Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated Oct 29, 2026

Planting zone for 83355 — Wendell, ID

ZIP code 83355 (Wendell, Gooding County) is in USDA zone 6b: the coldest winter night averages −5 to 0 °F. The median last spring frost is May 2 and the first fall frost October 14.

Where ZIP 83355 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.

Zone6b−5 to 0 °F

Coldest night−20.6 to −17.8 °C

Last frostMay 2

First frostOct 14

2012 zone6b

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 6b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Wendell, ID…

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 Wendell, ID

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free

Last spring frostMay 2median — 50% chance of a later frost

Safe for tender plantsMay 30only 10% chance of frost after

First fall frostOctober 14median — 10% chance by Sep 30

Growing season166 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 14 and returns around October 27.

From the NOAA station Jerome, ID — 11 miles away, elevation 3,740 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 83355

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

PeasSow outdoors · Mar 21 – Apr 4

SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 21 – Apr 11

Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 21 – Mar 7

Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 11 – Apr 25

Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 4 – Apr 18

PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 11 – Apr 25

LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 4 – Apr 18

Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 11 – Apr 25

TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 7 – Mar 21

TomatoesTransplant · May 9 – May 23

Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 21 – Mar 7

Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 16 – May 30

BeansSow outdoors · May 9 – May 23

Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 9 – May 23

Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 9 – May 23

Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 19 – Sep 2

GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 30 – Nov 4

Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 2) and first fall frost (Oct 14) 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 83355 came on Mar 5 — 19 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 24).

average
Mar 242026
Mar 5

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 6b in Idaho

570 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Idaho, and rated by the USDA to survive −5 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 6b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

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 Wendell, ID.

Soil in Wendell, ID

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 83355 is Taunton — very fine sandy loam, well drained.

TextureVery fine sandy loamdrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding

pH7.2neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0

DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class

Organic matter0.85%low — add compost

Hydrologic groupCwater soaks in slowly

Farmland classPrime farmland if irrigatedUSDA classification

Map unit: Taunton-Ticeska very fine sandy loams, 1 to 4 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 83355; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Wendell, ID

Summer high90 °Faverage high, July

Winter low22 °Faverage low, January

Hot days54days a year at 90 °F or more

Freezing nights153nights a year at 32 °F or less

Growing degree days2,783base 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)

Precipitation10.8 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

Precipitation by month inches

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Jerome, ID (11 mi away); precipitation: Hagerman 1.1 Ene, ID (9 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

5 of the 8 nearest ZIP codes are in a different zone — elevation and distance from water change winter lows quickly.

Twin Falls, ID · 19 mi

833246a

Dietrich, ID · 25 mi

Idaho planting zones →

Questions about 83355

What planting zone is ZIP code 83355?

ZIP code 83355 (Wendell, ID) is in USDA hardiness zone 6b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −5 to 0 °F (−20.6 to −17.8 °C).

When is the last frost in Wendell, ID?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 83355 is May 2; after May 30 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Jerome station.

When is the first frost in Wendell, ID?

The median first fall frost near 83355 is October 14, giving a median frost-free growing season of 166 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 83355?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 7 – Mar 21 and set transplants outside around May 9 – May 23, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 83355 get?

About 10.8 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Hagerman 1.1 Ene station).

How hot do summers get in Wendell, ID?

The average high peaks at 90 °F in July, with about 54 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 83355 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Taunton at the center of ZIP 83355: very fine sandy loam, well drained, pH about 7.2 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Wendell, ID in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 83355 came on Mar 5 in 2026, 19 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Mar 24), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Wendell, ID?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 83355 is 15 h 20 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).