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

Planting zone for Reedsburg, WI

Reedsburg, WI is in USDA zone 5a across its 2 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 24 and the first fall frost October 20.

Reedsburg 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.

Zone5a−20 to −15 °F
ZIP codes2
Last frostApr 24
First frostOct 20
Growing season178 days

5a 2 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Reedsburg, 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 Reedsburg, WI

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 24median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 7only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 20median — 10% chance by Oct 1
Growing season178 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 13 and returns around October 31.

From the NOAA station Rock Springs 3 Sw, WI, elevation 1,260 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 Reedsburg

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 13 – Mar 27
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 13 – Apr 3
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 13 – Feb 27
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 3 – Apr 17
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 27 – Apr 10
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 27 – Apr 10
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 27 – Mar 13
TomatoesTransplant · May 1 – May 15
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 13 – Feb 27
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 8 – May 22
BeansSow outdoors · May 1 – May 15
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 1 – May 15
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 1 – May 15
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 25 – Sep 8
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 6 – Nov 10
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 24) and first fall frost (Oct 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 53959 came on Mar 30 — 14 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 13).

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 5a in Wisconsin

510 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Wisconsin, and rated by the USDA to survive −20 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 5a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 48

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 191

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 158

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 Reedsburg, WI.

Soil in Reedsburg, WI

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 53959 is Elevasil — sandy loam, well drained.

TextureSandy loamdrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH5.0strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter2%moderate
Hydrologic groupBwater soaks in moderately
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Elevasil sandy 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 53959; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Reedsburg, WI

Summer high82 °Faverage high, July
Winter low8 °Faverage low, January
Hot days7days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights154nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,595base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 25 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day8 h 57 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation39.6 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall44 inper year; 71 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 27 °F, low 8 °F 27°8° JanFebruary: average high 32 °F, low 12 °F 32°12° FebMarch: average high 44 °F, low 23 °F 44°23° MarApril: average high 57 °F, low 35 °F 57°35° AprMay: average high 69 °F, low 47 °F 69°47° MayJune: average high 79 °F, low 57 °F 79°57° JunJuly: average high 82 °F, low 61 °F 82°61° JulAugust: average high 80 °F, low 58 °F 80°58° AugSeptember: average high 73 °F, low 50 °F 73°50° SepOctober: average high 60 °F, low 38 °F 60°38° OctNovember: average high 45 °F, low 27 °F 45°27° NovDecember: average high 33 °F, low 15 °F 33°15° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 1.51 in precipitation, 9.9 in snowfall 1.5❄10 JanFebruary: 1.54 in precipitation, 14.8 in snowfall 1.5❄15 FebMarch: 2.20 in precipitation, 5.1 in snowfall 2.2❄5 MarApril: 3.84 in precipitation, 2.7 in snowfall 3.8❄3 AprMay: 4.29 in precipitation 4.3 MayJune: 5.40 in precipitation 5.4 JunJuly: 5.27 in precipitation 5.3 JulAugust: 4.74 in precipitation 4.7 AugSeptember: 3.55 in precipitation 3.5 SepOctober: 3.07 in precipitation, 0.4 in snowfall 3.1 OctNovember: 2.17 in precipitation, 1.7 in snowfall 2.2❄2 NovDecember: 1.99 in precipitation, 9.3 in snowfall 2.0❄9 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Reedsburg, WI (within 1 mile); precipitation: Reedsburg, WI (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Reedsburg

539585a
−20 to −15 °F
539595a
−20 to −15 °F

Wisconsin planting zones →

Questions about Reedsburg

What planting zone is Reedsburg, WI?

Reedsburg, WI is in USDA hardiness zone 5a on the 2023 map (5a: −20 to −15 °F).

When is the last frost in Reedsburg, WI?

The median last spring frost is April 24 and the median first fall frost is October 20 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Rock Springs 3 Sw station).

When can I plant a garden in Reedsburg, WI?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Mar 13 – Apr 3; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about May 1, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Reedsburg, WI?

Long-day onions: the longest day is 15 h 25 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

How much rain and snow does Reedsburg, WI get?

About 39.6 inches of precipitation a year and 44 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).