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

Planting zone for 08889 — Whitehouse Station, NJ

ZIP code 08889 (Whitehouse Station, Hunterdon County) is in USDA zone 7a: the coldest winter night averages 0 to 5 °F. The median last spring frost is April 26 and the first fall frost October 18.

Where ZIP 08889 is

Outlined: the ZIP code area · 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.

Zone7a0 to 5 °F
Coldest night−17.8 to −15 °C
Last frostApr 26
First frostOct 18
2012 zone6b

Was 6b on the 2012 map — half a zone warmer now. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 7a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Whitehouse Station, NJ…

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 Whitehouse Station, NJ

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 26median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 13only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 18median — 10% chance by Oct 5
Growing season176 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 11 and returns around October 30.

From the NOAA station Somerville Somerset Airport, NJ — 4 miles away, elevation 105 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 08889

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 15 – Mar 29
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 15 – Apr 5
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 15 – Mar 1
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 5 – Apr 19
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 29 – Apr 12
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 5 – Apr 19
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 29 – Apr 12
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 5 – Apr 19
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 1 – Mar 15
TomatoesTransplant · May 3 – May 17
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 15 – Mar 1
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 10 – May 24
BeansSow outdoors · May 3 – May 17
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 3 – May 17
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 3 – May 17
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 23 – Sep 6
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 4 – Nov 8
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 26) and first fall frost (Oct 18) 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 08889 came on Mar 31 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Mar 29).

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 7a in New Jersey

600 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in New Jersey, and rated by the USDA to survive 0 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 7a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 80

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 119

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 201

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 lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °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 175

American beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °FAmerican cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °Farctic brome3 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAtlantic mannagrass3 ft · blooms summer · low shade tolerance · to −8 °Fautumn bluegrass1.5 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Vines 10

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican wisteria50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fcatbird grape30 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −13 °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 °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 Whitehouse Station, NJ.

Soil in Whitehouse Station, NJ

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 08889 is Penn — silt loam, well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH5.0strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter3%moderate
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Penn-Bucks complex, 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 08889; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Whitehouse Station, NJ

Summer high86 °Faverage high, July
Winter low21 °Faverage low, January
Hot days23days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights124nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,215base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 05 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 16 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation45.5 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 39 °F, low 21 °F 39°21° JanFebruary: average high 43 °F, low 22 °F 43°22° FebMarch: average high 51 °F, low 30 °F 51°30° MarApril: average high 63 °F, low 39 °F 63°39° AprMay: average high 73 °F, low 48 °F 73°48° MayJune: average high 81 °F, low 58 °F 81°58° JunJuly: average high 86 °F, low 63 °F 86°63° JulAugust: average high 84 °F, low 61 °F 84°61° AugSeptember: average high 78 °F, low 54 °F 78°54° SepOctober: average high 66 °F, low 42 °F 66°42° OctNovember: average high 55 °F, low 33 °F 55°33° NovDecember: average high 44 °F, low 26 °F 44°26° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.16 in precipitation 3.2 JanFebruary: 2.20 in precipitation 2.2 FebMarch: 3.89 in precipitation 3.9 MarApril: 3.59 in precipitation 3.6 AprMay: 3.54 in precipitation 3.5 MayJune: 4.23 in precipitation 4.2 JunJuly: 4.93 in precipitation 4.9 JulAugust: 5.18 in precipitation 5.2 AugSeptember: 3.82 in precipitation 3.8 SepOctober: 3.67 in precipitation 3.7 OctNovember: 3.41 in precipitation 3.4 NovDecember: 3.87 in precipitation 3.9 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Somerville Somerset Airport, NJ (4 mi away); precipitation: Somerville Somerset Airport, NJ (4 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 7a.

088887a
Whitehouse, NJ · 1 mi
088707a
Readington, NJ · 3 mi
088767a
Somerville, NJ · 4 mi
088337a
Lebanon, NJ · 4 mi
088857a
Stanton, NJ · 5 mi
079217a
Bedminster, NJ · 5 mi
088587a
Oldwick, NJ · 5 mi
088537a
Neshanic Station, NJ · 6 mi

New Jersey planting zones →

Questions about 08889

What planting zone is ZIP code 08889?

ZIP code 08889 (Whitehouse Station, NJ) is in USDA hardiness zone 7a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 0 to 5 °F (−17.8 to −15 °C).

When is the last frost in Whitehouse Station, NJ?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 08889 is April 26; after May 13 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Somerville Somerset Airport station.

When is the first frost in Whitehouse Station, NJ?

The median first fall frost near 08889 is October 18, giving a median frost-free growing season of 176 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 08889?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 1 – Mar 15 and set transplants outside around May 3 – May 17, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 08889 get?

About 45.5 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Somerville Somerset Airport station).

How hot do summers get in Whitehouse Station, NJ?

The average high peaks at 86 °F in July, with about 23 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 08889 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Penn at the center of ZIP 08889: silt loam, well drained, pH about 5.0 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Whitehouse Station, NJ in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 08889 came on Mar 31 in 2026, about the same as the 1991–2020 average (Mar 29), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Whitehouse Station, NJ?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 08889 is 15 h 05 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

Did the zone for 08889 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 08889 in zone 6b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 7a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.