USDA zone 6b in New York
USDA plant hardiness zone 6b covers 31 locations across New York (average annual extreme minimum −5 to 0 °F): Aurora, NY, Bergen, NY, Brockport, NY, Buffalo, NY, Canandaigua, NY, Cayuga, NY, and 25 more. Average last spring frost across this group ranges April 10 (Tuxedo) to May 9 (Mountain Dale), and growing seasons run 149–204 days (Mountain Dale to Tuxedo) — 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 Jefferson Valley-Yorktown, this group's median-season location.
- USDA zone
- 6b−5 to 0 °F
- Last frost range
- Apr 10–May 9avg, 32°F
- First frost range
- Oct 5–Nov 5avg, 32°F
- Growing season range
- 149–204days
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora | Romulus, Ovid | Aurora Rsch Farm | May 1 | Oct 21 | 172 |
| Bergen | — | Batavia | May 3 | Oct 16 | 165 |
| Brockport | — | Brockport | Apr 24 | Oct 30 | 187 |
| Buffalo | Cheektowaga, West Seneca, Tonawanda, Lackawanna, Harris Hill, Eggertsville, +5 more | Buffalo | Apr 24 | Oct 26 | 183 |
| Canandaigua | Victor, Manchester | Canandaigua 3 S | Apr 29 | Oct 22 | 175 |
| Cayuga | — | Auburn | May 2 | Oct 18 | 166 |
| Clintondale | Kerhonkson, Hurley, Gardiner, Accord, Tillson, Port Ewen, +4 more | Mohonk Lake | Apr 21 | Oct 27 | 188 |
| Dundee | Hall, Ovid, Dresden | Penn Yan Ap | Apr 30 | Oct 22 | 173 |
| Fair Haven | — | Oswego | Apr 22 | Oct 29 | 187 |
| Fredonia | Brocton, Angola, Farnham, Silver Creek, Forestville | Fredonia | Apr 25 | Nov 1 | 185 |
| Gardnertown | Walden | Walden 1 Ese | Apr 29 | Oct 11 | 164 |
| Gasport | Barker | Lockport 4e | Apr 26 | Oct 26 | 182 |
| Hamlin | Medina, Albion, Holley, Lyndonville, Middleport, Barker | Albion | May 1 | Oct 20 | 170 |
| Highland-on-the-Lake | Wanakah | Colden 1w | May 4 | Oct 17 | 166 |
| Jefferson Valley-Yorktown * | Mahopac, Lake Mohegan, West Mountain, Heritage Hills, Shrub Oak, Lincolndale, +2 more | Yorktown Hts 1w | Apr 25 | Oct 19 | 174 |
| Kysorville | — | Dansville Muni Ap | May 1 | Oct 19 | 170 |
| Lake Carmel | Putnam Lake, Gaylordsville | Carmel 4n | Apr 28 | Oct 16 | 170 |
| Middletown | Washington Heights, Wurtsboro | Middletown 2 Nw | Apr 21 | Oct 22 | 182 |
| Mountain Dale | — | Liberty 1 Ne | May 9 | Oct 5 | 149 |
| Mountain Dale | Scotchtown, Cragsmoor, Goshen, Walker Valley, Wallkill, Washingtonville, +7 more | Montgomery Orange Ap | May 1 | Oct 11 | 163 |
| Myers Corner | Highland, Poughkeepsie, Marlboro, Beacon, Milton, Fishkill, +3 more | Poughkeepsie Dutchess Co Ap | Apr 30 | Oct 14 | 168 |
| Newark | Lyons, Ontario, Williamson, Gananda, Marion, Wolcott, +5 more | Sodus 1w | May 6 | Oct 10 | 158 |
| Ransomville | Olcott, Youngstown, Wilson | Youngstown 2 E | Apr 29 | Oct 28 | 181 |
| Rochester | Brighton, Irondequoit, Greece, North Gates, Webster, Rochester Institute of Technology, +10 more | Rochester Gtr Intl Ap | Apr 24 | Oct 25 | 181 |
| Rock Hill | Pocono Woodland Lakes, Sparrow Bush, Port Jervis, Otisville, Matamoras, Unionville | Port Jervis | May 5 | Oct 10 | 158 |
| Scotts Corners | — | Stamford 5 N | Apr 17 | Oct 23 | 188 |
| Seneca Falls | Geneva, Waterloo, Clifton Springs, Port Gibson, Phelps | Geneva Rsch Farm | Apr 30 | Oct 21 | 173 |
| Shorehaven | — | Stormville | Apr 21 | Oct 25 | 185 |
| Tonawanda | Niagara Falls, North Tonawanda, Lockport, Newfane, Sanborn, Grandyle, +2 more | Niagara Falls | Apr 26 | Oct 25 | 179 |
| Tuxedo | Woodbury, Stony Point, Beacon, Monroe, Firthcliffe, Lake Mohegan, +8 more | West Point | Apr 10 | Nov 1 | 204 |
| Westfield | — | Westfield 2 Sse | Apr 21 | Nov 5 | 197 |
