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

Planting zone for Nicholasville, KY

Nicholasville, KY is in USDA zone 7a across its 2 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 7 and the first fall frost November 1.

Nicholasville 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.

Zone7a0 to 5 °F
ZIP codes2
Last frostApr 7
First frostNov 1
Growing season206 days

7a 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 Nicholasville, KY

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 7median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 24only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 1median — 10% chance by Oct 20
Growing season206 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 29 and returns around November 8.

From the NOAA station Dix Dam, 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 Nicholasville

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 24 – Mar 10
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 24 – Mar 17
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 27 – Feb 10
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 17 – Mar 31
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 10 – Mar 24
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 17 – Mar 31
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 10 – Mar 24
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 17 – Mar 31
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 10 – Feb 24
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 14 – Apr 28
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 27 – Feb 10
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 21 – May 5
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 14 – Apr 28
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 14 – Apr 28
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 14 – Apr 28
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 6 – Sep 20
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 18 – Nov 22
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 7) and first fall frost (Nov 1) 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 40356 came on Mar 6 — 4 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 10).

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 7a in Kentucky

547 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Kentucky, and rated by the USDA to survive 0 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 7a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 78

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 109

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 181

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 153

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 14

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican wisteria50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fcatbird grape30 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −13 °Fcupseed30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium 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 Nicholasville, KY.

Soil in Nicholasville, KY

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 40356 is McAfee — silt loam, well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH5.7moderately acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter3.77%moderate
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: McAfee silt loam, 2 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 40356; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Nicholasville, KY

Summer high86 °Faverage high, July
Winter low27 °Faverage low, January
Hot days28days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights80nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days4,197base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 47 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 32 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation51.5 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall10 inper year

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 45 °F, low 27 °F 45°27° JanFebruary: average high 49 °F, low 29 °F 49°29° FebMarch: average high 59 °F, low 36 °F 59°36° MarApril: average high 70 °F, low 46 °F 70°46° AprMay: average high 77 °F, low 55 °F 77°55° MayJune: average high 84 °F, low 63 °F 84°63° JunJuly: average high 86 °F, low 67 °F 86°67° JulAugust: average high 86 °F, low 65 °F 86°65° AugSeptember: average high 80 °F, low 58 °F 80°58° SepOctober: average high 71 °F, low 48 °F 71°48° OctNovember: average high 56 °F, low 35 °F 56°35° NovDecember: average high 45 °F, low 29 °F 45°29° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.71 in precipitation, 3.8 in snowfall 3.7❄4 JanFebruary: 3.93 in precipitation, 3.3 in snowfall 3.9❄3 FebMarch: 4.51 in precipitation, 1.3 in snowfall 4.5❄1 MarApril: 4.75 in precipitation 4.8 AprMay: 5.68 in precipitation 5.7 MayJune: 4.72 in precipitation 4.7 JunJuly: 5.32 in precipitation 5.3 JulAugust: 3.58 in precipitation 3.6 AugSeptember: 3.73 in precipitation 3.7 SepOctober: 3.68 in precipitation 3.7 OctNovember: 3.47 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 3.5 NovDecember: 4.38 in precipitation, 1.6 in snowfall 4.4❄2 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Dix Dam, KY (10 mi away); precipitation: Keene 1 Wsw, KY (7 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Nicholasville

403407a
0 to 5 °F
403567a
0 to 5 °F

Kentucky planting zones →

Questions about Nicholasville

What planting zone is Nicholasville, KY?

Nicholasville, KY is in USDA hardiness zone 7a on the 2023 map (7a: 0 to 5 °F).

When is the last frost in Nicholasville, KY?

The median last spring frost is April 7 and the median first fall frost is November 1 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Dix Dam station).

When can I plant a garden in Nicholasville, KY?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Feb 24 – Mar 17; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Apr 14, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Nicholasville, KY?

Intermediate onions: the longest day is 14 h 47 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

How much rain and snow does Nicholasville, KY get?

About 51.5 inches of precipitation a year and 10 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).