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

Planting zone for 53020 — Elkhart Lake, WI

ZIP code 53020 (Elkhart Lake, Sheboygan County) is in USDA zone 5b: the coldest winter night averages −15 to −10 °F. The median last spring frost is May 3 and the first fall frost October 10.

Where ZIP 53020 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.

Zone5b−15 to −10 °F
Coldest night−26.1 to −23.3 °C
Last frostMay 3
First frostOct 10
2012 zone5b

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 5b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Elkhart Lake, WI…

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 Elkhart Lake, WI

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 3median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 20only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 10median — 10% chance by Sep 28
Growing season159 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 20 and returns around October 23.

From the NOAA station Plymouth Wwtp, WI — 9 miles away, elevation 827 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 53020

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 22 – Apr 5
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 22 – Apr 12
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 22 – Mar 8
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 12 – Apr 26
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 5 – Apr 19
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 12 – Apr 26
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 5 – Apr 19
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 12 – Apr 26
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 8 – Mar 22
TomatoesTransplant · May 10 – May 24
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 22 – Mar 8
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 17 – May 31
BeansSow outdoors · May 10 – May 24
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 10 – May 24
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 10 – May 24
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 15 – Aug 29
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 26 – Oct 31
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 3) and first fall frost (Oct 10) 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 53020 came on Apr 11 — 6 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 17).

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 5b in Wisconsin

518 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Wisconsin, and rated by the USDA to survive −15 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 5b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 49

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 93

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 197

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican 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 °F

Grasses 159

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 sedge4 ft · blooms late 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 °F

Vines 5

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fsummer grape30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °FVirginia creeper1 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −28 °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 Elkhart Lake, WI.

Soil in Elkhart Lake, WI

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 53020 is Hochheim — silt loam, well drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH7.2neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter3%moderate
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Hochheim-Casco-Sisson complex, 20 to 30 percent slopes, eroded.

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 53020; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Elkhart Lake, WI

Summer high81 °Faverage high, July
Winter low12 °Faverage low, January
Hot days7days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights151nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,391base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 28 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day8 h 54 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation33.6 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall45 inper year; 71 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 26 °F, low 12 °F 26°12° JanFebruary: average high 30 °F, low 14 °F 30°14° FebMarch: average high 41 °F, low 24 °F 41°24° MarApril: average high 53 °F, low 34 °F 53°34° AprMay: average high 66 °F, low 45 °F 66°45° MayJune: average high 76 °F, low 55 °F 76°55° JunJuly: average high 81 °F, low 60 °F 81°60° JulAugust: average high 79 °F, low 59 °F 79°59° AugSeptember: average high 72 °F, low 51 °F 72°51° SepOctober: average high 58 °F, low 39 °F 58°39° OctNovember: average high 44 °F, low 29 °F 44°29° NovDecember: average high 32 °F, low 18 °F 32°18° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 1.59 in precipitation, 12.4 in snowfall 1.6❄12 JanFebruary: 1.41 in precipitation, 11 in snowfall 1.4❄11 FebMarch: 1.97 in precipitation, 5.9 in snowfall 2.0❄6 MarApril: 3.63 in precipitation, 2.1 in snowfall 3.6❄2 AprMay: 3.83 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 3.8 MayJune: 4.22 in precipitation 4.2 JunJuly: 3.50 in precipitation 3.5 JulAugust: 3.69 in precipitation 3.7 AugSeptember: 2.81 in precipitation 2.8 SepOctober: 2.96 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 3.0 OctNovember: 2.14 in precipitation, 2.3 in snowfall 2.1❄2 NovDecember: 1.82 in precipitation, 10.7 in snowfall 1.8❄11 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Plymouth Wwtp, WI (9 mi away); precipitation: Plymouth Wwtp, WI (9 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 5b.

530425b
Kiel, WI · 7 mi
530265b
Greenbush, WI · 7 mi
530235b
Glenbeulah, WI · 7 mi
530735b
Plymouth, WI · 8 mi
530615b
New Holstein, WI · 8 mi
530795b
Saint Cloud, WI · 10 mi
542325b
Saint Nazianz, WI · 11 mi
530155b
Cleveland, WI · 12 mi

Wisconsin planting zones →

Questions about 53020

What planting zone is ZIP code 53020?

ZIP code 53020 (Elkhart Lake, WI) is in USDA hardiness zone 5b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −15 to −10 °F (−26.1 to −23.3 °C).

When is the last frost in Elkhart Lake, WI?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 53020 is May 3; after May 20 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Plymouth Wwtp station.

When is the first frost in Elkhart Lake, WI?

The median first fall frost near 53020 is October 10, giving a median frost-free growing season of 159 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 53020?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 8 – Mar 22 and set transplants outside around May 10 – May 24, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 53020 get?

About 33.6 inches of precipitation a year and 45 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Plymouth Wwtp station).

How hot do summers get in Elkhart Lake, WI?

The average high peaks at 81 °F in July, with about 7 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 53020 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Hochheim at the center of ZIP 53020: silt loam, well drained, pH about 7.2 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Elkhart Lake, WI in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 53020 came on Apr 11 in 2026, 6 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 17), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Elkhart Lake, WI?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 53020 is 15 h 28 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).