Oklahoma growing guide: zones, planting dates and where to start

Zones across Oklahoma

Oklahoma covers USDA Zones 6b–7b on our calendar. A date that works in one part of the state can be weeks off in another, so plant by your zone, not the state.

• Zone 6b — The Panhandle. Average last frost 04/24, first frost 10/08 (about 167 frost-free days).
• Zone 7a — Tulsa and northeast Oklahoma. Average last frost 04/15, first frost 10/15 (about 183 frost-free days).
• Zone 7b — Oklahoma City, Lawton and southern Oklahoma. Average last frost 04/08, first frost 10/22 (about 197 frost-free days).

Spring dates for Oklahoma City and central Oklahoma (Zone 7b)

• Tomatoes: set out April 15 – May 6; fall July 9 – July 30
• Peppers: set out April 22 – May 13; fall July 23 – August 13
• Watermelon: set out April 22 – May 13
• Cantaloupe: set out April 15 – May 6
• Sweet corn: seed April 8 – April 29; fall July 23 – August 13
• Green beans (bush): seed April 8 – April 29; fall August 6 – August 27
• Okra: seed April 22 – May 13
• Summer squash: seed April 15 – May 6; fall August 13 – September 3

These are averages worked out from frost dates, not a state extension schedule. Adjust for your field and the season.

Published costs per acre

• Irrigated Watermelon Enterprise Budget, Seedless Variety Type — Sample, 2024 (Oklahoma State University Extension, 2024): about $4,718 per acre.

Where to sell in Oklahoma

• State buy-local program: the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry runs Oklahoma Grown. Members can be listed for grocery, restaurant and school buyers looking for in-state product — ask about joining and any marketing directories.
• Established market: OSU–OKC Farmers Market (Oklahoma City). Visit on a market morning and talk to the produce dealers before you plant, not after harvest.
• Established market: Cherry Street Farmers’ Market (Tulsa). Visit on a market morning and talk to the produce dealers before you plant, not after harvest.
• Farmers markets, CSAs and on-farm stands: the USDA Local Food Directories list them by state, so you can see who already sells near you and which markets still need your crop.
• Schools and institutions: ask your state's farm-to-school contact (usually through the agriculture or education department) what they buy and when.
• Buyers on BAU: buyers post what they need on the marketplace, and you can list your crop window there for free.

Call before you count on any buyer: programs and market hours change, and a price talked through in winter is worth more than one found at harvest.

Farm taxes in Oklahoma

• Income tax: Graduated state income tax with a low top rate.
• Sales tax on inputs: Farm inputs and machinery are exempt only with an Agricultural Exemption Permit from the Oklahoma Tax Commission — vendors ask to see it.
• Farmland property tax: Agricultural land is assessed on its use value, based on soil productivity.

Rates and forms change. Confirm with the state revenue department or a farm tax preparer before you file — this is a plain-language guide, not tax advice. Our farm tax estimator covers the federal deductions every state shares.

Grants and cost-share in Oklahoma

• Specialty Crop Block Grant (Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry)
• Oklahoma Conservation Commission cost-share programs
• Oklahoma Agricultural Linked Deposit and young-farmer loan programs
• USDA NRCS EQIP cost-share and FSA microloans through your county USDA service center
• Southern SARE farmer and rancher grants for on-farm trials

See the grant tracker for deadlines we follow.

Who to call

• OSU Extension — county offices for soil tests, varieties and pest help
• Your county USDA service center (FSA and NRCS) for loans, cost-share and farm numbers