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

Planting zone for 13456 — Sauquoit, NY

ZIP code 13456 (Sauquoit, Oneida County) is in USDA zone 5a: the coldest winter night averages −20 to −15 °F. The median last spring frost is May 1 and the first fall frost October 13.

Where ZIP 13456 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.

Zone5a−20 to −15 °F
Coldest night−28.9 to −26.1 °C
Last frostMay 1
First frostOct 13
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 Sauquoit, NY…

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 Sauquoit, NY

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 1median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 17only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 13median — 10% chance by Sep 29
Growing season164 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 20 and returns around October 27.

From the NOAA station Utica Oneida Co. Airport, NY — 12 miles away, elevation 712 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 13456

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 20 – Apr 3
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 20 – Apr 10
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 20 – Mar 6
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 10 – Apr 24
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 10 – Apr 24
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 10 – Apr 24
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 6 – Mar 20
TomatoesTransplant · May 8 – May 22
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 20 – Mar 6
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 15 – May 29
BeansSow outdoors · May 8 – May 22
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 8 – May 22
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 8 – May 22
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 18 – Sep 1
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 29 – Nov 3
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 1) and first fall frost (Oct 13) 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 13456 came on Apr 10 — 8 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 18).

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 New York

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

Trees 68

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 116

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 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 179

alkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican 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 °Fbeaked sedge4 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Vines 7

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °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 °Fsummer grape30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °Ftrumpet honeysuckle16 ft · blooms late summer · low 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 Sauquoit, NY.

Soil in Sauquoit, NY

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 13456 is Cazenovia — silt loam, moderately well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.8neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageModerately well drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter5%high
Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Cazenovia silt loam, 3 to 8 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 13456; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Sauquoit, NY

Summer high81 °Faverage high, July
Winter low14 °Faverage low, January
Hot days5days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights140nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,414base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 22 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 00 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation48 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 30 °F, low 14 °F 30°14° JanFebruary: average high 32 °F, low 15 °F 32°15° FebMarch: average high 41 °F, low 23 °F 41°23° MarApril: average high 55 °F, low 35 °F 55°35° AprMay: average high 68 °F, low 46 °F 68°46° MayJune: average high 76 °F, low 55 °F 76°55° JunJuly: average high 81 °F, low 60 °F 81°60° JulAugust: average high 79 °F, low 58 °F 79°58° AugSeptember: average high 72 °F, low 51 °F 72°51° SepOctober: average high 59 °F, low 41 °F 59°41° OctNovember: average high 46 °F, low 31 °F 46°31° NovDecember: average high 35 °F, low 21 °F 35°21° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.13 in precipitation 3.1 JanFebruary: 3.12 in precipitation 3.1 FebMarch: 3.44 in precipitation 3.4 MarApril: 3.70 in precipitation 3.7 AprMay: 4.01 in precipitation 4.0 MayJune: 4.84 in precipitation 4.8 JunJuly: 5.14 in precipitation 5.1 JulAugust: 4.50 in precipitation 4.5 AugSeptember: 4.01 in precipitation 4.0 SepOctober: 4.78 in precipitation 4.8 OctNovember: 3.80 in precipitation 3.8 NovDecember: 3.58 in precipitation 3.6 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Utica Oneida Co. Airport, NY (12 mi away); precipitation: New Hartford 0.8 S, NY (4 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

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

133195b
Chadwicks, NY · 2 mi
133225a
Clayville, NY · 3 mi
134795b
Washington Mills, NY · 4 mi
134135b
New Hartford, NY · 4 mi
133185a
Cassville, NY · 6 mi
135015b
Utica, NY · 6 mi
133235b
Clinton, NY · 7 mi
135045b
Utica, NY · 7 mi

New York planting zones →

Questions about 13456

What planting zone is ZIP code 13456?

ZIP code 13456 (Sauquoit, NY) 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 Sauquoit, NY?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 13456 is May 1; after May 17 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Utica Oneida Co. Airport station.

When is the first frost in Sauquoit, NY?

The median first fall frost near 13456 is October 13, giving a median frost-free growing season of 164 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 13456?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 6 – Mar 20 and set transplants outside around May 8 – May 22, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 13456 get?

About 48 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, New Hartford 0.8 S station).

How hot do summers get in Sauquoit, NY?

The average high peaks at 81 °F in July, with about 5 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 13456 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Cazenovia at the center of ZIP 13456: silt loam, moderately well drained, pH about 6.8 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Sauquoit, NY in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 13456 came on Apr 10 in 2026, 8 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 18), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Sauquoit, NY?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 13456 is 15 h 22 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).