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

Planting zone for 40046 — Mount Eden, KY

ZIP code 40046 (Mount Eden, Spencer County) is in USDA zone 6b: the coldest winter night averages −5 to 0 °F. The median last spring frost is April 23 and the first fall frost October 16.

Where ZIP 40046 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.

Zone6b−5 to 0 °F
Coldest night−20.6 to −17.8 °C
Last frostApr 23
First frostOct 16
2012 zone6b

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 6b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Mount Eden, KY…

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 Mount Eden, KY

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 23median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 7only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 16median — 10% chance by Oct 4
Growing season176 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 10 and returns around October 25.

From the NOAA station Taylorsville Lake, KY — 7 miles away, elevation 699 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 40046

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 12 – Mar 26
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 12 – Apr 2
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 2 – Apr 16
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 26 – Apr 9
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 2 – Apr 16
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 26 – Apr 9
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 2 – Apr 16
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 26 – Mar 12
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 30 – May 14
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 7 – May 21
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 30 – May 14
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 30 – May 14
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 30 – May 14
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 21 – Sep 4
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 2 – Nov 6
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 23) and first fall frost (Oct 16) 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 40046 came on Mar 6 — 7 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 13).

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 6b in Kentucky

531 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Kentucky, and rated by the USDA to survive −5 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 6b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 76

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 107

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 177

American bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican speedwell0.8 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican spongeplant0.5 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −24 °F

Grasses 147

autumn 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 °Fbig bluestem6 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −46 °Fblister sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbluejoint5 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Vines 12

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fcatbird grape30 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −13 °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 °Fheartleaf peppervine2 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −8 °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 Mount Eden, KY.

Soil in Mount Eden, KY

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 40046 is Eden — flaggy silty clay, well drained.

TextureFlaggy silty clayholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH6.0slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.75%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Eden flaggy silty clay, 20 to 30 percent slopes, severely eroded.

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 40046; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Mount Eden, KY

Summer high90 °Faverage high, July
Winter low22 °Faverage low, January
Hot days61days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights109nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days4,053base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 48 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 31 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation52.5 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32 °FJanuary: average high 43 °F, low 22 °F 43°22° JanFebruary: average high 48 °F, low 25 °F 48°25° FebMarch: average high 59 °F, low 33 °F 59°33° MarApril: average high 70 °F, low 41 °F 70°41° AprMay: average high 79 °F, low 51 °F 79°51° MayJune: average high 87 °F, low 60 °F 87°60° JunJuly: average high 90 °F, low 64 °F 90°64° JulAugust: average high 89 °F, low 62 °F 89°62° AugSeptember: average high 84 °F, low 55 °F 84°55° SepOctober: average high 72 °F, low 42 °F 72°42° OctNovember: average high 58 °F, low 34 °F 58°34° NovDecember: average high 47 °F, low 27 °F 47°27° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.52 in precipitation 3.5 JanFebruary: 3.86 in precipitation 3.9 FebMarch: 4.96 in precipitation 5.0 MarApril: 4.87 in precipitation 4.9 AprMay: 5.59 in precipitation 5.6 MayJune: 4.94 in precipitation 4.9 JunJuly: 5.33 in precipitation 5.3 JulAugust: 3.47 in precipitation 3.5 AugSeptember: 3.72 in precipitation 3.7 SepOctober: 3.86 in precipitation 3.9 OctNovember: 3.88 in precipitation 3.9 NovDecember: 4.50 in precipitation 4.5 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Taylorsville Lake, KY (7 mi away); precipitation: Taylorsville Lake, KY (7 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

2 of the 8 nearest ZIP codes are in a different zone — elevation and distance from water change winter lows quickly.

400127a
Chaplin, KY · 8 mi
400766b
Waddy, KY · 8 mi
400086b
Bloomfield, KY · 10 mi
403426b
Lawrenceburg, KY · 11 mi
400717a
Taylorsville, KY · 11 mi
400666b
Shelbyville, KY · 12 mi
400226b
Finchville, KY · 13 mi
400656b
Shelbyville, KY · 13 mi

Kentucky planting zones →

Questions about 40046

What planting zone is ZIP code 40046?

ZIP code 40046 (Mount Eden, KY) is in USDA hardiness zone 6b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −5 to 0 °F (−20.6 to −17.8 °C).

When is the last frost in Mount Eden, KY?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 40046 is April 23; after May 7 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Taylorsville Lake station.

When is the first frost in Mount Eden, KY?

The median first fall frost near 40046 is October 16, giving a median frost-free growing season of 176 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 40046?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 26 – Mar 12 and set transplants outside around Apr 30 – May 14, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 40046 get?

About 52.5 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Taylorsville Lake station).

How hot do summers get in Mount Eden, KY?

The average high peaks at 90 °F in July, with about 61 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 40046 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Eden at the center of ZIP 40046: flaggy silty clay, well drained, pH about 6.0 (slightly acidic).

Did spring come early in Mount Eden, KY in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 40046 came on Mar 6 in 2026, 7 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 13), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Mount Eden, KY?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 40046 is 14 h 48 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.