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

Planting zone for 44001 — Amherst, OH

ZIP code 44001 (Amherst, Lorain County) is in USDA zone 6b: the coldest winter night averages −5 to 0 °F. The median last spring frost is April 24 and the first fall frost October 24.

Where ZIP 44001 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 24
First frostOct 24
2012 zone6a

Was 6a 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 6b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Amherst, OH…

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 Amherst, OH

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 24median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 10only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 24median — 10% chance by Oct 8
Growing season182 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 11 and returns around November 4.

From the NOAA station Elyria Lorain Co. Airport, OH — 4 miles away, elevation 794 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 44001

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 13 – Mar 27
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 13 – Apr 3
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 13 – Feb 27
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 3 – Apr 17
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 27 – Apr 10
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 27 – Apr 10
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 3 – Apr 17
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 27 – Mar 13
TomatoesTransplant · May 1 – May 15
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 13 – Feb 27
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 8 – May 22
BeansSow outdoors · May 1 – May 15
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 1 – May 15
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 1 – May 15
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 29 – Sep 12
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 10 – Nov 14
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 24) and first fall frost (Oct 24) 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 44001 came on Mar 12 — 21 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 2).

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 Ohio

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

Trees 71

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 109

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 203

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 vetch1.3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Grasses 165

American beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °Farctic brome3 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbeaked spikerush3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °FBebb's sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FBicknell's sedge3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °F

Vines 10

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °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 °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 Amherst, OH.

Soil in Amherst, OH

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 44001 is Miner — silty clay loam, very poorly drained.

TextureSilty clay loamholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH6.3slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageVery poorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter6%high
Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classPrime farmland if drainedUSDA classification

Map unit: Miner silty clay loam, 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 44001; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Amherst, OH

Summer high82 °Faverage high, July
Winter low20 °Faverage low, January
Hot days12days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights115nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,930base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 10 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 11 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation36.7 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 34 °F, low 20 °F 34°20° JanFebruary: average high 36 °F, low 21 °F 36°21° FebMarch: average high 45 °F, low 29 °F 45°29° MarApril: average high 59 °F, low 39 °F 59°39° AprMay: average high 70 °F, low 49 °F 70°49° MayJune: average high 79 °F, low 59 °F 79°59° JunJuly: average high 82 °F, low 62 °F 82°62° JulAugust: average high 80 °F, low 60 °F 80°60° AugSeptember: average high 75 °F, low 53 °F 75°53° SepOctober: average high 63 °F, low 43 °F 63°43° OctNovember: average high 49 °F, low 34 °F 49°34° NovDecember: average high 39 °F, low 26 °F 39°26° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″January: 2.11 in precipitation 2.1 JanFebruary: 1.66 in precipitation 1.7 FebMarch: 2.48 in precipitation 2.5 MarApril: 3.28 in precipitation 3.3 AprMay: 3.64 in precipitation 3.6 MayJune: 3.87 in precipitation 3.9 JunJuly: 3.56 in precipitation 3.6 JulAugust: 3.63 in precipitation 3.6 AugSeptember: 3.74 in precipitation 3.7 SepOctober: 3.50 in precipitation 3.5 OctNovember: 2.96 in precipitation 3.0 NovDecember: 2.29 in precipitation 2.3 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Elyria Lorain Co. Airport, OH (4 mi away); precipitation: Elyria Lorain Co. Airport, OH (4 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 6b.

440536b
Lorain, OH · 5 mi
448166b
Birmingham, OH · 5 mi
440746b
Oberlin, OH · 5 mi
440896b
Vermilion, OH · 6 mi
440356b
Elyria, OH · 6 mi
440496b
Kipton, OH · 7 mi
440556b
Lorain, OH · 8 mi
440526b
Lorain, OH · 8 mi

Ohio planting zones →

Questions about 44001

What planting zone is ZIP code 44001?

ZIP code 44001 (Amherst, OH) 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 Amherst, OH?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 44001 is April 24; after May 10 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Elyria Lorain Co. Airport station.

When is the first frost in Amherst, OH?

The median first fall frost near 44001 is October 24, giving a median frost-free growing season of 182 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 44001?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 27 – Mar 13 and set transplants outside around May 1 – May 15, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 44001 get?

About 36.7 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Elyria Lorain Co. Airport station).

How hot do summers get in Amherst, OH?

The average high peaks at 82 °F in July, with about 12 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 44001 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Miner at the center of ZIP 44001: silty clay loam, very poorly drained, pH about 6.3 (slightly acidic).

Did spring come early in Amherst, OH in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 44001 came on Mar 12 in 2026, 21 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 2), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Amherst, OH?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 44001 is 15 h 10 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

Did the zone for 44001 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 44001 in zone 6a; the 2023 map puts it in zone 6b. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.