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

Planting zone for 45881 — Rawson, OH

ZIP code 45881 (Rawson, Hancock County) is in USDA zone 6a: the coldest winter night averages −10 to −5 °F. The median last spring frost is April 19 and the first fall frost October 23.

Where ZIP 45881 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 19
First frostOct 23
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 Rawson, 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 Rawson, OH

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 19median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 6only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 23median — 10% chance by Oct 9
Growing season185 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 8 and returns around November 3.

From the NOAA station Findlay Airport, OH — 7 miles away, elevation 801 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 45881

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 8 – Mar 22
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 8 – Mar 29
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 8 – Feb 22
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 29 – Apr 12
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 22 – Apr 5
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 29 – Apr 12
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 22 – Apr 5
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 29 – Apr 12
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 22 – Mar 8
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 26 – May 10
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 8 – Feb 22
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 3 – May 17
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 26 – May 10
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 26 – May 10
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 26 – May 10
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 28 – Sep 11
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 9 – Nov 13
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 19) and first fall frost (Oct 23) 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 45881 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 Rawson, OH.

Soil in Rawson, OH

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 45881 is Blount — silt loam, somewhat poorly drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.4slightly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat poorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter2.5%moderate
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classPrime farmland if drainedUSDA classification

Map unit: Blount silt loam, ground moraine, 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 45881; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Rawson, OH

Summer high85 °Faverage high, July
Winter low20 °Faverage low, January
Hot days17days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights117nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,456base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 07 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 14 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation33.8 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 35 °F, low 20 °F 35°20° JanFebruary: average high 38 °F, low 23 °F 38°23° FebMarch: average high 49 °F, low 31 °F 49°31° MarApril: average high 62 °F, low 41 °F 62°41° AprMay: average high 73 °F, low 52 °F 73°52° MayJune: average high 82 °F, low 61 °F 82°61° JunJuly: average high 85 °F, low 64 °F 85°64° JulAugust: average high 84 °F, low 62 °F 84°62° AugSeptember: average high 78 °F, low 55 °F 78°55° SepOctober: average high 65 °F, low 45 °F 65°45° OctNovember: average high 51 °F, low 34 °F 51°34° NovDecember: average high 40 °F, low 26 °F 40°26° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″January: 2.05 in precipitation 2.0 JanFebruary: 1.68 in precipitation 1.7 FebMarch: 2.33 in precipitation 2.3 MarApril: 3.42 in precipitation 3.4 AprMay: 3.75 in precipitation 3.8 MayJune: 3.93 in precipitation 3.9 JunJuly: 3.63 in precipitation 3.6 JulAugust: 3.39 in precipitation 3.4 AugSeptember: 2.63 in precipitation 2.6 SepOctober: 2.51 in precipitation 2.5 OctNovember: 2.38 in precipitation 2.4 NovDecember: 2.10 in precipitation 2.1 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Findlay Airport, OH (7 mi away); precipitation: Findlay Airport, OH (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.

458686a
Mount Cory, OH · 4 mi
458166a
Benton Ridge, OH · 4 mi
458416a
Jenera, OH · 5 mi
458176a
Bluffton, OH · 7 mi
458776a
Pandora, OH · 8 mi
458406b
Findlay, OH · 9 mi
458396b
Findlay, OH · 10 mi
458976a
Williamstown, OH · 10 mi

Ohio planting zones →

Questions about 45881

What planting zone is ZIP code 45881?

ZIP code 45881 (Rawson, 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 Rawson, OH?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 45881 is April 19; after May 6 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Findlay Airport station.

When is the first frost in Rawson, OH?

The median first fall frost near 45881 is October 23, giving a median frost-free growing season of 185 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 45881?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 22 – Mar 8 and set transplants outside around Apr 26 – May 10, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 45881 get?

About 33.8 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Findlay Airport station).

How hot do summers get in Rawson, OH?

The average high peaks at 85 °F in July, with about 17 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 45881 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Blount at the center of ZIP 45881: silt loam, somewhat poorly drained, pH about 6.4 (slightly acidic).

Did spring come early in Rawson, OH in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 45881 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 Rawson, OH?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 45881 is 15 h 07 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).