Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Inspiration

Do you live in Climate Zone 6? How to tell if your plants will last

Stacey Nguyen
By

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or have the beginnings of a green thumb, you’ve probably heard at least a little bit of talk about climate zones. You’ve probably even done enough research to figure out you’re in Climate Zone 6. But what exactly does this mean for you and your garden? There’s so much literature on the subject that it can be a little confusing, but don’t worry — we’ve put together a simple primer to help you determine if your plants will last.

Winter squash plants

What you need to know 

First, let’s define what a climate zone actually is. Around the 1960s, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed the Plant Hardiness Zone Map, which divided the country into zones based on average annual low temperatures. Zones aren’t definitive, but they give us a good idea of which plants are considered perennials in a defined region. 

Running roughly across the middle of the United States in an arc shape, Zone 6 also falls in the middle of the road in terms of climate conditions and length of growing season. Generally speaking, this region has true winters and summers, although microclimates may vary among different areas. Since Zone 6 sits roughly in the center of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, it’s hospitable to many plant species.

Zone 6 features cold winters, warm summers, and a medium growing season, making it a friendly environment for many vegetables, trees and flowers. The last frost usually ends around mid-April, and the first frost typically begins in mid-October. These average dates give you an idea of when it will be warm enough for you to grow healthy vegetables and flowers. While they’re not set in stone, they’ll help you plan your planting calendar throughout the spring and summer. 

Peach plant
Ian Baldwin/Unsplash

Trees

Zone 6 isn’t as cold as other zones on the map, but the winters do get moderately chilly. The good news is that many types of trees can tolerate the winters. If you’re into deciduous trees that transform along with the seasons, consider adding elegance and color to your landscape with a bright red Japanese maple, which can handle full sun and partial shade. Interested in an evergreen? Check out the dwarf blue spruce tree, which will push out new vibrant blue foliage in the spring.

Fruit trees can also be great fixtures in a Zone 6 garden if you want to grow edible plants in addition to enjoying beautiful foliage and flowers. Plum, peach, and cherry trees do well in this region. This zone is also a welcome environment for frost-tolerant nut trees such as walnut, pecan, and chestnut. 

Delphinium flowers

Flowers and trees

Zone 6 is home to many vibrant and showy flowers that add a pop of color to any garden. Attract hummingbirds and butterflies with fragrant red, pink, purple, and white bee balm blooms. These can be planted in the spring to enjoy full sunshine come summer. For a splash of cool purples and blues, add fragrant delphiniums, which boast showy spikes of flowers perfect for cottage-style gardens. Consider adding low-maintenance hostas that showcase large green leaves and lovely white blooms over the summer. 

Starting seeds

Keep in mind that Zone 6 does experience true winters, even if they’re not as cold as Zone 1 (which encompasses Alaska). With summer-blooming flowers, wait for the soil to warm up before you place bulbs in the ground — this may mean a few weeks after spring officially begins. Otherwise, the bulbs may rot before they get a chance to sprout. Lily of the valley, lily, and iris bulbs will do well in Zone 6. 

In Zone 6, you can start seeds in March or April and then transplant them outside in April or May. Because Zone 6 has a medium growing season, you might be able to squeeze in a second harvest if you start your veggie seeds in mid-July or early August. Consider using a gardening schedule to keep track of all the vegetables you want to grow.

With these tips in mind, consider your environment as you select Zone 6 plants for your garden. You only need to do a little planning before you’ll be able to curate a lovely and healthy garden throughout the year!

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Trying to beat the cold? Here are our favorite frost-resistant plants for any climate
Here's how to protect your plants from the cold this winter
Cayla Leonard
By Cayla Leonard
December 7, 2022
Three types of heuchera growing outdoors

You spent all spring and summer tending to your garden. Now the weather is turning colder and the first heavy frosts are here. How can you help your flowers survive the winter? Keep reading to find out what plants can resist the cold and if and how to protect your plants from the freezing weather.

Which plants can survive a frost?
Evergreens are known for their ability to survive winter, but they aren’t the only cold-tolerant, frost-resistant plants out there! Leafy vegetables like cabbage, lettuce, kale, collards, and chard can tolerate some frost. Early spring blooming flowers like crocus, snowdrop, and primrose can all survive the winter, and pansies are especially resilient. Violas, hostas, heuchera, irises, lily of the valley, cyclamen, and phlox also tolerate frost and provide some visual interest, as do catmint, baptista, sedum, and peonies.

Read more
7 easy patio plants that will thrive into the cold winter months
Try out these no-fuss plants to add some life to your porch this winter
Kiera Baron
By Kiera Baron
November 22, 2022
Wintergreen basket

When it comes to easy patio plants, there are a few questions you need to answer first. What plants do you like to grow? How much space do they need? Can you keep them outdoors during winter, or do they need to be brought inside? If you don’t have much indoor space but want to make year-round use of your patio, here are some winter plants you can grow that will fare just fine in colder climates and provide some much-needed greenery to your outdoor space.

It’s important to remember that just because a plant exists doesn’t mean it’s suitable for a container. (Try to imagine that large oak tree in your yard growing from a pot — impossible, right?) The ones that will thrive in container gardens, whether indoors or on a patio, have shallow root systems and small mature sizes, or they can be kept small with pruning and trimming. Let’s look at some of our favorites to add some color and life to your porch or patio this cold season.

Read more
Focus on color: Red plants that will bring a festive vibe to any home or garden
Plants that feature joyful red foliage and flowers
Stacey Nguyen
By Stacey Nguyen
November 21, 2022
Cyclamen

During the transitional period between fall and winter, there’s nothing like a vibrant red plant to infuse your garden with festive cheer. As the weather becomes grayer, brighten up your landscape with a splash of scarlet or burgundy. There are plenty of plants with delicate red blooms as well as those with striking red foliage. From the low-maintenance burning bush to the ubiquitous poinsettia, here are seven festive red plants to grow for the holiday season.

Cyclamen
Cyclamens often hit your local garden centers during the holiday season. This delicate tuberous plant features marbled or matte green leaves with butterfly-shaped white, purple, pink, or of course, red flowers. It blooms during the fall and winter, then goes through dormancy in the summer, during which its foliage dies down. It's hardy down to 23 degrees Fahrenheit, but it does best around 50 to 65 degrees — consider bringing it indoors during the winter. With this plant, you’ll want to provide adequate bright indirect light for blooms. It also appreciates being watered deeply once its soil dries out, but be careful with overwatering during winter.

Read more