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

Planting zone for 05085 — West Newbury, VT

ZIP code 05085 (West Newbury, Orange County) is in USDA zone 4b: the coldest winter night averages −25 to −20 °F. The median last spring frost is May 15 and the first fall frost September 28.

Where ZIP 05085 is

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.

Zone4b−25 to −20 °F
Coldest night−31.7 to −28.9 °C
Last frostMay 15
First frostSep 28
2012 zone4b

Same zone as on the 2012 map. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 4b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for West Newbury, VT…

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 West Newbury, VT

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 15median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsJune 3only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostSeptember 28median — 10% chance by Sep 12
Growing season133 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 30 and returns around October 7.

From the NOAA station Benton 5 Sw, NH — 9 miles away, elevation 1,201 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 05085

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
SpinachSow outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 24
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Mar 6 – Mar 20
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 24 – May 8
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 17 – May 1
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 24 – May 8
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 17 – May 1
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 24 – May 8
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 20 – Apr 3
TomatoesTransplant · May 22 – Jun 5
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Mar 6 – Mar 20
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 29 – Jun 12
BeansSow outdoors · May 22 – Jun 5
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 22 – Jun 5
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 22 – Jun 5
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 3 – Aug 17
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 14 – Oct 19
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 15) and first fall frost (Sep 28) 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 05085 came on Apr 16 — 9 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 25).

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 4b in Vermont

432 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Vermont, and rated by the USDA to survive −25 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 4b. 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 83

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 151

alpine bistort1 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine sweetvetch2 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −62 °FAmerican bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican speedwell0.8 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Grasses 133

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 °FBailey's sedge2.1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FBebb's sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FBicknell'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 °Ftrumpet honeysuckle16 ft · blooms late summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °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 West Newbury, VT.

Soil in West Newbury, VT

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 05085 is Colrain — fine sandy loam, well drained.

TextureFine sandy loamdrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH6.2slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter5%high
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classFarmland of statewide importanceUSDA classification

Map unit: Colrain stony fine sandy loam, 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 05085; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in West Newbury, VT

Summer high77 °Faverage high, July
Winter low7 °Faverage low, January
Hot days1days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights173nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days1,791base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 30 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day8 h 53 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation38.1 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall66 inper year

Average high and low, by month

0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 26 °F, low 7 °F 26°7° JanFebruary: average high 29 °F, low 9 °F 29°9° FebMarch: average high 38 °F, low 18 °F 38°18° MarApril: average high 52 °F, low 30 °F 52°30° AprMay: average high 64 °F, low 42 °F 64°42° MayJune: average high 73 °F, low 51 °F 73°51° JunJuly: average high 77 °F, low 56 °F 77°56° JulAugust: average high 76 °F, low 54 °F 76°54° AugSeptember: average high 69 °F, low 46 °F 69°46° SepOctober: average high 56 °F, low 35 °F 56°35° OctNovember: average high 43 °F, low 26 °F 43°26° NovDecember: average high 32 °F, low 15 °F 32°15° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 2.34 in precipitation, 17.4 in snowfall 2.3❄17 JanFebruary: 2.12 in precipitation, 13.1 in snowfall 2.1❄13 FebMarch: 2.36 in precipitation, 13.4 in snowfall 2.4❄13 MarApril: 2.95 in precipitation, 2.8 in snowfall 3.0❄3 AprMay: 3.19 in precipitation 3.2 MayJune: 3.81 in precipitation 3.8 JunJuly: 4.06 in precipitation 4.1 JulAugust: 3.98 in precipitation 4.0 AugSeptember: 3.57 in precipitation 3.6 SepOctober: 4.08 in precipitation, 0.7 in snowfall 4.1❄1 OctNovember: 2.71 in precipitation, 1.3 in snowfall 2.7❄1 NovDecember: 2.90 in precipitation, 17 in snowfall 2.9❄17 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Benton 5 Sw, NH (9 mi away); precipitation: South Newbury, VT (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

7 of the 8 nearest ZIP codes are in a different zone — elevation and distance from water change winter lows quickly.

050515a
Newbury, VT · 1 mi
050405a
East Corinth, VT · 4 mi
037655a
Haverhill, NH · 4 mi
050815a
Wells River, VT · 5 mi
050335a
Bradford, VT · 5 mi
037805a
Pike, NH · 7 mi
050694b
South Ryegate, VT · 7 mi
037745a
North Haverhill, NH · 7 mi

Vermont planting zones →

Questions about 05085

What planting zone is ZIP code 05085?

ZIP code 05085 (West Newbury, VT) is in USDA hardiness zone 4b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −25 to −20 °F (−31.7 to −28.9 °C).

When is the last frost in West Newbury, VT?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 05085 is May 15; after June 3 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Benton 5 Sw station.

When is the first frost in West Newbury, VT?

The median first fall frost near 05085 is September 28, giving a median frost-free growing season of 133 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 05085?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 20 – Apr 3 and set transplants outside around May 22 – Jun 5, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 05085 get?

About 38.1 inches of precipitation a year and 66 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, South Newbury station).

How hot do summers get in West Newbury, VT?

The average high peaks at 77 °F in July, with about 1 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 05085 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Colrain at the center of ZIP 05085: fine sandy loam, well drained, pH about 6.2 (slightly acidic).

Did spring come early in West Newbury, VT in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 05085 came on Apr 16 in 2026, 9 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 25), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in West Newbury, VT?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 05085 is 15 h 30 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).