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

Planting zone for Fond Du Lac, WI

Fond Du Lac, WI is in USDA zone 5b across its 3 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 27 and the first fall frost October 19.

Fond Du Lac 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.

Zone5b−15 to −10 °F
ZIP codes3
Last frostApr 27
First frostOct 19
Growing season174 days

5b 3 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Fond Du Lac, WI…

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 Fond Du Lac, WI

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 27median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 11only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 19median — 10% chance by Oct 2
Growing season174 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 15 and returns around October 31.

From the NOAA station Fond Du Lac 2 Sw, WI, elevation 771 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 Fond Du Lac

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 16 – Mar 30
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 16 – Apr 6
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 16 – Mar 2
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 6 – Apr 20
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 30 – Apr 13
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 6 – Apr 20
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 30 – Apr 13
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 6 – Apr 20
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 2 – Mar 16
TomatoesTransplant · May 4 – May 18
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 16 – Mar 2
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 11 – May 25
BeansSow outdoors · May 4 – May 18
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 4 – May 18
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 4 – May 18
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 24 – Sep 7
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 5 – Nov 9
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 27) and first fall frost (Oct 19) 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 54935 came on Apr 8 — 8 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 16).

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 5b in Wisconsin

518 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Wisconsin, and rated by the USDA to survive −15 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 5b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 49

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 93

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 hornbeam30 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −34 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 197

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 159

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 sedge4 ft · blooms late 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 °F

Vines 5

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fsummer grape30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °FVirginia creeper1 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −28 °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 Fond Du Lac, WI.

Soil in Fond Du Lac, WI

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 54935 is Manawa — silty clay loam, somewhat poorly drained.

TextureSilty clay loamholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH7.0neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat poorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter3%moderate
Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classPrime farmland if drainedUSDA classification

Map unit: Manawa silty clay loam, 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 54935; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Fond Du Lac, WI

Summer high80 °Faverage high, July
Winter low9 °Faverage low, January
Hot days5days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights149nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,384base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 27 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day8 h 55 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation31.4 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall38 inper year; 75 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 25 °F, low 9 °F 25°9° JanFebruary: average high 28 °F, low 12 °F 28°12° FebMarch: average high 40 °F, low 22 °F 40°22° MarApril: average high 53 °F, low 34 °F 53°34° AprMay: average high 66 °F, low 46 °F 66°46° MayJune: average high 76 °F, low 56 °F 76°56° JunJuly: average high 80 °F, low 61 °F 80°61° JulAugust: average high 78 °F, low 59 °F 78°59° AugSeptember: average high 71 °F, low 51 °F 71°51° SepOctober: average high 57 °F, low 39 °F 57°39° OctNovember: average high 43 °F, low 27 °F 43°27° NovDecember: average high 31 °F, low 16 °F 31°16° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 1.22 in precipitation, 10.8 in snowfall 1.2❄11 JanFebruary: 1.05 in precipitation, 9.9 in snowfall 1.1❄10 FebMarch: 1.88 in precipitation, 5.7 in snowfall 1.9❄6 MarApril: 3.06 in precipitation, 2.4 in snowfall 3.1❄2 AprMay: 3.43 in precipitation 3.4 MayJune: 4.36 in precipitation 4.4 JunJuly: 3.62 in precipitation 3.6 JulAugust: 3.47 in precipitation 3.5 AugSeptember: 3.19 in precipitation 3.2 SepOctober: 2.79 in precipitation, 0.4 in snowfall 2.8 OctNovember: 1.91 in precipitation, 1.7 in snowfall 1.9❄2 NovDecember: 1.47 in precipitation, 7.1 in snowfall 1.5❄7 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Fond Du Lac Wwtp, WI (2 mi away); precipitation: Fond Du Lac Wwtp, WI (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Fond Du Lac

549355b
−15 to −10 °F
549365b
−15 to −10 °F
549375b
−15 to −10 °F

Wisconsin planting zones →

Questions about Fond Du Lac

What planting zone is Fond Du Lac, WI?

Fond Du Lac, WI is in USDA hardiness zone 5b on the 2023 map (5b: −15 to −10 °F).

When is the last frost in Fond Du Lac, WI?

The median last spring frost is April 27 and the median first fall frost is October 19 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Fond Du Lac 2 Sw station).

When can I plant a garden in Fond Du Lac, WI?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Mar 16 – Apr 6; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about May 4, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Fond Du Lac, WI?

Long-day onions: the longest day is 15 h 27 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

How much rain and snow does Fond Du Lac, WI get?

About 31.4 inches of precipitation a year and 38 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).