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

Planting zone for 47831 — Blanford, IN

ZIP code 47831 (Blanford, Vermillion County) is in USDA zone 6a: the coldest winter night averages −10 to −5 °F. The median last spring frost is April 21 and the first fall frost October 20.

Where ZIP 47831 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 21
First frostOct 20
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 Blanford, IN…

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 Blanford, IN

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 21median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 9only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 20median — 10% chance by Oct 1
Growing season179 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 9 and returns around October 30.

From the NOAA station Paris Stp, IL — 9 miles away, elevation 650 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 47831

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 10 – Mar 24
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 10 – Mar 31
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 10 – Feb 24
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 31 – Apr 14
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 24 – Apr 7
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 31 – Apr 14
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 24 – Apr 7
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 31 – Apr 14
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 24 – Mar 10
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 28 – May 12
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 10 – Feb 24
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 5 – May 19
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 28 – May 12
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 28 – May 12
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 28 – May 12
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 25 – Sep 8
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 6 – Nov 10
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 21) and first fall frost (Oct 20) 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 47831 came on Mar 10 — 15 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 25).

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 Indiana

558 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Indiana, and rated by the USDA to survive −10 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 6a. 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 105

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 200

American bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican licorice4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °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 °F

Grasses 161

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 9

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 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fsummer grape30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °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 Blanford, IN.

Soil in Blanford, IN

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 47831 is Shoals — silt loam, somewhat poorly drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH7.0neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat poorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter4%moderate
Hydrologic groupB/Dmoderate when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classPrime farmland if drained and either protected from flooding or not frequently flooded during the growing seasonUSDA classification

Map unit: Shoals silt loam.

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 47831; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Blanford, IN

Summer high84 °Faverage high, July
Winter low17 °Faverage low, January
Hot days19days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights116nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,354base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day14 h 59 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 22 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growIntermediateday-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully
Precipitation43.5 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall15 inper year

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 34 °F, low 17 °F 34°17° JanFebruary: average high 39 °F, low 20 °F 39°20° FebMarch: average high 50 °F, low 29 °F 50°29° MarApril: average high 63 °F, low 40 °F 63°40° AprMay: average high 73 °F, low 51 °F 73°51° MayJune: average high 82 °F, low 61 °F 82°61° JunJuly: average high 84 °F, low 64 °F 84°64° JulAugust: average high 83 °F, low 62 °F 83°62° AugSeptember: average high 78 °F, low 54 °F 78°54° SepOctober: average high 66 °F, low 43 °F 66°43° OctNovember: average high 51 °F, low 31 °F 51°31° NovDecember: average high 39 °F, low 23 °F 39°23° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 2.89 in precipitation, 6.8 in snowfall 2.9❄7 JanFebruary: 2.77 in precipitation, 2.9 in snowfall 2.8❄3 FebMarch: 3.33 in precipitation, 1.5 in snowfall 3.3❄2 MarApril: 4.46 in precipitation 4.5 AprMay: 4.38 in precipitation 4.4 MayJune: 5.39 in precipitation 5.4 JunJuly: 3.61 in precipitation 3.6 JulAugust: 3.35 in precipitation 3.4 AugSeptember: 3.24 in precipitation 3.2 SepOctober: 3.93 in precipitation 3.9 OctNovember: 3.24 in precipitation, 0.4 in snowfall 3.2 NovDecember: 2.96 in precipitation, 3.8 in snowfall 3.0❄4 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Paris Stp, IL (9 mi away); precipitation: Clinton 2 W, IN (4 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 6a.

478756a
Saint Bernice, IN · 3 mi
478426a
Clinton, IN · 4 mi
478846a
Universal, IN · 5 mi
619556a
Vermilion, IL · 7 mi
478636a
New Goshen, IN · 7 mi
478806a
Shepardsville, IN · 7 mi
619446a
Paris, IL · 11 mi
478476a
Dana, IN · 11 mi

Indiana planting zones →

Questions about 47831

What planting zone is ZIP code 47831?

ZIP code 47831 (Blanford, IN) 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 Blanford, IN?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 47831 is April 21; after May 9 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Paris Stp station.

When is the first frost in Blanford, IN?

The median first fall frost near 47831 is October 20, giving a median frost-free growing season of 179 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 47831?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 24 – Mar 10 and set transplants outside around Apr 28 – May 12, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 47831 get?

About 43.5 inches of precipitation a year and 15 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Clinton 2 W station).

How hot do summers get in Blanford, IN?

The average high peaks at 84 °F in July, with about 19 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 47831 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Shoals at the center of ZIP 47831: silt loam, somewhat poorly drained, pH about 7.0 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Blanford, IN in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 47831 came on Mar 10 in 2026, 15 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 25), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Blanford, IN?

Intermediate onions: the longest day near 47831 is 14 h 59 min, so day-neutral types bulb best; long-day varieties may not bulb fully.