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

Planting zone for 45868 — Mount Cory, OH

ZIP code 45868 (Mount Cory, Hancock County) is in USDA zone 6a: the coldest winter night averages −10 to −5 °F. The median last spring frost is April 23 and the first fall frost October 22.

Where ZIP 45868 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.

Zone6a−10 to −5 °F
Coldest night−23.3 to −20.6 °C
Last frostApr 23
First frostOct 22
2012 zone6a

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 6a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Mount Cory, 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 Mount Cory, OH

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 9only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 22median — 10% chance by Oct 6
Growing season180 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 14 and returns around November 2.

From the NOAA station Pandora, OH — 6 miles away, elevation 771 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 45868

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 27 – Sep 10
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 8 – Nov 12
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 23) and first fall frost (Oct 22) 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 45868 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 6a in Ohio

565 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Ohio, and rated by the USDA to survive −10 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 6a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 70

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 202

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 164

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 8

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 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fsummer grape30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °Ftrumpet creeper2 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −13 °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 Cory, OH.

Soil in Mount Cory, OH

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 45868 is Pewamo — silty clay loam, very poorly drained.

TextureSilty clay loamholds water and nutrients; slow to drain and warm up
pH6.4slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageVery poorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter4%moderate
Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classPrime farmland if drainedUSDA classification

Map unit: Pewamo silty clay 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 45868; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Mount Cory, OH

Summer high84 °Faverage high, July
Winter low19 °Faverage low, January
Hot days14days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights124nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,272base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 07 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 13 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation38.7 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall33 inper year; 40 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 33 °F, low 19 °F 33°19° JanFebruary: average high 37 °F, low 22 °F 37°22° FebMarch: average high 48 °F, low 30 °F 48°30° MarApril: average high 61 °F, low 40 °F 61°40° AprMay: average high 73 °F, low 51 °F 73°51° MayJune: average high 81 °F, low 61 °F 81°61° JunJuly: average high 84 °F, low 64 °F 84°64° JulAugust: average high 82 °F, low 62 °F 82°62° AugSeptember: average high 76 °F, low 54 °F 76°54° SepOctober: average high 64 °F, low 44 °F 64°44° OctNovember: average high 50 °F, low 34 °F 50°34° NovDecember: average high 38 °F, low 25 °F 38°25° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 2.61 in precipitation, 10.6 in snowfall 2.6❄11 JanFebruary: 2.20 in precipitation, 8.3 in snowfall 2.2❄8 FebMarch: 2.61 in precipitation, 4.3 in snowfall 2.6❄4 MarApril: 3.80 in precipitation, 0.8 in snowfall 3.8❄1 AprMay: 4.36 in precipitation 4.4 MayJune: 4.28 in precipitation 4.3 JunJuly: 4.04 in precipitation 4.0 JulAugust: 3.47 in precipitation 3.5 AugSeptember: 3.09 in precipitation 3.1 SepOctober: 2.83 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 2.8 OctNovember: 2.82 in precipitation, 1.9 in snowfall 2.8❄2 NovDecember: 2.56 in precipitation, 6.5 in snowfall 2.6❄7 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Pandora, OH (6 mi away); precipitation: Pandora, OH (6 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

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

458166a
Benton Ridge, OH · 4 mi
458816a
Rawson, OH · 4 mi
458776a
Pandora, OH · 4 mi
458176a
Bluffton, OH · 7 mi
458416a
Jenera, OH · 9 mi
458586a
Mc Comb, OH · 10 mi
458406b
Findlay, OH · 11 mi
458756a
Ottawa, OH · 11 mi

Ohio planting zones →

Questions about 45868

What planting zone is ZIP code 45868?

ZIP code 45868 (Mount Cory, OH) is in USDA hardiness zone 6a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −10 to −5 °F (−23.3 to −20.6 °C).

When is the last frost in Mount Cory, OH?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 45868 is April 23; after May 9 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Pandora station.

When is the first frost in Mount Cory, OH?

The median first fall frost near 45868 is October 22, giving a median frost-free growing season of 180 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 45868?

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 45868 get?

About 38.7 inches of precipitation a year and 33 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Pandora station).

How hot do summers get in Mount Cory, OH?

The average high peaks at 84 °F in July, with about 14 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 45868 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Pewamo at the center of ZIP 45868: silty clay loam, very poorly drained, pH about 6.4 (slightly acidic).

Did spring come early in Mount Cory, OH in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 45868 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 Mount Cory, OH?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 45868 is 15 h 07 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).