USDA zone 6a in New York
USDA plant hardiness zone 6a covers 55 locations across New York (average annual extreme minimum −10 to −5 °F): Albany, NY, Alfred, NY, Auburn, NY, Avon, NY, Batavia, NY, Big Flats, NY, and 49 more. Average last spring frost across this group ranges April 19 (Troy) to May 20 (Round Top), and growing seasons run 129–197 days (Round Top to Mayville) — 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 Cragsmoor, this group's median-season location.
- USDA zone
- 6a−10 to −5 °F
- Last frost range
- Apr 19–May 20avg, 32°F
- First frost range
- Sep 27–Nov 5avg, 32°F
- Growing season range
- 129–197days
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | Niskayuna, Schenectady, East Glenville, Rotterdam, Latham, Mariaville Lake, +8 more | Albany Ap | Apr 27 | Oct 15 | 169 |
| Alfred | Andover, Canisteo, Knoxville | Alfred | May 18 | Oct 1 | 135 |
| Auburn | Skaneateles, Jordan, Elbridge, Weedsport, Port Byron | Auburn | May 2 | Oct 18 | 166 |
| Avon | Geneseo, York, Honeoye Falls, Caledonia, Scottsville, Linwood, +2 more | Avon | May 3 | Oct 15 | 163 |
| Batavia | Pavilion, Le Roy, Elba, Corfu, Oakfield, Alexander | Batavia | May 3 | Oct 16 | 165 |
| Big Flats | Gang Mills, Montour Falls, Coopers Plains, Hammondsport | Corning | May 17 | Oct 2 | 139 |
| Binghamton | Johnson, Endwell, Endicott, Apalachin, Owego, Chenango Bridge, +9 more | Binghamton | May 2 | Oct 11 | 162 |
| Bloomfield | Lima, Honeoye, Naples | Honeoye | May 10 | Oct 4 | 147 |
| Cairo | Coxsackie, Voorheesville, Kinderhook, New Baltimore, Ravena, Castleton-on-Hudson | Alcove Dam | May 3 | Oct 12 | 160 |
| Cairo | — | Cairo 3 Nw | Apr 29 | Oct 14 | 169 |
| Chatham | — | Pittsfield Muni Ap | May 5 | Oct 5 | 152 |
| Clarence | Lancaster, Clarence Center, Akron | Buffalo | Apr 24 | Oct 26 | 183 |
| Clyde | Savannah | Sodus 1w | May 6 | Oct 10 | 158 |
| Cohocton | Wayland, Groveland Station, Scottsburg | Dansville Muni Ap | May 1 | Oct 19 | 170 |
| Copake | Copake Falls | Copake | May 4 | Oct 11 | 160 |
| Copake Lake | Stottville, Germantown, Claverack-Red Mills, South Cairo, Coxsackie, Kinderhook, +11 more | Hudson Correctional Facility | Apr 25 | Oct 18 | 176 |
| Cragsmoor * | — | Montgomery Orange Ap | May 1 | Oct 11 | 163 |
| Elma Center | Eden, Town Line, North Boston, Alden, East Aurora, Hamburg, +2 more | Wales | May 7 | Oct 10 | 155 |
| Elmira | Southport, West Elmira, Horseheads North, Pine Valley, Erin, Wellsburg, +1 more | Elmira | May 6 | Oct 11 | 158 |
| Frewsburg | Jamestown West, Panama, Kennedy, Lakewood, Sinclairville, Falconer, +3 more | Jamestown 4 Ene | May 8 | Oct 13 | 158 |
| Fulton | Baldwinsville, Sand Ridge, Mexico, Phoenix, Hannibal, Cato, +1 more | Fulton Oswego Co Ap | May 2 | Oct 16 | 165 |
| Gorham | Hall | Geneva Rsch Farm | Apr 30 | Oct 21 | 173 |
| Gowanda | West Valley, Cattaraugus, Perrysburg | Little Valley | May 17 | Oct 1 | 136 |
| Hammondsport | — | Bath | May 12 | Oct 3 | 144 |
| Haviland | — | Poughkeepsie | Apr 21 | Oct 21 | 183 |
| Hemlock | Lima, Conesus, Livonia Center, Websters Crossing | Hemlock | May 2 | Oct 18 | 167 |
| Ithaca | Jacksonville, Newfield | Ithaca Cornell Univ | May 11 | Oct 3 | 145 |
| Mayville | Cherry Creek, Forestville, South Dayton, Cassadaga | Fredonia | Apr 25 | Nov 1 | 185 |
| Mayville | Ripley, Sherman | Westfield 2 Sse | Apr 21 | Nov 5 | 197 |
| Montour Falls | Watkins Glen, Trumansburg, Odessa, Dundee, Burdett, Lodi | Mecklenburg 4sw | May 10 | Oct 8 | 150 |
| Mountain Dale | Monticello, Fallsburg, South Fallsburg, Liberty, Smallwood, Swan Lake, +12 more | Liberty 1 Ne | May 9 | Oct 5 | 149 |
| Narrowsburg | Callicoon | Milanville | May 3 | Oct 9 | 156 |
| Niverville | Valatie | Valatie 1 N | Apr 27 | Oct 14 | 171 |
| Oswego | Minetto, Red Creek | Oswego | Apr 22 | Oct 29 | 187 |
| Pawling | — | Carmel 4n | Apr 28 | Oct 16 | 170 |
| Penn Yan | Prattsburgh, Dundee, Keuka Park, Rushville, Lodi, Hammondsport | Penn Yan Ap | Apr 30 | Oct 22 | 173 |
| Perry | Mount Morris, Leicester | Mt Morris 2 W | Apr 30 | Oct 17 | 170 |
| Perrysburg | North Collins | Perrysburg | May 3 | Oct 20 | 168 |
| Pine Plains | Millbrook, Gaylordsville, Amenia, Salt Point, Dover Plains, Wassaic | Millbrook 3 W | May 4 | Oct 7 | 155 |
| Rhinebeck | Staatsburg | Rhinebeck 4se | May 14 | Sep 28 | 134 |
| Rochester | — | Rochester Gtr Intl Ap | Apr 24 | Oct 25 | 181 |
| Rock Hill | — | Rock Hill 3 Sw | May 7 | Oct 7 | 152 |
| Round Top | Woodstock, Palenville, Phoenicia | E Jewett | May 20 | Sep 27 | 129 |
| Rushville | — | Canandaigua 3 S | Apr 29 | Oct 22 | 175 |
| Shokan | Grahamsville, Phoenicia | Slide Mtn | May 6 | Oct 7 | 154 |
