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

Planting zone for Ithaca, NY

Ithaca, NY is in USDA zone 6a across its 4 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is May 11 and the first fall frost October 3.

Ithaca on the zone map

Outlined: its 2 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 frostMay 11
First frostOct 3
Growing season145 days

6a 4 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 Ithaca, NY

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 11median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 26only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 3median — 10% chance by Sep 21
Growing season145 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 30 and returns around October 18.

From the NOAA station Ithaca Cornell Univ, NY, elevation 961 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 Ithaca

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 30 – Apr 13
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 30 – Apr 20
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Mar 2 – Mar 16
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 20 – May 4
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 13 – Apr 27
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 20 – May 4
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 13 – Apr 27
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 20 – May 4
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 16 – Mar 30
TomatoesTransplant · May 18 – Jun 1
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Mar 2 – Mar 16
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 25 – Jun 8
BeansSow outdoors · May 18 – Jun 1
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 18 – Jun 1
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 18 – Jun 1
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 8 – Aug 22
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 19 – Oct 24
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 11) and first fall frost (Oct 3) 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 14853 came on Apr 8 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Apr 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 6a in New York

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

Trees 77

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 129

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 215

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican 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 °F

Grasses 189

alkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican 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 °FBailey's sedge2.1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Fbeaked sedge4 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Vines 8

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °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 °Ftrumpet creeper2 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −13 °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 Ithaca, NY.

Soil in Ithaca, NY

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 14853 is Merrimac family — sandy loam, somewhat excessively drained. Much of the area is built over (urban land); this is the natural soil underneath.

TextureSandy loamdrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH6.2slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat excessively drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter3%moderate
Hydrologic groupBwater soaks in moderately
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Urban land-Merrimac family complex, 8 to 15 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 14853; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Ithaca, NY

Summer high80 °Faverage high, July
Winter low15 °Faverage low, January
Hot days5days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights148nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,276base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 18 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 04 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation38.3 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall63 inper year; 73 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 31 °F, low 15 °F 31°15° JanFebruary: average high 33 °F, low 15 °F 33°15° FebMarch: average high 41 °F, low 22 °F 41°22° MarApril: average high 55 °F, low 33 °F 55°33° AprMay: average high 67 °F, low 44 °F 67°44° MayJune: average high 76 °F, low 53 °F 76°53° JunJuly: average high 80 °F, low 58 °F 80°58° JulAugust: average high 79 °F, low 56 °F 79°56° AugSeptember: average high 72 °F, low 49 °F 72°49° SepOctober: average high 59 °F, low 39 °F 59°39° OctNovember: average high 47 °F, low 30 °F 47°30° NovDecember: average high 36 °F, low 22 °F 36°22° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″January: 2.24 in precipitation, 16.6 in snowfall 2.2❄17 JanFebruary: 1.98 in precipitation, 14.5 in snowfall 2.0❄15 FebMarch: 2.78 in precipitation, 12 in snowfall 2.8❄12 MarApril: 3.40 in precipitation, 2.8 in snowfall 3.4❄3 AprMay: 3.20 in precipitation 3.2 MayJune: 3.98 in precipitation 4.0 JunJuly: 3.90 in precipitation 3.9 JulAugust: 3.77 in precipitation 3.8 AugSeptember: 3.83 in precipitation 3.8 SepOctober: 3.70 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 3.7 OctNovember: 2.94 in precipitation, 4.6 in snowfall 2.9❄5 NovDecember: 2.57 in precipitation, 12.2 in snowfall 2.6❄12 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Ithaca Cornell Univ, NY (2 mi away); precipitation: Ithaca Cornell Univ, NY (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Ithaca

148506a
−10 to −5 °F
148516a
−10 to −5 °F
148526a
−10 to −5 °F
148536a
−10 to −5 °F

New York planting zones →

Questions about Ithaca

What planting zone is Ithaca, NY?

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

When is the last frost in Ithaca, NY?

The median last spring frost is May 11 and the median first fall frost is October 3 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Ithaca Cornell Univ station).

When can I plant a garden in Ithaca, NY?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Mar 30 – Apr 20; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about May 18, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Ithaca, NY?

Long-day onions: the longest day is 15 h 18 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

How much rain and snow does Ithaca, NY get?

About 38.3 inches of precipitation a year and 63 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).