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

Planting zone for 41096 — Washington, KY

ZIP code 41096 (Washington, Mason County) is in USDA zone 6b: the coldest winter night averages −5 to 0 °F. The median last spring frost is April 18 and the first fall frost October 30.

Where ZIP 41096 is

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 18
First frostOct 30
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 Washington, 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 Washington, KY

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 18median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 4only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 30median — 10% chance by Oct 17
Growing season195 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 5 and returns around November 8.

From the NOAA station Maysville Wwtp, KY — 5 miles away, elevation 515 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 41096

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 7 – Mar 21
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 7 – Mar 28
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 7 – Feb 21
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 28 – Apr 11
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 21 – Apr 4
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 28 – Apr 11
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 21 – Apr 4
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 28 – Apr 11
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 21 – Mar 7
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 25 – May 9
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 7 – Feb 21
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 2 – May 16
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 25 – May 9
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 25 – May 9
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 25 – May 9
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 4 – Sep 18
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 16 – Nov 20
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 18) and first fall frost (Oct 30) 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 41096 came on Mar 8 — 10 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 18).

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 Washington, KY.

Soil in Washington, KY

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 41096 is Lowell — silt loam, well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.1slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1.75%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Lowell-Sandview silt loams, 2 to 6 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 41096; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Washington, KY

Summer high87 °Faverage high, July
Winter low23 °Faverage low, January
Hot days26days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights107nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,760base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 52 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 28 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation48.3 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 41 °F, low 23 °F 41°23° JanFebruary: average high 45 °F, low 24 °F 45°24° FebMarch: average high 55 °F, low 31 °F 55°31° MarApril: average high 67 °F, low 41 °F 67°41° AprMay: average high 75 °F, low 51 °F 75°51° MayJune: average high 83 °F, low 61 °F 83°61° JunJuly: average high 87 °F, low 65 °F 87°65° JulAugust: average high 86 °F, low 64 °F 86°64° AugSeptember: average high 81 °F, low 57 °F 81°57° SepOctober: average high 69 °F, low 45 °F 69°45° OctNovember: average high 56 °F, low 34 °F 56°34° NovDecember: average high 45 °F, low 28 °F 45°28° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 3.64 in precipitation 3.6 JanFebruary: 3.40 in precipitation 3.4 FebMarch: 4.74 in precipitation 4.7 MarApril: 4.66 in precipitation 4.7 AprMay: 5.05 in precipitation 5.0 MayJune: 4.35 in precipitation 4.3 JunJuly: 5.04 in precipitation 5.0 JulAugust: 3.36 in precipitation 3.4 AugSeptember: 3.52 in precipitation 3.5 SepOctober: 3.27 in precipitation 3.3 OctNovember: 3.19 in precipitation 3.2 NovDecember: 4.10 in precipitation 4.1 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Maysville Wwtp, KY (5 mi away); precipitation: Maysville Wwtp, KY (5 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 6b.

410566b
Maysville, KY · 2 mi
410556b
Mayslick, KY · 7 mi
410346b
Dover, KY · 7 mi
451016b
Aberdeen, OH · 7 mi
410626b
Minerva, KY · 9 mi
410446b
Germantown, KY · 9 mi
451676b
Ripley, OH · 12 mi
451446b
Manchester, OH · 12 mi

Kentucky planting zones →

Questions about 41096

What planting zone is ZIP code 41096?

ZIP code 41096 (Washington, 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 Washington, KY?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 41096 is April 18; after May 4 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Maysville Wwtp station.

When is the first frost in Washington, KY?

The median first fall frost near 41096 is October 30, giving a median frost-free growing season of 195 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 41096?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 21 – Mar 7 and set transplants outside around Apr 25 – May 9, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 41096 get?

About 48.3 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Maysville Wwtp station).

How hot do summers get in Washington, KY?

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 41096 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Lowell at the center of ZIP 41096: silt loam, well drained, pH about 6.1 (slightly acidic).

Did spring come early in Washington, KY in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 41096 came on Mar 8 in 2026, 10 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 18), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Washington, KY?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 41096 is 14 h 52 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.