* Jefferson Valley-Yorktown 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 (Jefferson Valley-Yorktown, representative)
Computed from Jefferson Valley-Yorktown's average frost dates — the median-season location in this New Yorkzone 6b 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 | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | May 2 – May 9 | Jul 1 – Jul 21 | — | matures comfortably |
| Pepper | Very tender | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | May 9 – May 16 | Jul 8 – Aug 7 | — | matures comfortably |
| Cucumber | Tender | Mar 28 – Apr 4 | May 2 – May 9 | Jun 21 – Jul 11 | — | matures comfortably |
| Summer squash / zucchini | Tender | — | May 2 – May 9 | Jun 16 – Jul 1 | — | matures comfortably |
| Bush bean | Tender | — | May 2 – May 9 | Jun 21 – Jul 1 | Aug 20 – Aug 30 | matures comfortably |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — | Apr 25 – May 9 | Jun 24 – Jul 24 | — | matures comfortably |
| Basil | Very tender | Mar 14 – Mar 28 | May 2 – May 9 | Jun 1 – Jun 16 | — | matures comfortably |
| Lettuce | Half-hardy | Mar 14 – Mar 28 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | May 12 – May 27 | Aug 6 – Aug 21 | matures comfortably |
| Pea | Hardy | — | Mar 14 – Mar 28 | May 8 – May 23 | Jul 27 – Aug 11 | matures comfortably |
| Spinach | Hardy | — | Mar 14 – Mar 28 | Apr 23 – May 3 | Aug 16 – Aug 26 | matures comfortably |
| Carrot | Half-hardy | — | Apr 4 – Apr 11 | Jun 3 – Jun 23 | Jul 17 – Aug 6 | matures comfortably |
| Broccoli | Half-hardy | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | May 22 – Jun 11 | Jul 22 – Aug 11 | matures comfortably |
Which crops fit this growing season
Using Jefferson Valley-Yorktown's own 174-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 (Jefferson Valley-Yorktown)
From NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals at station USC00309670. 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 7 | May 21 | Oct 7 | Oct 22 | 152 |
| 32°F (freeze) | Apr 25 | May 8 | Oct 19 | Nov 3 | 174 |
| 28°F | Apr 13 | Apr 26 | Nov 1 | Nov 14 | 198 |
| 24°F | Apr 4 | Apr 15 | Nov 12 | Nov 29 | 222 |
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 31 locations is 2,726; Jefferson Valley-Yorktown's own reading is shown below.
| Model | °F·days | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Base 50°F (warm-season) | 2,692 | standard warm-season base (tomato, corn, beans) |
| Base 40°F (cool-season) | 4,838 | cool-season crops (brassicas, greens) |
Hardiness zone 6b in New York
Zone 6b means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of about −5 to 0 °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, 6a, 7a, 7b.
Explore zone 6b in other states at zone 6b, or see all USDA hardiness zones.
Frequently asked questions
- What does USDA hardiness zone 6b mean in New York?
- Zone 6b means an average annual extreme minimum winter temperature of −5 to 0 °F — the standard USDA measure of which perennials survive winter. 31 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 6b is the growing season longest?
- Tuxedo runs the longest season on this page at about 204 days; Mountain Dale is shortest at about 149 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 6b?
- Using Jefferson Valley-Yorktown's frost dates (this page's median-season location): start seeds indoors about Feb 28 – Mar 14, then transplant outside about May 2 – May 9. 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 6b 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 31 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.