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

Planting zone for 13699 — Potsdam, NY

ZIP code 13699 (Potsdam, St. Lawrence County) is in USDA zone 4b: the coldest winter night averages −25 to −20 °F. The median last spring frost is May 5 and the first fall frost October 8.

Where ZIP 13699 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.

Zone4b−25 to −20 °F
Coldest night−31.7 to −28.9 °C
Last frostMay 5
First frostOct 8
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 Potsdam, 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 Potsdam, NY

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 5median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 21only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 8median — 10% chance by Sep 26
Growing season156 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 24 and returns around October 24.

From the NOAA station Colton 2 N, NY — 6 miles away, elevation 581 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 13699

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 24 – Apr 7
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 24 – Apr 14
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 24 – Mar 10
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 14 – Apr 28
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 7 – Apr 21
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 14 – Apr 28
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 7 – Apr 21
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 14 – Apr 28
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 10 – Mar 24
TomatoesTransplant · May 12 – May 26
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 24 – Mar 10
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 19 – Jun 2
BeansSow outdoors · May 12 – May 26
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 12 – May 26
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 12 – May 26
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 13 – Aug 27
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 24 – Oct 29
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 5) and first fall frost (Oct 8) 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 13699 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 4b in New York

526 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in New York, and rated by the USDA to survive −25 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 4b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 60

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 99

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 183

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 166

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 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 Potsdam, NY.

Soil in Potsdam, NY

The center of ZIP 13699 is mapped as Urban land: built-over ground without natural soil data. Garden soil here is usually imported or disturbed — test before you plant.

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 13699; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Potsdam, NY

Summer high80 °Faverage high, July
Winter low6 °Faverage low, January
Hot days8days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights162nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,219base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 34 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day8 h 48 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation45.9 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 26 °F, low 6 °F 26°6° JanFebruary: average high 29 °F, low 9 °F 29°9° FebMarch: average high 38 °F, low 18 °F 38°18° MarApril: average high 53 °F, low 32 °F 53°32° AprMay: average high 67 °F, low 44 °F 67°44° MayJune: average high 75 °F, low 54 °F 75°54° JunJuly: average high 80 °F, low 58 °F 80°58° JulAugust: average high 78 °F, low 57 °F 78°57° AugSeptember: average high 71 °F, low 48 °F 71°48° SepOctober: average high 57 °F, low 38 °F 57°38° OctNovember: average high 44 °F, low 27 °F 44°27° NovDecember: average high 32 °F, low 16 °F 32°16° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 3.34 in precipitation 3.3 JanFebruary: 2.88 in precipitation 2.9 FebMarch: 3.10 in precipitation 3.1 MarApril: 3.87 in precipitation 3.9 AprMay: 3.67 in precipitation 3.7 MayJune: 4.30 in precipitation 4.3 JunJuly: 4.28 in precipitation 4.3 JulAugust: 3.83 in precipitation 3.8 AugSeptember: 4.11 in precipitation 4.1 SepOctober: 4.78 in precipitation 4.8 OctNovember: 3.78 in precipitation 3.8 NovDecember: 3.91 in precipitation 3.9 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Colton 2 N, NY (6 mi away); precipitation: Hannawa Falls 0.1 Sw, NY (4 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 4b.

136474b
Hannawa Falls, NY · 4 mi
136764b
Potsdam, NY · 4 mi
136964b
West Stockholm, NY · 6 mi
136684b
Norwood, NY · 6 mi
136174b
Canton, NY · 9 mi
136254b
Colton, NY · 9 mi
136674b
Norfolk, NY · 10 mi
136604b
Madrid, NY · 11 mi

All 2 ZIP codes in Potsdam → · New York planting zones →

Questions about 13699

What planting zone is ZIP code 13699?

ZIP code 13699 (Potsdam, NY) 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 Potsdam, NY?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 13699 is May 5; after May 21 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Colton 2 N station.

When is the first frost in Potsdam, NY?

The median first fall frost near 13699 is October 8, giving a median frost-free growing season of 156 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 13699?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 10 – Mar 24 and set transplants outside around May 12 – May 26, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 13699 get?

About 45.9 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Hannawa Falls 0.1 Sw station).

How hot do summers get in Potsdam, NY?

The average high peaks at 80 °F in July, with about 8 days a year at 90 °F or more.

Did spring come early in Potsdam, NY in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 13699 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 Potsdam, NY?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 13699 is 15 h 34 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).