2.4 MarApril: 3.10 in precipitation 3.1 AprMay: 3.51 in precipitation 3.5 MayJune: 2.84 in precipitation 2.8 JunJuly: 3.66 in precipitation 3.7 JulAugust: 3.45 in precipitation 3.5 AugSeptember: 2.94 in precipitation 2.9 SepOctober: 3.24 in precipitation 3.2 OctNovember: 2.92 in precipitation 2.9 NovDecember: 2.04 in precipitation 2.0 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Cleveland Burke Airport, OH (2 mi away); precipitation: Cleveland Burke Airport, OH (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Cleveland

441017a
0 to 5 °F
441027a
0 to 5 °F
441037a
0 to 5 °F
441046b
−5 to 0 °F
441056b
−5 to 0 °F
441066b
−5 to 0 °F
441087a
0 to 5 °F
441097a
0 to 5 °F
441107a
0 to 5 °F
441117a
0 to 5 °F
441126b
−5 to 0 °F
441137a
0 to 5 °F
441147a
0 to 5 °F
441157a
0 to 5 °F
441186b
−5 to 0 °F
441197a
0 to 5 °F
441206b
−5 to 0 °F
441216b
−5 to 0 °F
441246a
−10 to −5 °F
441256b
−5 to 0 °F
441267a
0 to 5 °F
441277a
0 to 5 °F
441286b
−5 to 0 °F
441296b
−5 to 0 °F
441306b
−5 to 0 °F
441346b
−5 to 0 °F
441356b
−5 to 0 °F
441436b
−5 to 0 °F
441446b
−5 to 0 °F
441816b
−5 to 0 °F
441887a
0 to 5 °F
441906b
−5 to 0 °F
441917a
0 to 5 °F
441927a
0 to 5 °F
441937a
0 to 5 °F
441947a
0 to 5 °F
441957a
0 to 5 °F
441977a
0 to 5 °F
441987a
0 to 5 °F
441997a
0 to 5 °F

Ohio planting zones →

Questions about Cleveland

What planting zone is Cleveland, OH?

Cleveland, OH is in USDA hardiness zones 6a to 7a on the 2023 map (6a: −10 to −5 °F; 6b: −5 to 0 °F; 7a: 0 to 5 °F).

When is the last frost in Cleveland, OH?

The median last spring frost is April 8 and the median first fall frost is November 12 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Cleveland Burke Airport station).

When can I plant a garden in Cleveland, OH?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Feb 25 – Mar 18; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Apr 15, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Cleveland, OH?

Long-day onions: the longest day is 15 h 11 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

How much rain and snow does Cleveland, OH get?

About 33.3 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).