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

Planting zone for 17222 — Fayetteville, PA

ZIP code 17222 (Fayetteville, Franklin County) is in USDA zone 7a: the coldest winter night averages 0 to 5 °F. The median last spring frost is April 27 and the first fall frost October 20.

Where ZIP 17222 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 27
First frostOct 20
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 Fayetteville, 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 Fayetteville, PA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 27median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 14only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 20median — 10% chance by Oct 6
Growing season177 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 13 and returns around November 1.

From the NOAA station S Mtn, PA — 3 miles away, elevation 1,519 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 17222

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 16 – Mar 30
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 16 – Apr 6
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 16 – Mar 2
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 6 – Apr 20
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 30 – Apr 13
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 6 – Apr 20
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 30 – Apr 13
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 6 – Apr 20
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 2 – Mar 16
TomatoesTransplant · May 4 – May 18
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 16 – Mar 2
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 11 – May 25
BeansSow outdoors · May 4 – May 18
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 4 – May 18
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 4 – May 18
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 25 – Sep 8
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 6 – Nov 10
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 27) and first fall frost (Oct 20) 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 17222 came on Mar 22 — 10 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 1).

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 Fayetteville, PA.

Soil in Fayetteville, PA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 17222 is Vanderlip — cobbly loamy sand, well drained.

TextureCobbly loamy sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH5.3strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.25%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Vanderlip cobbly loamy sand, 0 to 25 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 17222; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Fayetteville, PA

Summer high81 °Faverage high, July
Winter low21 °Faverage low, January
Hot days3days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights129nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,756base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 00 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 20 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation48.6 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall33 inper year; 44 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 36 °F, low 21 °F 36°21° JanFebruary: average high 39 °F, low 21 °F 39°21° FebMarch: average high 47 °F, low 28 °F 47°28° MarApril: average high 59 °F, low 38 °F 59°38° AprMay: average high 69 °F, low 49 °F 69°49° MayJune: average high 77 °F, low 58 °F 77°58° JunJuly: average high 81 °F, low 62 °F 81°62° JulAugust: average high 79 °F, low 60 °F 79°60° AugSeptember: average high 73 °F, low 53 °F 73°53° SepOctober: average high 61 °F, low 43 °F 61°43° OctNovember: average high 50 °F, low 33 °F 50°33° NovDecember: average high 40 °F, low 26 °F 40°26° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.69 in precipitation, 10.6 in snowfall 3.7❄11 JanFebruary: 2.91 in precipitation, 9.5 in snowfall 2.9❄10 FebMarch: 4.38 in precipitation, 6.5 in snowfall 4.4❄7 MarApril: 4.18 in precipitation, 0.6 in snowfall 4.2❄1 AprMay: 4.69 in precipitation 4.7 MayJune: 4.64 in precipitation 4.6 JunJuly: 3.94 in precipitation 3.9 JulAugust: 3.85 in precipitation 3.9 AugSeptember: 5.07 in precipitation 5.1 SepOctober: 4.09 in precipitation 4.1 OctNovember: 3.30 in precipitation, 0.6 in snowfall 3.3❄1 NovDecember: 3.82 in precipitation, 5.2 in snowfall 3.8❄5 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: S Mtn, PA (3 mi away); precipitation: S Mtn, PA (3 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 7a.

172617a
South Mountain, PA · 3 mi
172377a
Mont Alto, PA · 5 mi
173537a
Orrtanna, PA · 5 mi
172547a
Scotland, PA · 7 mi
173107a
Cashtown, PA · 7 mi
172477a
Quincy, PA · 8 mi
173437a
Mc Knightstown, PA · 9 mi
172687a
Waynesboro, PA · 9 mi

Pennsylvania planting zones →

Questions about 17222

What planting zone is ZIP code 17222?

ZIP code 17222 (Fayetteville, 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 Fayetteville, PA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 17222 is April 27; after May 14 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, S Mtn station.

When is the first frost in Fayetteville, PA?

The median first fall frost near 17222 is October 20, giving a median frost-free growing season of 177 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 17222?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 2 – Mar 16 and set transplants outside around May 4 – May 18, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 17222 get?

About 48.6 inches of precipitation a year and 33 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, S Mtn station).

How hot do summers get in Fayetteville, PA?

The average high peaks at 81 °F in July, with about 3 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 17222 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Vanderlip at the center of ZIP 17222: cobbly loamy sand, well drained, pH about 5.3 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Fayetteville, PA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 17222 came on Mar 22 in 2026, 10 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 1), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Fayetteville, PA?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 17222 is 15 h 00 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

Did the zone for 17222 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 17222 in zone 6b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 7a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.