USDA zone 5b in New York
USDA plant hardiness zone 5b covers 49 locations across New York (average annual extreme minimum −15 to −10 °F): Afton, NY, Andes, NY, Bath, NY, Bliss, NY, Bliss, NY, Campbell, NY, and 43 more. Average last spring frost across this group ranges April 19 (Poestenkill) to May 21 (Friendship), and growing seasons run 129–190 days (Preston-Potter Hollow to Poestenkill) — even within one state, because hardiness sets winter survival, not planting dates. The table below gives every New York location's own frost dates; the printable planting calendar uses Hancock, this group's median-season location.
- USDA zone
- 5b−15 to −10 °F
- Last frost range
- Apr 19–May 21avg, 32°F
- First frost range
- Sep 27–Oct 26avg, 32°F
- Growing season range
- 129–190days
Locations in this group
Every location below shares this zone and a nearby weather station, but keeps its own frost dates — find your town for its own numbers, or use the ZIP planner on the home page for an instant personalized answer.
| Location | Also covers | Nearest station | Last frost | First frost | Season (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afton | Smithville Flats, Greene | Binghamton | May 2 | Oct 11 | 162 |
| Andes | Bloomville, Margaretville, Fleischmanns, Hobart | Delhi 2 Se | May 19 | Oct 1 | 132 |
| Bath | Addison, Avoca, Savona, Canisteo | Bath | May 12 | Oct 3 | 144 |
| Bliss | Strykersville, Arcade, Perry, Pike, Gainesville | Warsaw 6 Sw | May 7 | Oct 10 | 156 |
| Bliss | Houghton, Yorkshire, West Valley, Cuba, Franklinville, Delevan, +2 more | Franklinville | May 14 | Oct 6 | 144 |
| Campbell | South Corning | Corning | May 17 | Oct 2 | 139 |
| Canaseraga | Dalton | Dansville | May 4 | Oct 16 | 163 |
| Canastota | Brewerton, Chittenango, North Syracuse, Bridgeport, Central Square, Manlius, +2 more | Syracuse Hancock Intl Ap | Apr 29 | Oct 19 | 173 |
| Central Square | Parish | Fulton Oswego Co Ap | May 2 | Oct 16 | 165 |
| Cherry Creek | East Randolph, Little Valley, Ellicottville | Little Valley | May 17 | Oct 1 | 136 |
| Cobleskill | Central Bridge, East Worcester, Tribes Hill, Richmondville, Sharon Springs, Schoharie, +5 more | Cobleskill 2 Ese | May 9 | Oct 4 | 148 |
| Cohocton | — | Dansville Muni Ap | May 1 | Oct 19 | 170 |
| Constantia | Altmar, Durhamville, Cleveland, North Bay, Sylvan Beach | Camden | May 12 | Oct 5 | 144 |
| Downsville | Sidney, Hancock, Walton, Hankins, Unadilla, Franklin | Walton 2 | May 21 | Oct 1 | 132 |
| East Durham | — | Cairo 3 Nw | Apr 29 | Oct 14 | 169 |
| East Glenville | Mariaville Lake, Voorheesville, Altamont | Albany Ap | Apr 27 | Oct 15 | 169 |
| Friendship | Houghton, Angelica, Belfast, Cuba, Belmont, Fillmore | Angelica | May 21 | Sep 30 | 130 |
| Groton | Freeville, Candor, Slaterville Springs, McLean | Ithaca Cornell Univ | May 11 | Oct 3 | 145 |
| Hancock * | Afton, Deposit, Windsor | Deposit | May 12 | Oct 9 | 152 |
| Herkimer | — | Little Falls City Rsch | May 5 | Oct 4 | 151 |
| Homer | McGraw, Tully, Fabius, DeRuyter | Tully Heiberg Forest | May 12 | Oct 5 | 147 |
| Johnstown | — | Gloversville 7nw (peck Lake) | May 11 | Oct 3 | 143 |
| Livingston Manor | Liberty, Hankins, Roscoe, Jeffersonville | Liberty 1 Ne | May 9 | Oct 5 | 149 |
| Mariaville Lake | Duane Lake, Delanson | Delanson 2ne | May 7 | Oct 7 | 153 |
