Zone 5b

Average Low Winter Temperature

-15 to -10 Degrees F

Last Frost: Between April 15th and May 1st

First Frost: Between Oct 15th and Oct 31st

Zone 5b has a cool climate with cold winters and warm summers. A wide variety of plants can be grown in this zone, but it is important to select species, varieties or cultivars that are adapted to the zone.

Start With a Soil Test:

This determines your specific plant nutrient and fertilizer needs.
Provides sustainable organic product recommendations for the healthiest plants possible.

How to Grow In My Zone

Purchase A Soil Test Kit

Growing Considerations:

Be on the watch for winter freezes and spring frosts in this zone
- Consider the use of mulches, cold frames, hoophouses, or row covers to protect from the cold
- Keep traffic on turfgrass at a minimum on frosty mornings to avoid damage
Highly variable soils that include rocky, sandy, and high clay soils.
- Add organic matter and amend the soil specific to your site with the recommended fertilizers and amendments.
Consider starting garden plants indoors
Consider the use of pre-emergent crabgrass herbicides in the lawn when soil temperatures reach 50 degrees Fahrenheit.