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

Planting zone for Long Island City, NY

Long Island City, NY is in USDA zone 7b across its 2 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is March 30 and the first fall frost November 20.

Long Island City 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.

Zone7b5 to 10 °F
ZIP codes2
Last frostMar 30
First frostNov 20
Growing season236 days

7b 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 Long Island City, NY

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMarch 30median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 9only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 20median — 10% chance by Nov 6
Growing season236 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 19 and returns around December 1.

From the NOAA station New York Cntrl Pk Twr, NY, elevation 131 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 Long Island City

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 16 – Mar 2
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 16 – Mar 9
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 19 – Feb 2
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 9 – Mar 23
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 2 – Mar 16
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 9 – Mar 23
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 2 – Mar 16
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 9 – Mar 23
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 2 – Feb 16
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 6 – Apr 20
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 19 – Feb 2
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 13 – Apr 27
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 6 – Apr 20
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 6 – Apr 20
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 6 – Apr 20
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 25 – Oct 9
GarlicPlant cloves · Nov 6 – Dec 11
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Mar 30) and first fall frost (Nov 20) 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 11101 came on Mar 18 — about the same time as 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 7b in New York

660 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in New York, and rated by the USDA to survive 5 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 7b. 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 131

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 224

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 201

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 °FAtlantic mannagrass3 ft · blooms summer · low 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 °F

Vines 9

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican wisteria50 ft · blooms 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 °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 Long Island City, NY.

Soil in Long Island City, NY

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 11101 is Laguardia — cobbly-artifactual coarse sandy loam, well drained. Much of the area is built over (urban land); this is the natural soil underneath.

TextureCobbly-artifactual coarse sandy loamdrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH7.4slightly alkaline; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter8.88%high
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Urban land, tidal marsh substratum, 0 to 3 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 11101; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Long Island City, NY

Summer high85 °Faverage high, July
Winter low28 °Faverage low, January
Hot days17days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights67nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,867base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 06 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 15 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation49.5 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall30 inper year; 24 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 40 °F, low 28 °F 40°28° JanFebruary: average high 42 °F, low 30 °F 42°30° FebMarch: average high 50 °F, low 36 °F 50°36° MarApril: average high 62 °F, low 46 °F 62°46° AprMay: average high 71 °F, low 55 °F 71°55° MayJune: average high 80 °F, low 64 °F 80°64° JunJuly: average high 85 °F, low 70 °F 85°70° JulAugust: average high 83 °F, low 69 °F 83°69° AugSeptember: average high 76 °F, low 62 °F 76°62° SepOctober: average high 65 °F, low 51 °F 65°51° OctNovember: average high 54 °F, low 42 °F 54°42° NovDecember: average high 44 °F, low 34 °F 44°34° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 3.64 in precipitation, 8.8 in snowfall 3.6❄9 JanFebruary: 3.19 in precipitation, 10.1 in snowfall 3.2❄10 FebMarch: 4.29 in precipitation, 5 in snowfall 4.3❄5 MarApril: 4.09 in precipitation, 0.4 in snowfall 4.1 AprMay: 3.96 in precipitation 4.0 MayJune: 4.54 in precipitation 4.5 JunJuly: 4.60 in precipitation 4.6 JulAugust: 4.56 in precipitation 4.6 AugSeptember: 4.31 in precipitation 4.3 SepOctober: 4.38 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 4.4 OctNovember: 3.58 in precipitation, 0.5 in snowfall 3.6❄1 NovDecember: 4.38 in precipitation, 4.9 in snowfall 4.4❄5 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: New York Cntrl Pk Twr, NY (2 mi away); precipitation: New York Cntrl Pk Twr, NY (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Long Island City

111017b
5 to 10 °F
111207b
5 to 10 °F

New York planting zones →

Questions about Long Island City

What planting zone is Long Island City, NY?

Long Island City, NY is in USDA hardiness zone 7b on the 2023 map (7b: 5 to 10 °F).

When is the last frost in Long Island City, NY?

The median last spring frost is March 30 and the median first fall frost is November 20 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, New York Cntrl Pk Twr station).

When can I plant a garden in Long Island City, NY?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Feb 16 – Mar 9; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Apr 6, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Long Island City, NY?

Long-day onions: the longest day is 15 h 06 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

How much rain and snow does Long Island City, NY get?

About 49.5 inches of precipitation a year and 30 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).