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

Planting zone for 21669 — Taylors Island, MD

ZIP code 21669 (Taylors Island, Dorchester County) is in USDA zone 8a: the coldest winter night averages 10 to 15 °F. The median last spring frost is March 29 and the first fall frost November 15.

Where ZIP 21669 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.

Zone8a10 to 15 °F
Coldest night−12.2 to −9.4 °C
Last frostMar 29
First frostNov 15
2012 zone7b

Was 7b 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 8a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Taylors Island, MD…

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 Taylors Island, MD

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMarch 29median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 10only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 15median — 10% chance by Nov 1
Growing season230 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 18 and returns around November 29.

From the NOAA station Patuxent River NAS, MD — 13 miles away, elevation 39 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 21669

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Feb 15 – Mar 1
SpinachSow outdoors · Feb 15 – Mar 8
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Jan 18 – Feb 1
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 8 – Mar 22
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 1 – Mar 15
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 8 – Mar 22
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 1 – Mar 15
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 8 – Mar 22
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 1 – Feb 15
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 5 – Apr 19
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Jan 18 – Feb 1
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 12 – Apr 26
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 5 – Apr 19
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 5 – Apr 19
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 5 – Apr 19
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 20 – Oct 4
GarlicPlant cloves · Nov 1 – Dec 6
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Mar 29) and first fall frost (Nov 15) 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 21669 came on Mar 10 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Mar 8).

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 Taylors Island, MD

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 21669 is Sunken — peat, very poorly drained.

TexturePeattop layer
pH6.0slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageVery poorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter36.4%high
Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Sunken mucky silt loam, 0 to 2 percent slopes, occasionally flooded, tidal.

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 21669; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Taylors Island, MD

Summer high87 °Faverage high, July
Winter low30 °Faverage low, January
Hot days26days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights68nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days4,401base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 51 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 29 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation46.8 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 30 °F 45°30° JanFebruary: average high 48 °F, low 31 °F 48°31° FebMarch: average high 55 °F, low 37 °F 55°37° MarApril: average high 66 °F, low 47 °F 66°47° AprMay: average high 75 °F, low 57 °F 75°57° MayJune: average high 83 °F, low 66 °F 83°66° JunJuly: average high 87 °F, low 71 °F 87°71° JulAugust: average high 85 °F, low 69 °F 85°69° AugSeptember: average high 79 °F, low 63 °F 79°63° SepOctober: average high 69 °F, low 52 °F 69°52° OctNovember: average high 58 °F, low 41 °F 58°41° NovDecember: average high 50 °F, low 34 °F 50°34° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 3.15 in precipitation 3.1 JanFebruary: 2.73 in precipitation 2.7 FebMarch: 4.12 in precipitation 4.1 MarApril: 3.48 in precipitation 3.5 AprMay: 4.26 in precipitation 4.3 MayJune: 4.00 in precipitation 4.0 JunJuly: 4.72 in precipitation 4.7 JulAugust: 4.53 in precipitation 4.5 AugSeptember: 4.59 in precipitation 4.6 SepOctober: 4.12 in precipitation 4.1 OctNovember: 3.22 in precipitation 3.2 NovDecember: 3.87 in precipitation 3.9 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Patuxent River NAS, MD (13 mi away); precipitation: Cambridge 1.4 Wnw, MD (12 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 8a.

216488a
Madison, MD · 4 mi
216778a
Woolford, MD · 7 mi
216228a
Church Creek, MD · 8 mi
206578a
Lusby, MD · 10 mi
206298a
Dowell, MD · 12 mi
216138a
Cambridge, MD · 12 mi
206858a
Saint Leonard, MD · 13 mi
206888a
Solomons, MD · 13 mi

Maryland planting zones →

Questions about 21669

What planting zone is ZIP code 21669?

ZIP code 21669 (Taylors Island, MD) is in USDA hardiness zone 8a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 10 to 15 °F (−12.2 to −9.4 °C).

When is the last frost in Taylors Island, MD?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 21669 is March 29; after April 10 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Patuxent River NAS station.

When is the first frost in Taylors Island, MD?

The median first fall frost near 21669 is November 15, giving a median frost-free growing season of 230 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 21669?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 1 – Feb 15 and set transplants outside around Apr 5 – Apr 19, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 21669 get?

About 46.8 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Cambridge 1.4 Wnw station).

How hot do summers get in Taylors Island, MD?

The average high peaks at 87 °F in July, with about 26 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 21669 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Sunken at the center of ZIP 21669: peat, very poorly drained, pH about 6.0 (slightly acidic).

Did spring come early in Taylors Island, MD in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 21669 came on Mar 10 in 2026, about the same as the 1991–2020 average (Mar 8), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Taylors Island, MD?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 21669 is 14 h 51 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.

Did the zone for 21669 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 21669 in zone 7b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 8a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.