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

Planting zone for Anderson, IN

Anderson, IN is in USDA zone 6a across its 8 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 19 and the first fall frost October 23.

Anderson on the zone map

Outlined: its 5 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.

Zone6a−10 to −5 °F
ZIP codes8
Last frostApr 19
First frostOct 23
Growing season186 days

6a 8 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Anderson, IN…

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 Anderson, IN

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 19median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 5only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 23median — 10% chance by Oct 7
Growing season186 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 5 and returns around November 3.

From the NOAA station Anderson Sewage Plt, IN, elevation 840 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 Anderson

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 8 – Mar 22
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 8 – Mar 29
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 8 – Feb 22
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 29 – Apr 12
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 22 – Apr 5
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 29 – Apr 12
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 22 – Apr 5
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 29 – Apr 12
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 22 – Mar 8
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 26 – May 10
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 8 – Feb 22
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 3 – May 17
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 26 – May 10
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 26 – May 10
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 26 – May 10
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 28 – Sep 11
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 9 – Nov 13
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 19) and first fall frost (Oct 23) 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 46016 came on Mar 10 — 18 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 28).

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 Indiana

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

Trees 71

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 105

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 200

American bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican licorice4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °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 °F

Grasses 161

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 9

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fcatbird grape30 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −13 °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 °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 Anderson, IN.

Soil in Anderson, IN

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 46016 is Fox — silt loam, well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.5neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.5%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Fox silt loam, till substratum, 6 to 12 percent slopes, moderately eroded.

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 46016; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Anderson, IN

Summer high84 °Faverage high, July
Winter low21 °Faverage low, January
Hot days14days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights112nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,464base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 02 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 19 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation43.3 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall17 inper year

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 35 °F, low 21 °F 35°21° JanFebruary: average high 39 °F, low 24 °F 39°24° FebMarch: average high 50 °F, low 32 °F 50°32° MarApril: average high 63 °F, low 42 °F 63°42° AprMay: average high 73 °F, low 53 °F 73°53° MayJune: average high 81 °F, low 62 °F 81°62° JunJuly: average high 84 °F, low 65 °F 84°65° JulAugust: average high 82 °F, low 63 °F 82°63° AugSeptember: average high 77 °F, low 56 °F 77°56° SepOctober: average high 65 °F, low 45 °F 65°45° OctNovember: average high 51 °F, low 35 °F 51°35° NovDecember: average high 39 °F, low 26 °F 39°26° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.12 in precipitation, 7.8 in snowfall 3.1❄8 JanFebruary: 2.69 in precipitation, 3.8 in snowfall 2.7❄4 FebMarch: 3.00 in precipitation, 1.1 in snowfall 3.0❄1 MarApril: 4.16 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 4.2 AprMay: 4.28 in precipitation 4.3 MayJune: 5.39 in precipitation 5.4 JunJuly: 4.49 in precipitation 4.5 JulAugust: 3.55 in precipitation 3.5 AugSeptember: 2.94 in precipitation 2.9 SepOctober: 3.30 in precipitation 3.3 OctNovember: 3.43 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 3.4 NovDecember: 2.91 in precipitation, 3.9 in snowfall 2.9❄4 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Anderson Sewage Plt, IN (2 mi away); precipitation: Anderson Wtr Wks, IN (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Anderson

460116a
−10 to −5 °F
460126a
−10 to −5 °F
460136a
−10 to −5 °F
460146a
−10 to −5 °F
460156a
−10 to −5 °F
460166a
−10 to −5 °F
460176a
−10 to −5 °F
460186a
−10 to −5 °F

Indiana planting zones →

Questions about Anderson

What planting zone is Anderson, IN?

Anderson, IN is in USDA hardiness zone 6a on the 2023 map (6a: −10 to −5 °F).

When is the last frost in Anderson, IN?

The median last spring frost is April 19 and the median first fall frost is October 23 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Anderson Sewage Plt station).

When can I plant a garden in Anderson, IN?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Mar 8 – Mar 29; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Apr 26, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Anderson, IN?

Long-day onions: the longest day is 15 h 02 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

How much rain and snow does Anderson, IN get?

About 43.3 inches of precipitation a year and 17 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).