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

Planting zone for 05469 — Monkton, VT

ZIP code 05469 (Monkton, Addison County) is in USDA zone 5a: the coldest winter night averages −20 to −15 °F. The median last spring frost is April 30 and the first fall frost October 17.

Where ZIP 05469 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.

Zone5a−20 to −15 °F
Coldest night−28.9 to −26.1 °C
Last frostApr 30
First frostOct 17
2012 zone5a

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 5a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Monkton, 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 Monkton, VT

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 30median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 11only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 17median — 10% chance by Oct 2
Growing season168 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 21 and returns around October 30.

From the NOAA station Vergennes, VT — 7 miles away, elevation 197 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 05469

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 2
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 9
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 19 – Mar 5
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 9 – Apr 23
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 2 – Apr 16
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 2 – Apr 16
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 5 – Mar 19
TomatoesTransplant · May 7 – May 21
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 19 – Mar 5
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 14 – May 28
BeansSow outdoors · May 7 – May 21
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 7 – May 21
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 7 – May 21
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 22 – Sep 5
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 3 – Nov 7
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 30) and first fall frost (Oct 17) 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 05469 came on Apr 16 — 4 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 20).

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 Vermont

459 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Vermont, and rated by the USDA to survive −20 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 5a. 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 92

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 162

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 139

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 6

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 °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 Monkton, VT.

Soil in Monkton, VT

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 05469 is Amenia — loam, moderately well drained.

TextureLoama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.7neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageModerately well drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter4%moderate
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Amenia extremely stony loam, 0 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 05469; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Monkton, VT

Summer high83 °Faverage high, July
Winter low10 °Faverage low, January
Hot days12days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights152nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,520base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 31 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day8 h 51 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation45.6 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 29 °F, low 10 °F 29°10° JanFebruary: average high 32 °F, low 10 °F 32°10° FebMarch: average high 41 °F, low 20 °F 41°20° MarApril: average high 55 °F, low 34 °F 55°34° AprMay: average high 68 °F, low 45 °F 68°45° MayJune: average high 77 °F, low 56 °F 77°56° JunJuly: average high 83 °F, low 61 °F 83°61° JulAugust: average high 81 °F, low 59 °F 81°59° AugSeptember: average high 73 °F, low 51 °F 73°51° SepOctober: average high 59 °F, low 40 °F 59°40° OctNovember: average high 47 °F, low 29 °F 47°29° NovDecember: average high 36 °F, low 18 °F 36°18° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 2.95 in precipitation 3.0 JanFebruary: 2.28 in precipitation 2.3 FebMarch: 2.83 in precipitation 2.8 MarApril: 3.64 in precipitation 3.6 AprMay: 4.45 in precipitation 4.5 MayJune: 5.00 in precipitation 5.0 JunJuly: 5.13 in precipitation 5.1 JulAugust: 4.33 in precipitation 4.3 AugSeptember: 3.71 in precipitation 3.7 SepOctober: 4.49 in precipitation 4.5 OctNovember: 3.64 in precipitation 3.6 NovDecember: 3.16 in precipitation 3.2 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Vergennes, VT (7 mi away); precipitation: Huntington 0.7 Nne, VT (10 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 5a.

054735a
North Ferrisburgh, VT · 3 mi
054615a
Hinesburg, VT · 6 mi
054565a
Ferrisburgh, VT · 7 mi
054455a
Charlotte, VT · 7 mi
054875a
Starksboro, VT · 7 mi
054435a
Bristol, VT · 8 mi
054725a
New Haven, VT · 9 mi
054625a
Huntington, VT · 10 mi

Vermont planting zones →

Questions about 05469

What planting zone is ZIP code 05469?

ZIP code 05469 (Monkton, VT) is in USDA hardiness zone 5a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −20 to −15 °F (−28.9 to −26.1 °C).

When is the last frost in Monkton, VT?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 05469 is April 30; after May 11 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Vergennes station.

When is the first frost in Monkton, VT?

The median first fall frost near 05469 is October 17, giving a median frost-free growing season of 168 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 05469?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 5 – Mar 19 and set transplants outside around May 7 – May 21, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 05469 get?

About 45.6 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Huntington 0.7 Nne station).

How hot do summers get in Monkton, VT?

The average high peaks at 83 °F in July, with about 12 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 05469 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Amenia at the center of ZIP 05469: loam, moderately well drained, pH about 6.7 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Monkton, VT in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 05469 came on Apr 16 in 2026, 4 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 20), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Monkton, VT?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 05469 is 15 h 31 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).