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

Planting zone for 44097 — Eastlake, OH

ZIP code 44097 (Eastlake, Lake County) is in USDA zone 7a: the coldest winter night averages 0 to 5 °F. The median last spring frost is April 26 and the first fall frost October 31.

Where ZIP 44097 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.

Zone7a0 to 5 °F
Coldest night−17.8 to −15 °C
Last frostApr 26
First frostOct 31
2012 zone6b

Was 6b 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 7a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Eastlake, 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 Eastlake, OH

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 26median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 14only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 31median — 10% chance by Oct 15
Growing season184 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 16 and returns around November 10.

From the NOAA station Kirtland-Holden 2, OH — 8 miles away, elevation 1,030 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 44097

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 15 – Mar 29
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 15 – Apr 5
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 15 – Mar 1
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 5 – Apr 19
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 29 – Apr 12
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 5 – Apr 19
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 29 – Apr 12
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 5 – Apr 19
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 1 – Mar 15
TomatoesTransplant · May 3 – May 17
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 15 – Mar 1
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 10 – May 24
BeansSow outdoors · May 3 – May 17
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 3 – May 17
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 3 – May 17
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 5 – Sep 19
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 17 – Nov 21
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 26) and first fall frost (Oct 31) 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 44097 came on Mar 21 — 11 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 1).

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 7a in Ohio

579 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Ohio, and rated by the USDA to survive 0 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 7a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 72

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 208

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 167

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 11

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican wisteria50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °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 Eastlake, OH.

Soil in Eastlake, OH

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 44097 is Conneaut — silt loam, poorly drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH5.9moderately acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainagePoorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter2%moderate
Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classPrime farmland if drainedUSDA classification

Map unit: Conneaut silt loam, 0 to 1 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 44097; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Eastlake, OH

Summer high82 °Faverage high, July
Winter low19 °Faverage low, January
Hot days8days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights124nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,913base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 12 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 09 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation44 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 19 °F 34°19° JanFebruary: average high 36 °F, low 20 °F 36°20° FebMarch: average high 45 °F, low 28 °F 45°28° MarApril: average high 58 °F, low 38 °F 58°38° AprMay: average high 69 °F, low 49 °F 69°49° MayJune: average high 77 °F, low 58 °F 77°58° JunJuly: average high 82 °F, low 62 °F 82°62° JulAugust: average high 80 °F, low 61 °F 80°61° AugSeptember: average high 74 °F, low 55 °F 74°55° SepOctober: average high 62 °F, low 45 °F 62°45° OctNovember: average high 49 °F, low 35 °F 49°35° NovDecember: average high 39 °F, low 25 °F 39°25° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 3.17 in precipitation 3.2 JanFebruary: 2.43 in precipitation 2.4 FebMarch: 2.83 in precipitation 2.8 MarApril: 3.86 in precipitation 3.9 AprMay: 4.04 in precipitation 4.0 MayJune: 3.84 in precipitation 3.8 JunJuly: 4.31 in precipitation 4.3 JulAugust: 4.40 in precipitation 4.4 AugSeptember: 4.10 in precipitation 4.1 SepOctober: 4.37 in precipitation 4.4 OctNovember: 3.27 in precipitation 3.3 NovDecember: 3.40 in precipitation 3.4 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Kirtland-Holden 2, OH (8 mi away); precipitation: Willoughby 2.9 Sw, OH (2 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.

440957a
Eastlake, OH · <1 mi
440967a
Willoughby, OH · 2 mi
441327a
Euclid, OH · 4 mi
440926b
Wickliffe, OH · 4 mi
440946b
Willoughby, OH · 5 mi
441237a
Euclid, OH · 5 mi
440617a
Mentor, OH · 6 mi
440607a
Mentor, OH · 6 mi

All 2 ZIP codes in Eastlake → · Ohio planting zones →

Questions about 44097

What planting zone is ZIP code 44097?

ZIP code 44097 (Eastlake, OH) is in USDA hardiness zone 7a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 0 to 5 °F (−17.8 to −15 °C).

When is the last frost in Eastlake, OH?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 44097 is April 26; after May 14 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Kirtland-Holden 2 station.

When is the first frost in Eastlake, OH?

The median first fall frost near 44097 is October 31, giving a median frost-free growing season of 184 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 44097?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 1 – Mar 15 and set transplants outside around May 3 – May 17, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 44097 get?

About 44 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Willoughby 2.9 Sw station).

How hot do summers get in Eastlake, OH?

The average high peaks at 82 °F in July, with about 8 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 44097 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Conneaut at the center of ZIP 44097: silt loam, poorly drained, pH about 5.9 (moderately acidic).

Did spring come early in Eastlake, OH in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 44097 came on Mar 21 in 2026, 11 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 1), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Eastlake, OH?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 44097 is 15 h 12 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

Did the zone for 44097 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 44097 in zone 6b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 7a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.