For home gardeners in Northeast Ohio, the second Sunday in May, Mother’s Day, serves as the unofficial start to the planting season for flowers, vegetables, and other crops sensitive to frost.
This practice is supported by climate data and long-standing tradition. According to the National Weather Service, the average last freeze in much of Northeast Ohio occurs between late April and early May.
While averages help guide planting decisions, historical extremes show why many gardeners wait until Mother’s Day; recorded freezes have spanned into June.
In addition to aligning with climate data, Mother’s Day is a widely accepted, easy-to-remember guideline for home gardeners. Nurseries and garden centers time inventory around the holiday, and families often engage in gardening traditions tied to the weekend.
While microclimates and specific planting needs vary, data indicates that Mother’s Day reliably falls near or just after the point when average frost danger has passed, making it a sensible time to begin planting warm-season vegetables, herbs, and annual flowers.
For Northeast Ohioans, Mother’s Day represents more than just a family holiday, it signals that winter is firmly behind them, the soil is warming, and it’s time to dig into a new growing season.
