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

Planting zone for Florence, KY

Florence, KY is in USDA zone 6b across its 2 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 18 and the first fall frost October 25.

Florence on the zone map

Outlined: its 1 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.

Zone6b−5 to 0 °F
ZIP codes2
Last frostApr 18
First frostOct 25
Growing season188 days

6b 2 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

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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 Florence, KY

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 18median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 7only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 25median — 10% chance by Oct 12
Growing season188 daysfrost-free, median

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

From the NOAA station Cincinnati Northern Ky Airport, KY, elevation 869 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 Florence

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 7 – Mar 21
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 7 – Mar 28
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 7 – Feb 21
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 28 – Apr 11
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 21 – Apr 4
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 28 – Apr 11
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 21 – Apr 4
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 28 – Apr 11
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 21 – Mar 7
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 25 – May 9
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 7 – Feb 21
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 2 – May 16
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 25 – May 9
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 25 – May 9
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 25 – May 9
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 30 – Sep 13
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 11 – Nov 15
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 18) and first fall frost (Oct 25) 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 41042 came on Mar 10 — 9 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 19).

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 6b in Kentucky

531 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Kentucky, and rated by the USDA to survive −5 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 6b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 76

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 107

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 177

American bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °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 °FAmerican spongeplant0.5 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −24 °F

Grasses 147

autumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FBailey's sedge2.1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Fbig bluestem6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −46 °Fblister sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbluejoint5 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Vines 12

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 °Fgraybark grape50 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fheartleaf peppervine2 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −8 °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 Florence, KY.

Soil in Florence, KY

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 41042 is Rossmoyne — silt loam, moderately well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH5.9moderately acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageModerately well drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter2%moderate
Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Rossmoyne silt loam, 0 to 6 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 41042; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Florence, KY

Summer high86 °Faverage high, July
Winter low23 °Faverage low, January
Hot days22days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights100nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,814base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 54 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 26 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation45.3 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall23 inper year; 22 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 40 °F, low 23 °F 40°23° JanFebruary: average high 44 °F, low 26 °F 44°26° FebMarch: average high 54 °F, low 34 °F 54°34° MarApril: average high 66 °F, low 44 °F 66°44° AprMay: average high 75 °F, low 54 °F 75°54° MayJune: average high 83 °F, low 62 °F 83°62° JunJuly: average high 86 °F, low 66 °F 86°66° JulAugust: average high 85 °F, low 65 °F 85°65° AugSeptember: average high 79 °F, low 57 °F 79°57° SepOctober: average high 67 °F, low 46 °F 67°46° OctNovember: average high 54 °F, low 35 °F 54°35° NovDecember: average high 43 °F, low 28 °F 43°28° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 3.30 in precipitation, 7.7 in snowfall 3.3❄8 JanFebruary: 3.17 in precipitation, 6.7 in snowfall 3.2❄7 FebMarch: 4.16 in precipitation, 3.4 in snowfall 4.2❄3 MarApril: 4.53 in precipitation, 0.4 in snowfall 4.5 AprMay: 4.67 in precipitation 4.7 MayJune: 4.75 in precipitation 4.8 JunJuly: 3.83 in precipitation 3.8 JulAugust: 3.43 in precipitation 3.4 AugSeptember: 3.11 in precipitation 3.1 SepOctober: 3.35 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 3.4 OctNovember: 3.23 in precipitation, 0.8 in snowfall 3.2❄1 NovDecember: 3.73 in precipitation, 4.1 in snowfall 3.7❄4 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Cincinnati Northern Ky Airport, KY (4 mi away); precipitation: Cincinnati Northern Ky Airport, KY (4 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Florence

410226b
−5 to 0 °F
410426b
−5 to 0 °F

Kentucky planting zones →

Questions about Florence

What planting zone is Florence, KY?

Florence, KY is in USDA hardiness zone 6b on the 2023 map (6b: −5 to 0 °F).

When is the last frost in Florence, KY?

The median last spring frost is April 18 and the median first fall frost is October 25 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Cincinnati Northern Ky Airport station).

When can I plant a garden in Florence, KY?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Mar 7 – Mar 28; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Apr 25, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Florence, KY?

Intermediate onions: the longest day is 14 h 54 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

How much rain and snow does Florence, KY get?

About 45.3 inches of precipitation a year and 23 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).