| Spencer | Candor | Spencer 1 Ne | May 12 | Oct 3 | 143 |
| Stillwater | Round Lake, Mechanicville | Saratoga Springs 4 Sw | May 2 | Oct 7 | 158 |
| Stone Ridge | Hurley, Shokan, West Hurley, Port Ewen, Staatsburg, Napanoch, +2 more | Mohonk Lake | Apr 21 | Oct 27 | 188 |
| Syracuse | De Witt, North Syracuse, Mattydale, Fayetteville, Lakeland, Westvale, +8 more | Syracuse Hancock Intl Ap | Apr 29 | Oct 19 | 173 |
| Troy | Poestenkill, West Sand Lake, East Greenbush, Cohoes, Wynantskill, Menands, +6 more | Troy L&d | Apr 19 | Oct 26 | 190 |
| Union Springs | Moravia, Trumansburg, Aurora, Interlaken | Aurora Rsch Farm | May 1 | Oct 21 | 172 |
| Warsaw | Attica, Castile, Silver Springs, Wyoming | Warsaw 6 Sw | May 7 | Oct 10 | 156 |
| Wayland | Nunda, Dalton, Woodsville, Hunt | Dansville | May 4 | Oct 16 | 163 |
| Wingdale | Freedom Plains, Pleasant Valley, New Hamburg, Chelsea Cove | Poughkeepsie Dutchess Co Ap | Apr 30 | Oct 14 | 168 |
| Woodstock | West Hurley, Lake Katrine, Ruby, Glasco, Malden-on-Hudson, Barrytown | Platte Clove | May 9 | Oct 4 | 147 |
* Cragsmoor 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 (Cragsmoor, representative)
Computed from Cragsmoor's average frost dates — the median-season location in this New Yorkzone 6a 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 6 – Mar 20 | May 8 – May 15 | Jul 7 – Jul 27 | — | matures comfortably |
| Pepper | Very tender | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | May 15 – May 22 | Jul 14 – Aug 13 | — | matures comfortably |
| Cucumber | Tender | Apr 3 – Apr 10 | May 8 – May 15 | Jun 27 – Jul 17 | — | matures comfortably |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Tender | — | May 8 – May 15 | Jun 22 – Jul 7 | — | matures comfortably |
| Bush bean | Tender | — | May 8 – May 15 | Jun 27 – Jul 7 | Aug 12 – Aug 22 | matures comfortably |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — | May 1 – May 15 | Jun 30 – Jul 30 | — | matures comfortably |
| Basil | Very tender | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 8 – May 15 | Jun 7 – Jun 22 | — | matures comfortably |
| Lettuce | Half-hardy | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | May 18 – Jun 2 | Jul 29 – Aug 13 | matures comfortably |
| Pea | Hardy | — | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 14 – May 29 | Jul 19 – Aug 3 | matures comfortably |
| Spinach | Hardy | — | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Apr 29 – May 9 | Aug 8 – Aug 18 | matures comfortably |
| Carrot | Half-hardy | — | Apr 10 – Apr 17 | Jun 9 – Jun 29 | Jul 9 – Jul 29 | matures comfortably |
| Broccoli | Half-hardy | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | May 28 – Jun 17 | Jul 14 – Aug 3 | matures comfortably |
Which crops fit this growing season
Using Cragsmoor's own 163-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 (Cragsmoor)
From NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals at station USW00004789. 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 13 | May 27 | Oct 1 | Oct 14 | 142 |
| 32°F (freeze) | May 1 | May 17 | Oct 11 | Oct 27 | 163 |
| 28°F | Apr 19 | May 4 | Oct 24 | Nov 8 | 188 |
| 24°F | Apr 6 | Apr 20 | Nov 4 | Nov 20 | 214 |
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 55 locations is 2,534; Cragsmoor's own reading is shown below.
| Model | °F·days | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Base 50°F (warm-season) | 2,726 | standard warm-season base (tomato, corn, beans) |
| Base 40°F (cool-season) | 4,847 | cool-season crops (brassicas, greens) |
Hardiness zone 6a in New York
Zone 6a means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of about −10 to −5 °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, 5b, 6b, 7a, 7b.
Explore zone 6a in other states at zone 6a, or see all USDA hardiness zones.
Frequently asked questions
- What does USDA hardiness zone 6a mean in New York?
- Zone 6a means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of −10 to −5 °F — the standard USDA measure of which perennials survive winter. 55 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 6a is the growing season longest?
- Mayville runs the longest season on this page at about 197 days; Round Top 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 6a?
- Using Cragsmoor's frost dates (this page's median-season location): start seeds indoors about Mar 6 – Mar 20, then transplant outside about May 8 – May 15. 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 6a 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 55 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.