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

Planting zone for 48607 — Saginaw, MI

ZIP code 48607 (Saginaw, Saginaw County) is in USDA zone 6a: the coldest winter night averages −10 to −5 °F. The median last spring frost is April 29 and the first fall frost October 21.

Where ZIP 48607 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 29
First frostOct 21
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 Saginaw, MI…

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 Saginaw, MI

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 29median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 13only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 21median — 10% chance by Oct 5
Growing season175 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 17 and returns around November 3.

From the NOAA station Saginaw #3, MI — 2 miles away, elevation 600 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 48607

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 18 – Apr 1
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 18 – Apr 8
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 18 – Mar 4
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 8 – Apr 22
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 1 – Apr 15
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 8 – Apr 22
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 1 – Apr 15
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 8 – Apr 22
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 4 – Mar 18
TomatoesTransplant · May 6 – May 20
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 18 – Mar 4
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 13 – May 27
BeansSow outdoors · May 6 – May 20
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 6 – May 20
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 6 – May 20
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 26 – Sep 9
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 7 – Nov 11
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 29) and first fall frost (Oct 21) 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 48607 came on Apr 11 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Apr 12).

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 Michigan

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

Trees 58

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 hornbeam30 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −34 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 220

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine bistort1 ft · blooms mid spring · high shade tolerance · to −38 °Falpine sweetvetch2 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −62 °FAmerican 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 °F

Grasses 174

alpine timothy1.4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −43 °FAmerican 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 sedge4 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fbeaked spikerush3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °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 Saginaw, MI.

Soil in Saginaw, MI

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 48607 is Parkhill — loam, poorly drained. Much of the area is built over (urban land); this is the natural soil underneath.

TextureLoama good balance for most vegetables
pH7.0neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainagePoorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter4%moderate
Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Urban land.

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 48607; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Saginaw, MI

Summer high83 °Faverage high, July
Winter low16 °Faverage low, January
Hot days13days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights143nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,779base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 25 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day8 h 57 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation34 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall41 inper year

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 30 °F, low 16 °F 30°16° JanFebruary: average high 33 °F, low 17 °F 33°17° FebMarch: average high 43 °F, low 25 °F 43°25° MarApril: average high 56 °F, low 35 °F 56°35° AprMay: average high 69 °F, low 47 °F 69°47° MayJune: average high 79 °F, low 58 °F 79°58° JunJuly: average high 83 °F, low 62 °F 83°62° JulAugust: average high 82 °F, low 60 °F 82°60° AugSeptember: average high 74 °F, low 52 °F 74°52° SepOctober: average high 61 °F, low 41 °F 61°41° OctNovember: average high 46 °F, low 31 °F 46°31° NovDecember: average high 35 °F, low 23 °F 35°23° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″January: 2.25 in precipitation, 11.4 in snowfall 2.3❄11 JanFebruary: 1.94 in precipitation, 9.1 in snowfall 1.9❄9 FebMarch: 2.00 in precipitation, 5 in snowfall 2.0❄5 MarApril: 3.61 in precipitation, 1.3 in snowfall 3.6❄1 AprMay: 3.59 in precipitation 3.6 MayJune: 3.48 in precipitation 3.5 JunJuly: 3.36 in precipitation 3.4 JulAugust: 3.49 in precipitation 3.5 AugSeptember: 2.68 in precipitation 2.7 SepOctober: 2.93 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 2.9 OctNovember: 2.62 in precipitation, 2.3 in snowfall 2.6❄2 NovDecember: 2.03 in precipitation, 11.4 in snowfall 2.0❄11 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Saginaw #3, MI (2 mi away); precipitation: Saginaw #3, MI (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 6a.

486636a
Saginaw, MI · 1 mi
487246a
Carrollton, MI · 2 mi
486026a
Saginaw, MI · 2 mi
486016a
Saginaw, MI · 3 mi
486386a
Saginaw, MI · 4 mi
486046a
Saginaw, MI · 5 mi
486036a
Saginaw, MI · 5 mi
486056a
Saginaw, MI · 6 mi

All 11 ZIP codes in Saginaw → · Michigan planting zones →

Questions about 48607

What planting zone is ZIP code 48607?

ZIP code 48607 (Saginaw, MI) 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 Saginaw, MI?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 48607 is April 29; after May 13 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Saginaw #3 station.

When is the first frost in Saginaw, MI?

The median first fall frost near 48607 is October 21, giving a median frost-free growing season of 175 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 48607?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 4 – Mar 18 and set transplants outside around May 6 – May 20, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 48607 get?

About 34 inches of precipitation a year and 41 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Saginaw #3 station).

How hot do summers get in Saginaw, MI?

The average high peaks at 83 °F in July, with about 13 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 48607 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Parkhill at the center of ZIP 48607: loam, poorly drained, pH about 7.0 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Saginaw, MI in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 48607 came on Apr 11 in 2026, about the same as the 1991–2020 average (Apr 12), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Saginaw, MI?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 48607 is 15 h 25 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).