Onondaga County, in New York, sits in USDA hardiness zone 6a — a zone band wide enough that plant choice, not possibility, is the interesting question.
Growers here do well with apple, grape, garlic, and kale — with the usual caveat that any single yard's soil, sun, and drainage cast the deciding vote.
Grounded in USDA PHZM 2023 · Growable Ground suitability scoring · NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals
Onondaga County holds more than one microclimate.
Soils and elevations shift across Onondaga County, so your frost dates and drainage aren't the county average. Enter your address and we'll score 1,112 plants against your land's actual soil, sun, and frost.
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Quick Facts
USDA Zones
6a
Last Hard Freeze (28°F)
Apr 11
County normal — light frosts run a few weeks later
First Hard Freeze (28°F)
Nov 15
County normal — light frosts arrive a few weeks earlier
County Area
498K acres
Hardiness Zone Range
Zone maps are averages across Onondaga County. Your yard's slope, trees, and frost pockets shift what actually grows — see your land's exact reading.
Soil in Onondaga County
Across Onondaga County, the ground is predominantly Alfisols, where Honeoye, Lansing, and Ontario are the most extensive named soil series. The soil is generally well drained with a silt loam surface. Topsoil pH runs about 6.1–6.5, slightly acidic. Rainfall drains through hydrologic group B soils.
Soil order
Alfisols
Drainage
Well drained
Prime farmland
37%
Hydric soils
9%
Soil still varies lot by lot — soil types explained.
What Grows in Onondaga County
Plants matched to Onondaga County's USDA zones 6a — each links to its full growing profile.
Is it too late to plant in Onondaga County?
Too late for some crops, right on time for others — a growing season is a sequence, not a deadline. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 14; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 11 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 15 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. A long window like this one runs successions deep into fall — and even its last weeks take quick greens and garlic.
Growing Challenges in New York
What an experienced grower plans around here — each one has a move.
Short upstate growing season (100-140 frost-free days in Adirondacks)
Fast varieties plus season extension: a low tunnel or cold frame reliably buys back the missing weeks.
Heavy clay soils in western NY require drainage improvement
A raised bed solves the drainage the first season; long-term, steady compost works that clay into excellent loam.
Late spring frosts through May in higher elevations
Plant to your elevation's real frost dates, not the valley's — two weeks of patience saves a full replanting.
Deer browse pressure is heavy in suburban and rural areas
Fencing is the control that works; behind it, aromatic herbs, ferns, and daffodils are the plants deer tend to pass by.
For cultivar selection, pest pressure, and planting-time guidance specific to New York, the Cornell Cooperative Extension is the authoritative local source.
Safe to Grow Here?
What the federal record shows across Onondaga County — and how to grow with it.
We checked the federal record across Onondaga County — 2,393 documented sites across 7 of the 9 source types we track.
The most significant on record: 14 Superfund sites. Sites tracked in EPA's Superfund program — from assessment-stage CERCLIS entries to confirmed National Priorities List cleanup sites.
Onondaga County carries one of the heavier federal records we track — and that's not a verdict on your yard. Proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis: nothing here says any particular parcel is affected. It does earn one concrete step — before food beds go in the ground, a professional soil test tells you exactly what you're working with, and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well almost anywhere in the meantime.
Sources: EPA, USGS — 1.8M documented sites tracked nationwide across 9 federal source types.
Environmental Intelligence
Understanding what's nearby helps you make informed decisions about where and how to grow.
Sources Checked
across Onondaga County
Severity Distribution
across Onondaga County
Highest-Severity Sites
A note from Gnorman
What an experienced grower watches for around here
In and around Onondaga County, CAFO runs higher than the national average — 39 sites nearby. It's not cause for alarm — it's worth knowing, and there's a sensible way to grow around it.
CAFO: CAFOs pose a different contamination profile than chemical sources.
Wash all produce consumed raw thoroughly, especially leafy greens grown near CAFOs.
