Your planting zone is the single most useful number in gardening. It tells you which plants survive your winter, when your frosts arrive, and what you can safely put in the ground this week. Enter your ZIP code below to find your USDA hardiness zone, your average frost dates, and what to plant right now. Updated for the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
What planting zone am I in?
Enter your ZIP code to see your USDA hardiness zone, your typical frost dates, and what grows well where you live.
Zone data: 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map data, published by the PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University. Your zone is based on the coldest winter night in an average year. Frost dates shown are typical for your zone and can vary by 2 to 3 weeks with elevation and local conditions.
What to plant this month
Pick your zone and month to see what to start indoors, sow outside, and plant out right now.
Your seed starting calendar
Choose what you want to grow. We will count back from your frost dates and map out the whole year.
Companion planting checker
Pick the plants going in the same bed. We will show which ones help each other and which to keep apart.
Raised bed soil calculator
Enter your bed size to see exactly how much soil to buy, in bags or by the yard.
Find the right plants for your yard
Answer six quick questions and get a plant list matched to your zone, your light, and what you want from your garden.
How to find your planting zone
Type your five-digit ZIP code into the box above and tap Find my zone. You will see three things right away: your hardiness zone, the coldest winter temperature your area averages, and your typical first and last frost dates.
Your zone is saved on your device after that. Every planting guide on Gardening Dream can then show dates for where you actually live instead of generic advice written for someone two states away.
What is a USDA planting zone?
A planting zone, also called a hardiness zone or growing zone, is a number from 1 to 13 that describes how cold your winter gets in an average year. The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map divides the country into these zones using the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature, which is a long way of saying the coldest night you can usually expect.
Each zone covers a 10°F range. Each one is then split into an “a” half and a “b” half that are 5°F apart, which is why you see zones written as 6a, 7b, or 8a. The lower the number, the colder the winter.
Zones answer one specific question: will this plant survive the winter here? That is why the tag on a hydrangea, a rose bush, or a fruit tree always lists a zone range. If your zone falls inside that range, the plant can live outdoors year after year. If it does not, the plant will likely die in your first hard freeze.
Planting zone temperature chart
Here is what each zone means in plain temperatures, along with the parts of the country where you will generally find it.
| Zone | Average coldest winter night | Where you will generally find it |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | -60 to -50°F | Interior Alaska |
| Zone 2 | -50 to -40°F | Much of Alaska |
| Zone 3 | -40 to -30°F | Northern Minnesota, North Dakota, northern Maine |
| Zone 4 | -30 to -20°F | Upper Midwest, Montana, northern New England |
| Zone 5 | -20 to -10°F | Iowa, Nebraska, southern New England, parts of the Rockies |
| Zone 6 | -10 to 0°F | Ohio Valley, Missouri, Kansas, mid-Atlantic interior |
| Zone 7 | 0 to 10°F | Virginia, Tennessee, Oklahoma, lower Pacific Northwest |
| Zone 8 | 10 to 20°F | Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, much of Texas, Oregon coast |
| Zone 9 | 20 to 30°F | North Florida, the Gulf Coast, central California |
| Zone 10 | 30 to 40°F | South Florida, coastal Southern California |
| Zone 11 | 40 to 50°F | The Florida Keys, Hawaii, Puerto Rico |
| Zone 12 | 50 to 60°F | Hawaii, tropical territories |
| Zone 13 | 60 to 70°F | Puerto Rico, tropical territories |
Half zones split each range further. Zone 7a averages 0 to 5°F, and Zone 7b averages 5 to 10°F.
Did planting zones change in 2023?
Yes. The USDA and Oregon State University’s PRISM Climate Group released a new map in November 2023, the first update since 2012. It uses weather data from 1991 to 2020 and readings from 13,412 weather stations, up from 7,983 for the previous map.
About half the country moved into the next warmer half zone. The other half stayed where it was. So if an old plant tag, a gardening book, or a map printed before 2023 puts you in a different zone, go with the newer number. The 2023 map is the current standard, and it is the data this tool uses.
One caution: a warmer zone number does not mean a late freeze can never happen. It shifts the averages, not the worst case. If you are planting something expensive or slow-growing, it is still smart to choose a plant rated one zone colder than yours.
Planting zones vs. frost dates: what each one is for
These two get mixed up constantly, and the difference decides what you plant and when.
- Your zone tells you what survives winter. Use it for perennials, shrubs, trees, and bulbs. Anything you expect to come back next year.
- Your frost dates tell you when to plant. Use them for vegetables and annual flowers. Tomatoes, peppers, beans, zinnias, and basil all die at the first freeze no matter what zone you are in, so their timing runs off your last spring frost and first fall frost.
That is why the tool shows you both. The frost dates above are typical for your zone. Elevation, nearby lakes, and city heat can shift them by two to three weeks in either direction, so check your local forecast before setting out tender plants.
What your zone means for your growing season
- Zones 3 to 5: A short, intense season. Start warm-season crops indoors under lights and pick quick-maturing varieties. Your window between frosts may be only 90 to 120 days.
- Zones 6 and 7: A long, reliable season with room for a spring crop, a summer crop, and a fall crop. Most gardening advice you read online is written for these zones.
- Zones 8 and 9: Two real growing seasons. Summer heat shuts down lettuce and broccoli, so fall becomes your best season for greens, and many perennials need afternoon shade.
- Zones 10 and up: Frost is rare and heat is the limit. Your cool-season crops grow through fall and winter, and summer is the season to rest beds or grow heat-lovers like okra and sweet potatoes.
Can you grow plants outside your zone?
Often, yes, with a plan. Annual vegetables and flowers grow almost anywhere because they finish their whole life in one season and never face winter. The zone rating only limits perennials.
For a perennial rated one zone warmer than yours, you have three good options. Grow it in a container you can move into a garage or indoors. Plant it in a sheltered microclimate, such as against a south-facing wall or near pavement that holds heat. Or mulch it heavily in late fall to protect the roots.
Frequently asked questions about planting zones
What planting zone am I in?
Enter your ZIP code in the tool at the top of this page. It returns the zone assigned to your ZIP code in the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, along with your frost dates and growing season length.
Is my entire ZIP code in the same zone?
Usually, but not always. Large rural ZIP codes, hilltops, and valley bottoms can run a half zone warmer or colder than the number shown. Cold air settles in low spots, so a valley garden may freeze earlier than a neighbor’s on the ridge.
What is the difference between a hardiness zone and a growing zone?
They are two names for the same thing. “Planting zone,” “growing zone,” “hardiness zone,” and “USDA zone” all refer to the same number from the USDA map.
Does my zone tell me when to plant tomatoes?
Indirectly. Your zone sets your frost dates, and your frost dates set your tomato timing. As a rule, start tomato seeds indoors about six to eight weeks before your last spring frost and set plants outside one to two weeks after it. The seed calendar tab above does this math for your zone automatically.
I live outside the US. Can I still use this?
Yes. Choose your zone from the dropdown next to the ZIP box. Canada, the UK, Australia, and many other countries publish maps using the same USDA zone numbers, so search for your country’s hardiness zone map to find yours, then come back and select it.
Where does this zone data come from?
From the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map data published by the PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University, the same source behind the official USDA map. Frost dates are typical values for each zone and are meant as planning estimates, not forecasts.
Plan the rest of your garden
Now that you know your zone, use it. The tabs at the top of this page show you what to plant this month in your zone, build a full-year seed starting calendar, check which plants belong side by side with the companion planting checker, work out how much soil your raised beds need, and match plants to your light and space with the garden quiz.