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

Planting zone for 19941 — Ellendale, DE

ZIP code 19941 (Ellendale, Sussex County) is in USDA zone 7b: the coldest winter night averages 5 to 10 °F. The median last spring frost is April 4 and the first fall frost November 6.

Where ZIP 19941 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.

Zone7b5 to 10 °F
Coldest night−15 to −12.2 °C
Last frostApr 4
First frostNov 6
2012 zone7a

Was 7a 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 7b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Ellendale, DE…

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 Ellendale, DE

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 4median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 16only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 6median — 10% chance by Oct 23
Growing season217 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 23 and returns around November 19.

From the NOAA station Georgetown Sussex Co. Airport, DE — 8 miles away, elevation 52 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 19941

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 21 – Mar 7
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 21 – Mar 14
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 24 – Feb 7
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 14 – Mar 28
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 7 – Mar 21
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 14 – Mar 28
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 7 – Mar 21
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 14 – Mar 28
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 7 – Feb 21
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 11 – Apr 25
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 24 – Feb 7
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 18 – May 2
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 11 – Apr 25
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 11 – Apr 25
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 11 – Apr 25
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 11 – Sep 25
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 23 – Nov 27
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 4) and first fall frost (Nov 6) 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 19941 came on Mar 11 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Mar 10).

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).

Soil in Ellendale, DE

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 19941 is Hurlock — loamy sand, poorly drained.

TextureLoamy sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH6.2slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainagePoorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter2.25%moderate
Hydrologic groupA/Ddrains fast once dried out; wet otherwise
Farmland classFarmland of statewide importanceUSDA classification

Map unit: Hurlock loamy sand, 0 to 2 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 19941; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Ellendale, DE

Summer high88 °Faverage high, July
Winter low29 °Faverage low, January
Hot days31days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights83nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days4,225base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 53 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 27 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation46.5 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 45 °F, low 29 °F 45°29° JanFebruary: average high 48 °F, low 30 °F 48°30° FebMarch: average high 55 °F, low 36 °F 55°36° MarApril: average high 66 °F, low 45 °F 66°45° AprMay: average high 75 °F, low 55 °F 75°55° MayJune: average high 83 °F, low 64 °F 83°64° JunJuly: average high 88 °F, low 70 °F 88°70° JulAugust: average high 86 °F, low 68 °F 86°68° AugSeptember: average high 80 °F, low 61 °F 80°61° SepOctober: average high 69 °F, low 49 °F 69°49° OctNovember: average high 59 °F, low 40 °F 59°40° NovDecember: average high 50 °F, low 33 °F 50°33° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.17 in precipitation 3.2 JanFebruary: 3.05 in precipitation 3.0 FebMarch: 4.27 in precipitation 4.3 MarApril: 3.48 in precipitation 3.5 AprMay: 3.59 in precipitation 3.6 MayJune: 4.28 in precipitation 4.3 JunJuly: 4.27 in precipitation 4.3 JulAugust: 4.28 in precipitation 4.3 AugSeptember: 5.50 in precipitation 5.5 SepOctober: 3.43 in precipitation 3.4 OctNovember: 3.32 in precipitation 3.3 NovDecember: 3.86 in precipitation 3.9 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Georgetown Sussex Co. Airport, DE (8 mi away); precipitation: Milford 2.6 Se, DE (7 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 7b.

199607b
Lincoln, DE · 4 mi
199687b
Milton, DE · 8 mi
199477b
Georgetown, DE · 9 mi
199547b
Houston, DE · 9 mi
199507b
Greenwood, DE · 9 mi
199337b
Bridgeville, DE · 10 mi
199637b
Milford, DE · 11 mi
199517b
Harbeson, DE · 12 mi

Delaware planting zones →

Questions about 19941

What planting zone is ZIP code 19941?

ZIP code 19941 (Ellendale, DE) is in USDA hardiness zone 7b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 5 to 10 °F (−15 to −12.2 °C).

When is the last frost in Ellendale, DE?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 19941 is April 4; after April 16 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Georgetown Sussex Co. Airport station.

When is the first frost in Ellendale, DE?

The median first fall frost near 19941 is November 6, giving a median frost-free growing season of 217 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 19941?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 7 – Feb 21 and set transplants outside around Apr 11 – Apr 25, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 19941 get?

About 46.5 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Milford 2.6 Se station).

How hot do summers get in Ellendale, DE?

The average high peaks at 88 °F in July, with about 31 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 19941 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Hurlock at the center of ZIP 19941: loamy sand, poorly drained, pH about 6.2 (slightly acidic).

Did spring come early in Ellendale, DE in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 19941 came on Mar 11 in 2026, about the same as the 1991–2020 average (Mar 10), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Ellendale, DE?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 19941 is 14 h 53 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

Did the zone for 19941 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 19941 in zone 7a; the 2023 map puts it in zone 7b. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.