| Moravia | — | Aurora Rsch Farm | May 1 | Oct 21 | 172 |
| Munsons Corners | Blodgett Mills, Dryden, Marathon, Newark Valley, Virgil | Ithaca 13 E | May 13 | Oct 4 | 145 |
| Norwich | Oxford, Smithville Flats, Guilford, Bainbridge, New Berlin, Gilbertsville, +2 more | Norwich | May 13 | Oct 4 | 142 |
| Oneida | Cazenovia, Morrisville, Munnsville, Madison, DeRuyter | Morrisville 6 Sw | May 6 | Oct 9 | 156 |
| Oneonta | West End, Davenport Center, Mount Vision, Garrattsville, Otego, Wells Bridge, +2 more | Emmons | May 17 | Oct 3 | 141 |
| Panama | — | Jamestown 4 Ene | May 8 | Oct 13 | 158 |
| Pine Hill | Grahamsville, Fleischmanns | Slide Mtn | May 6 | Oct 7 | 154 |
| Poestenkill | Averill Park, Valley Falls | Troy L&d | Apr 19 | Oct 26 | 190 |
| Preston-Potter Hollow | Greenville, Coxsackie, Voorheesville, Ravena, Altamont | Alcove Dam | May 3 | Oct 12 | 160 |
| Preston-Potter Hollow | Prattsville, Richmondville, Stamford, Middleburgh, Jefferson, Fleischmanns, +1 more | Lansing Manor | May 18 | Oct 2 | 137 |
| Preston-Potter Hollow | Round Top, East Durham, Windham, Hunter, West Kill, Tannersville, +1 more | E Jewett | May 20 | Sep 27 | 129 |
| Pulaski | Sandy Creek | Pulaski | May 10 | Oct 14 | 156 |
| Richburg | Portville, Bolivar | Wellsville Muni Ap | May 4 | Oct 14 | 163 |
| Rome | Oneida, Utica, Sherrill, Verona, Marcy, Clark Mills, +12 more | Utica Oneida Co Ap | May 1 | Oct 13 | 164 |
| Sackets Harbor | Ellisburg, Mannsville, Alexandria Bay, Cape Vincent, Belleville, Henderson, +2 more | Watertown Intl Ap | May 11 | Oct 1 | 140 |
| Salamanca | Randolph, Limestone, Allegany | Allegany Sp | May 12 | Oct 9 | 150 |
| Salem | — | Glens Falls Ap | May 9 | Sep 30 | 143 |
| Saratoga Springs | East Glenville, Amsterdam, Country Knolls, Milton, Ballston Spa, Hagaman, +4 more | Saratoga Springs 4 Sw | May 2 | Oct 7 | 158 |
| South Glens Falls | — | Glens Falls Farm | May 17 | Sep 29 | 135 |
| Springfield Center | Fort Plain, Nelliston, Palatine Bridge, Cherry Valley, Ames | Cherry Valley 2 Nne | May 6 | Oct 6 | 152 |
| Strykersville | Holland, Springville, Yorkshire | Wales | May 7 | Oct 10 | 155 |
| Unadilla Forks | Edmeston, Hamilton, Sherburne, Waterville, Earlville, New Berlin, +4 more | Sherburne | May 13 | Oct 4 | 145 |
| West Elmira | Breesport, Van Etten, Millerton, Erin, Wellsburg | Elmira | May 6 | Oct 11 | 158 |
| Weston Mills | Olean, St. Bonaventure, Portville | Olean | May 7 | Oct 11 | 156 |
| Worcester | Springfield Center, Hartwick, Schuyler Lake, Burlington Flats, Westford, Cooperstown, +7 more | Cooperstown | May 7 | Oct 7 | 154 |
* Hancock is this group's median-season location — the calendar below is computed from its data.
Data: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (public domain) and USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Planting windows synthesized from U.S. Cooperative Extension guides.
Planting calendar (Hancock, representative)
Computed from Hancock's average frost dates — the median-season location in this New Yorkzone 5b group. hatched = start seeds indoors, solid green = plant out, teal = a fall sowing, and the terracotta dot marks the estimated first harvest. Ranges are extension-guide planning guidance, not guarantees — your own location's dates may run a week or two earlier or later (see the table above).
