How long is the growing season in Zone 6b?

Zone 6b has an average growing season of 174 frost-free days.

Zone 6b Planting Schedule

Q: What are the frost dates for Zone 6b?

In Zone 6b, the average last spring frost is Apr 25th and the average first fall frost is Oct 16th.

Q: When is the best time to start seeds indoors in Zone 6b?

In Zone 6b, start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before your average last spring frost (around Apr 25th). The exact timing varies by crop — check the planting schedule above for crop-specific indoor seed start dates.

Last spring frost: Apr 25th

First fall frost: Oct 16th

Growing season: 174 days

All Zones Zone 6b Save Garden

Action Plan: August in Zone 6b

Expert Note

In August, keep soil evenly moist and mulch to reduce heat stress. Watch for aphids, spider mites, and late blight on susceptible plants; remove diseased leaves promptly. Feed lightly with a balanced fertilizer if growth slows, and water early to limit fungal spread.

Seed & Soil

Use the warm soil to direct sow Summer and Zucchini-type quick producers from your list, and transplant Tomato starts if you still have room. Add Basil for steady leaf harvest and sow Carrot for a fall crop. Keep new transplants shaded for a day or two if afternoons are hot.

The Harvest

Harvest Tomato frequently as they ripen, and pick Summer and Carrot at peak size for best flavor. Continue cutting Basil regularly to prevent flowering. Check Shishito and harvest when skins are glossy and tender for the best bite.

Planting Schedule

Add crops from the list below to build your planting schedule.

Crop	Indoor Start	Transplant / Sow	Harvest Window
Cynara scolymus 'Italian'	Jan 17th	Apr 25th	Sep 22nd – Oct 16th
Artichoke	Jan 31st	Apr 11th	Sep 8th – Oct 16th
Giant Red Celery	Jan 31st	Jun 6th	Sep 4th – Oct 16th
Green Sleeves	Jan 31st	Jun 6th	Sep 4th – Oct 16th
Gros Vert de Laon	Jan 31st	Apr 18th	Jul 17th – Oct 16th
Kojak	Jan 31st	Apr 11th	Aug 9th – Oct 16th
Verina	Jan 31st	Mar 14th	Jun 22nd – Oct 16th
African Sunset	Feb 14th	Apr 25th	Jul 24th – Oct 16th
Alabaster	Feb 14th	Apr 18th	Aug 16th – Oct 16th
Albin	Feb 14th	Apr 18th	Aug 16th – Oct 16th
Amsterdam	Feb 14th	Apr 18th	Jul 12th – Oct 16th
Amsterdam Cutting	Feb 14th	Apr 25th	Jul 4th – Oct 16th
Amsterdam Seasoning	Feb 14th	Apr 18th	Jun 27th – Oct 16th
Apollo	Feb 14th	Apr 18th	Aug 16th – Oct 16th
Artichaut de Nice	Feb 14th	Apr 18th	Aug 16th – Oct 16th
Artichoke de Marseille	Feb 14th	Jun 6th	Sep 4th – Oct 16th
Atlas Angel	Feb 14th	Apr 18th	Jun 27th – Oct 16th
Baby Artichoke	Feb 14th	Apr 18th	Jul 12th – Oct 16th
Balder	Feb 14th	Apr 25th	Aug 8th – Oct 16th
Bandit	Feb 14th	Apr 18th	Aug 16th – Oct 16th
Beijing White	Feb 14th	Apr 18th	Jul 7th – Oct 16th
Bing Select	Feb 14th	Apr 11th	Jun 20th – Oct 16th
Blue Solaise	Feb 14th	Apr 18th	Aug 6th – Oct 16th
Bordeaux	Feb 14th	Apr 25th	Jul 9th – Oct 16th
Bullseye Salmon	Feb 14th	Apr 18th	Jun 27th – Oct 16th
Cabernet	Feb 14th	Apr 18th	Aug 6th – Oct 16th
Carmen F1	Feb 14th	Apr 18th	Aug 1st – Oct 16th
Cascade Blue	Feb 14th	Apr 25th	Jul 4th – Oct 16th
Catanese	Feb 14th	Jun 20th	Oct 18th – Oct 16th
Celebration	Feb 14th	Apr 11th	Jun 30th – Oct 16th

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the frost dates for Zone Zone 6b?

In Zone Zone 6b, the average last spring frost is Apr 25th and the average first fall frost is Oct 16th.

When is the best time to start seeds indoors in Zone Zone 6b?

The best time to start most seeds indoors is 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost date of Apr 25th.

How long is the growing season in Zone Zone 6b?

Zone Zone 6b has a growing season of approximately 174 days.