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

Planting zone for 17036 — Hummelstown, PA

ZIP code 17036 (Hummelstown, Dauphin County) is in USDA zone 7a: the coldest winter night averages 0 to 5 °F. The median last spring frost is April 9 and the first fall frost November 2.

Where ZIP 17036 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 9
First frostNov 2
2012 zone7a

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 7a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Hummelstown, PA…

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 Hummelstown, PA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 9median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 25only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 2median — 10% chance by Oct 18
Growing season206 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 30 and returns around November 14.

From the NOAA station Middletown Harrisburg Intl Airport, PA — 5 miles away, elevation 312 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 17036

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 26 – Mar 12
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 26 – Mar 19
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 29 – Feb 12
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 19 – Apr 2
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 12 – Mar 26
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 2
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 12 – Mar 26
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 19 – Apr 2
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 16 – Apr 30
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 29 – Feb 12
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 23 – May 7
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 16 – Apr 30
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 16 – Apr 30
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 16 – Apr 30
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 7 – Sep 21
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 19 – Nov 23
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 9) and first fall frost (Nov 2) 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 17036 came on Mar 22 — 5 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 27).

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 Pennsylvania

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

Trees 78

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 123

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 212

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 181

American beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °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 °FBailey's sedge2.1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Vines 11

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican wisteria50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °Fgraybark grape50 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −8 °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 Hummelstown, PA.

Soil in Hummelstown, PA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 17036 is Hagerstown — silt loam, well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.0slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter3%moderate
Hydrologic groupBwater soaks in moderately
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Hagerstown silt loam, 0 to 3 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 17036; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Hummelstown, PA

Summer high87 °Faverage high, July
Winter low23 °Faverage low, January
Hot days22days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights101nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,702base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 03 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 18 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation44.2 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall30 inper year; 26 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 39 °F, low 23 °F 39°23° JanFebruary: average high 42 °F, low 25 °F 42°25° FebMarch: average high 51 °F, low 32 °F 51°32° MarApril: average high 64 °F, low 43 °F 64°43° AprMay: average high 74 °F, low 53 °F 74°53° MayJune: average high 82 °F, low 63 °F 82°63° JunJuly: average high 87 °F, low 68 °F 87°68° JulAugust: average high 85 °F, low 66 °F 85°66° AugSeptember: average high 78 °F, low 58 °F 78°58° SepOctober: average high 66 °F, low 46 °F 66°46° OctNovember: average high 54 °F, low 36 °F 54°36° NovDecember: average high 43 °F, low 28 °F 43°28° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 3.03 in precipitation, 9.1 in snowfall 3.0❄9 JanFebruary: 2.59 in precipitation, 9.4 in snowfall 2.6❄9 FebMarch: 3.70 in precipitation, 5.6 in snowfall 3.7❄6 MarApril: 3.55 in precipitation, 0.4 in snowfall 3.5 AprMay: 3.83 in precipitation 3.8 MayJune: 3.98 in precipitation 4.0 JunJuly: 4.74 in precipitation 4.7 JulAugust: 3.77 in precipitation 3.8 AugSeptember: 4.83 in precipitation 4.8 SepOctober: 3.81 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 3.8 OctNovember: 2.97 in precipitation, 0.8 in snowfall 3.0❄1 NovDecember: 3.43 in precipitation, 4.4 in snowfall 3.4❄4 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Middletown Harrisburg Intl Airport, PA (5 mi away); precipitation: Middletown Harrisburg Intl Airport, PA (5 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 7a.

171117a
Harrisburg, PA · 3 mi
170577a
Middletown, PA · 4 mi
170347a
Highspire, PA · 5 mi
170337a
Hershey, PA · 5 mi
171087a
Harrisburg, PA · 6 mi
171137a
Harrisburg, PA · 6 mi
171097a
Harrisburg, PA · 6 mi
171067a
Harrisburg, PA · 7 mi

Pennsylvania planting zones →

Questions about 17036

What planting zone is ZIP code 17036?

ZIP code 17036 (Hummelstown, PA) 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 Hummelstown, PA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 17036 is April 9; after April 25 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Middletown Harrisburg Intl Airport station.

When is the first frost in Hummelstown, PA?

The median first fall frost near 17036 is November 2, giving a median frost-free growing season of 206 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 17036?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 12 – Feb 26 and set transplants outside around Apr 16 – Apr 30, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 17036 get?

About 44.2 inches of precipitation a year and 30 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Middletown Harrisburg Intl Airport station).

How hot do summers get in Hummelstown, PA?

The average high peaks at 87 °F in July, with about 22 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 17036 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Hagerstown at the center of ZIP 17036: silt loam, well drained, pH about 6.0 (slightly acidic).

Did spring come early in Hummelstown, PA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 17036 came on Mar 22 in 2026, 5 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 27), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Hummelstown, PA?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 17036 is 15 h 03 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).