- Start indoors
- Plant out
- Fall sowing
- First harvest
| Crop | Frost tolerance | Start indoors | Plant out | First harvest | Fall planting | Season fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Tender | Mar 17 – Mar 31 | May 19 – May 26 | Jul 18 – Aug 7 | — | matures comfortably |
| Pepper | Very tender | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | May 26 – Jun 2 | Jul 25 – Aug 24 | — | matures comfortably |
| Cucumber | Tender | Apr 14 – Apr 21 | May 19 – May 26 | Jul 8 – Jul 28 | — | matures comfortably |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Tender | — | May 19 – May 26 | Jul 3 – Jul 18 | — | matures comfortably |
| Bush bean | Tender | — | May 19 – May 26 | Jul 8 – Jul 18 | Aug 10 – Aug 20 | matures comfortably |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — | May 12 – May 26 | Jul 11 – Aug 10 | — | matures comfortably |
| Basil | Very tender | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 19 – May 26 | Jun 18 – Jul 3 | — | matures comfortably |
| Lettuce | Half-hardy | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | Apr 14 – Apr 28 | May 29 – Jun 13 | Jul 27 – Aug 11 | matures comfortably |
| Pea | Hardy | — | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 25 – Jun 9 | Jul 17 – Aug 1 | matures comfortably |
| Spinach | Hardy | — | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 10 – May 20 | Aug 6 – Aug 16 | matures comfortably |
| Carrot | Half-hardy | — | Apr 21 – Apr 28 | Jun 20 – Jul 10 | Jul 7 – Jul 27 | matures comfortably |
| Broccoli | Half-hardy | Mar 17 – Mar 31 | Apr 14 – Apr 28 | Jun 8 – Jun 28 | Jul 12 – Aug 1 | matures comfortably |
Which crops fit this growing season
Using Hancock's own 152-day growing season (32°F, NOAA 1991–2020 median) against each crop's real days-to-maturity range: 12 of 12 crops mature here with comfortable margin. A different location in the table above with a longer or shorter season will get a different mix — the ZIP planner on the home page gives your own.
Frost & freeze dates (Hancock)
From NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals at station USC00302060. The median (p50) is the average date; the 90%-safe column is the date the freeze has passed in about 9 years out of 10 — the conservative date to plant after or harvest before.
| Threshold | Last spring — avg | Last spring — 90%-safe | First fall — avg | First fall — 90%-safe | Season (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | May 23 | Jun 4 | Oct 1 | Oct 12 | 130 |
| 32°F (freeze) | May 12 | May 27 | Oct 9 | Oct 25 | 152 |
| 28°F | Apr 29 | May 15 | Oct 24 | Nov 7 | 178 |
| 24°F | Apr 14 | May 2 | Nov 4 | Nov 20 | 205 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days (GDD) accumulate warmth above a base temperature over the year — a better predictor of crop development than the calendar alone. This group's median GDD (base 50°F) across all 49 locations is 2,236; Hancock's own reading is shown below.
| Model | °F·days | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Base 50°F (warm-season) | 2,565 | standard warm-season base (tomato, corn, beans) |
| Base 40°F (cool-season) | 4,631 | cool-season crops (brassicas, greens) |
Hardiness zone 5b in New York
Zone 5b means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of about −15 to −10 °F on the USDA's 2023 map — the number that tells you which perennials, shrubs, and trees reliably survive an average winter here. It does not set your planting dates, which come from the frost calendar above. New York spans 8 hardiness zones in this dataset — see all New York locations for the full range, including zones4a, 4b, 5a, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b.
Explore zone 5b in other states at zone 5b, or see all USDA hardiness zones.
Frequently asked questions
- What does USDA hardiness zone 5b mean in New York?
- Zone 5b means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of −15 to −10 °F — the standard USDA measure of which perennials survive winter. 49 locations in New York fall in this zone. It does not set planting dates; see the frost calendar below for that.
- Where in New York's zone 5b is the growing season longest?
- Poestenkill runs the longest season on this page at about 190 days; Preston-Potter Hollow is shortest at about 129 days — they share the same hardiness zone, but they sit at different weather stations, so their frost calendars differ.
- When should I plant tomatoes in New York's zone 5b?
- Using Hancock's frost dates (this page's median-season location): start seeds indoors about Mar 17 – Mar 31, then transplant outside about May 19 – May 26. Your own location in the table above may differ by a week or two — use the ZIP planner on the home page for your exact station's dates.
- Does every location in New York's zone 5b have the same frost dates?
- No — they do not all share a weather station, so frost dates vary by a week or more across the 49 locations listed (see the table above for each location's own dates).
Sources & method
Frost, freeze, growing-season, and growing-degree-day figures are NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, one reading per location's own nearest station (see the table above). The hardiness zone is the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023, matched to each location's ZIP. Planting windows are computed by counting from the average last and first frost using per-crop offsets synthesized from U.S. Cooperative Extension guides — the full method and citations are on the methodology page.