Check your specific parcel in Onondaga County
Get exact proximity distances to contamination sources for your specific parcel — plus soil, sun, drainage, and 1,112 plant recommendations.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
Your Specific Parcel Matters
Onondaga County Average
- ●USDA Zones 6a
- ●Generic soil type for the area
- ●State-average frost dates
YOUR Parcel
- ✓Your exact hardiness zone
- ✓Your SSURGO soil type & pH
- ✓Your sun exposure, cast in 3D
See MY Growing Report
Read your parcel in Onondaga County
Pull a site-specific report for your exact address in Onondaga County, New York — soil, sun, drainage, frost risk, and scored plant recommendations.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
Key Growing Facts for Onondaga County, New York
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 6a (USDA PHZM 2023)
- Last Hard Freeze (28°F): Apr 11 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can follow for a few weeks)
- First Hard Freeze (28°F): Nov 15 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals — light frosts can arrive a few weeks earlier)
- Days Between Hard Freezes: ~218 (county normal, NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals)
- County Land Area: 498K acres (US Census TIGER 2025)
Zone data: USDA ARS Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Climate data: NOAA NCEI. County boundaries: US Census TIGER/Line 2025.
Frost dates here are the Onondaga County average. Low spots and tree cover move them by days on any one yard — see your exact frost windows.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zone is Onondaga County, New York?
Onondaga County sits in USDA hardiness zone 6a, per the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023. Zones reflect average annual extreme minimum temperatures from 1991–2020 weather data.
Is it too late to plant in Onondaga County?
Too late for some crops, right on time for others — a growing season is a sequence, not a deadline. Cool-season crops can go in from around Mar 14; tender transplants wait until two to three weeks after the last 28°F hard freeze, which lands near Apr 11 (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and from midsummer, planting counts back from the first fall freeze around Nov 15 — long-season crops need about 90 days of runway, quick greens only 30. A long window like this one runs successions deep into fall — and even its last weeks take quick greens and garlic.
When does frost risk typically end in Onondaga County?
The last hard freeze (28°F) in Onondaga County typically lands around Apr 11, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals — an earlier marker than the light-frost dates many planting charts quote. That marks the hard freeze, not the last light frost — light frosts can still bite for a few more weeks, so tender transplants usually wait another 2–3 weeks.
How long is the growing season in Onondaga County?
Measured between 28°F hard freezes, Onondaga County sees about 218 frost-free days — roughly Apr 11 through Nov 15, per NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. Tender crops get a somewhat shorter practical window, since lighter frosts reach a few weeks past the hard-freeze dates on both ends.
What vegetables grow in Onondaga County?
Onondaga County's zone 6a supports a wide range — strong performers include Apple, Grape, Garlic, Kale, and Sugar Maple. What actually takes on any one site comes down to its soil, sun, and drainage, and we score each plant against the real conditions at your address.
Which hardiness zone is Onondaga County, really?
Officially, Onondaga County sits in USDA zone 6a (USDA PHZM 2023) — but a zone is a 30-year average of winter's coldest night across an area, and it can't see any one yard. A south-facing slope, a tree line, or a low frost pocket can shift a single site by half a zone either way, which is why neighboring gardeners often quote different numbers. We read the conditions at your exact address — soil, sun, slope, and frost — and score 1,112 plants against what's actually there.
Is the soil safe to grow vegetables in Onondaga County?
The federal record around Onondaga County runs heavier than most — 2,393 documented sites — so test the soil before planting food in the ground, and raised beds with clean imported soil grow well in the meantime. Even here, proximity to a documented site is information, not a diagnosis of any one yard; the contamination map shows exactly what's recorded and where.
Just moved to Onondaga County — what should I know before planting?
Start with three facts. Onondaga County sits in USDA zone 6a, which sets what survives winter; the last 28°F hard freeze typically clears around Apr 11, with about 218 frost-free days to work with (NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals); and 2,393 documented sites sit on the federal record here, so a soil test before food beds is the smart first step. From there, matching plants to your actual soil and sun is the fun part.
Everything on this page is a Onondaga County average. Your yard writes its own version — we read soil, sun, drainage, and frost at your exact address. Try it for 14 days — no card required.
Will It Grow Here?
Zone fit is the first question — each answer below reads New York's frost window, season length, and soil profile against the plant's real requirements.