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

Planting zone for Elkhart, IN

Elkhart, IN is in USDA zone 6a across its 4 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 26 and the first fall frost October 21.

Elkhart on the zone map

Outlined: its 3 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 codes4
Last frostApr 26
First frostOct 21
Growing season175 days

6a 4 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Elkhart, 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 Elkhart, IN

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 26median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 12only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 21median — 10% chance by Oct 6
Growing season175 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 16 and returns around November 1.

From the NOAA station Goshen 3sw, IN, elevation 876 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 Elkhart

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 15 – Mar 29
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 15 – Apr 5
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 15 – Mar 1
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 5 – Apr 19
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 29 – Apr 12
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 5 – Apr 19
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 29 – Apr 12
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 5 – Apr 19
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 1 – Mar 15
TomatoesTransplant · May 3 – May 17
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 15 – Mar 1
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 10 – May 24
BeansSow outdoors · May 3 – May 17
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 3 – May 17
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 3 – May 17
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 26 – Sep 9
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 7 – Nov 11
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 26) and first fall frost (Oct 21) 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 46515 came on Mar 25 — 11 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 5).

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 Elkhart, IN.

Soil in Elkhart, IN

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 46515 is Bristol — loamy sand, excessively drained. Much of the area is built over (urban land); this is the natural soil underneath.

TextureLoamy sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH6.2slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageExcessively drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Urban land-Bristol complex, 0 to 1 percent slopes.

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 46515; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Elkhart, IN

Summer high83 °Faverage high, July
Winter low18 °Faverage low, January
Hot days12days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights125nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,093base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 12 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 09 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation40.2 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall37 inper year; 40 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 32 °F, low 18 °F 32°18° JanFebruary: average high 36 °F, low 20 °F 36°20° FebMarch: average high 47 °F, low 29 °F 47°29° MarApril: average high 60 °F, low 39 °F 60°39° AprMay: average high 72 °F, low 50 °F 72°50° MayJune: average high 80 °F, low 60 °F 80°60° JunJuly: average high 83 °F, low 63 °F 83°63° JulAugust: average high 81 °F, low 61 °F 81°61° AugSeptember: average high 75 °F, low 54 °F 75°54° SepOctober: average high 63 °F, low 43 °F 63°43° OctNovember: average high 48 °F, low 33 °F 48°33° NovDecember: average high 37 °F, low 24 °F 37°24° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 2.84 in precipitation, 11.7 in snowfall 2.8❄12 JanFebruary: 2.34 in precipitation, 11.2 in snowfall 2.3❄11 FebMarch: 2.43 in precipitation, 3.7 in snowfall 2.4❄4 MarApril: 3.75 in precipitation, 0.4 in snowfall 3.8 AprMay: 4.24 in precipitation 4.2 MayJune: 4.31 in precipitation 4.3 JunJuly: 3.73 in precipitation 3.7 JulAugust: 4.01 in precipitation 4.0 AugSeptember: 3.49 in precipitation 3.5 SepOctober: 3.49 in precipitation 3.5 OctNovember: 2.90 in precipitation, 1.9 in snowfall 2.9❄2 NovDecember: 2.67 in precipitation, 8 in snowfall 2.7❄8 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Goshen 3sw, IN (10 mi away); precipitation: Elkhart Pub Wks & Ut, IN (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Elkhart

465146a
−10 to −5 °F
465156a
−10 to −5 °F
465166a
−10 to −5 °F
465176a
−10 to −5 °F

Indiana planting zones →

Questions about Elkhart

What planting zone is Elkhart, IN?

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

When is the last frost in Elkhart, IN?

The median last spring frost is April 26 and the median first fall frost is October 21 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Goshen 3sw station).

When can I plant a garden in Elkhart, IN?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Mar 15 – Apr 5; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about May 3, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Elkhart, IN?

Long-day onions: the longest day is 15 h 12 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

How much rain and snow does Elkhart, IN get?

About 40.2 inches of precipitation a year and 37 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).