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

Planting zone for 53138 — Honey Creek, WI

ZIP code 53138 (Honey Creek, Walworth County) is in USDA zone 5b: the coldest winter night averages −15 to −10 °F. The median last spring frost is May 5 and the first fall frost October 10.

Where ZIP 53138 is

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 5
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 Honey Creek, 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 Honey Creek, WI

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 5median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 23only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 10median — 10% chance by Sep 26
Growing season156 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 24 and returns around October 21.

From the NOAA station Rochester Wwtp, WI — 4 miles away, elevation 784 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 53138

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 24 – Apr 7
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 24 – Apr 14
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 24 – Mar 10
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 14 – Apr 28
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 7 – Apr 21
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 14 – Apr 28
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 7 – Apr 21
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 14 – Apr 28
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 10 – Mar 24
TomatoesTransplant · May 12 – May 26
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 24 – Mar 10
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 19 – Jun 2
BeansSow outdoors · May 12 – May 26
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 12 – May 26
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 12 – May 26
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 5) 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 53138 came on Mar 30 — 13 days earlier than 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 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 Honey Creek, WI.

Soil in Honey Creek, WI

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 53138 is Fox — loam, well drained.

TextureLoama good balance for most vegetables
pH7.0neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter1%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Fox loam, 2 to 6 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 53138; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Honey Creek, WI

Summer high82 °Faverage high, July
Winter low12 °Faverage low, January
Hot days9days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights154nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,521base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 20 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 02 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation36.4 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 29 °F, low 12 °F 29°12° JanFebruary: average high 32 °F, low 14 °F 32°14° FebMarch: average high 43 °F, low 24 °F 43°24° MarApril: average high 56 °F, low 35 °F 56°35° AprMay: average high 68 °F, low 45 °F 68°45° MayJune: average high 78 °F, low 55 °F 78°55° JunJuly: average high 82 °F, low 60 °F 82°60° JulAugust: average high 81 °F, low 58 °F 81°58° AugSeptember: average high 74 °F, low 50 °F 74°50° SepOctober: average high 61 °F, low 39 °F 61°39° OctNovember: average high 46 °F, low 28 °F 46°28° NovDecember: average high 34 °F, low 18 °F 34°18° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 1.73 in precipitation 1.7 JanFebruary: 1.70 in precipitation 1.7 FebMarch: 2.15 in precipitation 2.1 MarApril: 3.76 in precipitation 3.8 AprMay: 3.99 in precipitation 4.0 MayJune: 4.66 in precipitation 4.7 JunJuly: 3.75 in precipitation 3.8 JulAugust: 3.77 in precipitation 3.8 AugSeptember: 3.62 in precipitation 3.6 SepOctober: 2.95 in precipitation 3.0 OctNovember: 2.38 in precipitation 2.4 NovDecember: 1.93 in precipitation 1.9 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Rochester Wwtp, WI (4 mi away); precipitation: Rochester Wwtp, WI (4 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 5b.

531675b
Rochester, WI · 4 mi
531055b
Burlington, WI · 6 mi
531855b
Waterford, WI · 7 mi
531205b
East Troy, WI · 7 mi
531485b
Lyons, WI · 7 mi
531495b
Mukwonago, WI · 9 mi
531765b
Springfield, WI · 9 mi
531035b
Big Bend, WI · 10 mi

Wisconsin planting zones →

Questions about 53138

What planting zone is ZIP code 53138?

ZIP code 53138 (Honey Creek, 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 Honey Creek, WI?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 53138 is May 5; after May 23 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Rochester Wwtp station.

When is the first frost in Honey Creek, WI?

The median first fall frost near 53138 is October 10, giving a median frost-free growing season of 156 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 53138?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 10 – Mar 24 and set transplants outside around May 12 – May 26, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 53138 get?

About 36.4 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Rochester Wwtp station).

How hot do summers get in Honey Creek, WI?

The average high peaks at 82 °F in July, with about 9 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 53138 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Fox at the center of ZIP 53138: loam, well drained, pH about 7.0 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Honey Creek, WI in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 53138 came on Mar 30 in 2026, 13 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 12), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Honey Creek, WI?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 53138 is 15 h 20 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).