USDA hardiness zone lookup
Waukesha, WI — USDA Zone 5b
Waukesha, Wisconsin · 158-day growing season
Frost dates and growing season in Waukesha
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 5b |
|---|---|
| Average last spring frost | May 4 |
| Average first fall frost | October 9 |
| Growing season length | ~158 days |
| Temperature range (F) | -20 to -10°F |
| Temperature range (C) | -29 to -23°C |
All of Waukesha's mapped ZIP codes fall in the same hardiness band, Zone 5b.
These are 50%-probability averages modeled from Waukesha's USDA hardiness zone and regional climate normals — not a single-station reading. In a typical year the last spring frost will have passed by May 4, but a colder-than-average year can run 1-2 weeks later. Plant tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) once both soil and night temperatures are consistently warm — a thermometer beats the calendar.
Growing season in Waukesha
Waukesha, Wisconsin sits in USDA Zone 5b, with roughly 158 frost-free days between an average last spring frost around May 4 and a first fall frost around October 9. That is a standard temperate season — most common vegetables finish comfortably, and a single main planting plus one succession round works well.
What grows in Waukesha
Waukesha falls in USDA Zone 5b, so the same hardiness constraints apply as the full Zone 5 guide. Vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees rated to Zone 5b (or hardier) will overwinter here in a typical year.
- Tomatoes (full range of varieties)
- Peppers
- Eggplant
- Squash, melons, cucumbers
- Beans (bush + pole)
- Sweet corn
- Apples, pears, plums
- Cherries (sweet + sour)
- Blueberries, raspberries
- Garlic
What to plant in Waukesha this week
Waukesha's last frost is around May 4. This is the spring transplant window — start tomatoes and peppers indoors if you haven't, and direct-sow cold-tolerant crops now.
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 5
- When to plant peppers in zone 5
- When to plant basil in zone 5
- When to plant bush beans in zone 5
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 5
Full planting calendar for Waukesha
Crop-by-crop sowing, transplant, and harvest dates calibrated to zone 5 averages:
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 5
- When to plant peppers in zone 5
- When to plant basil in zone 5
- When to plant garlic in zone 5
- When to plant lettuce in zone 5
- When to plant bush beans in zone 5
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 5
- When to plant summer squash in zone 5
- When to plant peas in zone 5
- When to plant carrots in zone 5
ZIP codes in Waukesha
Drill down to the precise frost window and planting calendar for a specific ZIP in Waukesha:
Local microclimate notes
Zone tables give you the average — but Waukeshagardens vary. South-facing walls and paved areas can run a full half-zone warmer than the published rating. Low-lying spots, frost pockets, and shaded north sides can run colder. If you've gardened here a few seasons, your own frost record — the last time you actually got frost damage — beats any national average.
Source and methodology
Hardiness zone from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 revision). Frost-date and growing-season figures are modeled from Waukesha's USDA hardiness zone and regional NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals — zone-level estimates, not a per-station record, so treat them as planning guidance and confirm against your own local frost history. Crop recommendations draw on US Cooperative Extension references, curated by the Growli editorial team. Last reviewed June 2026.
Other cities in Wisconsin
- Appleton, WI — USDA Zone 5a
- Eau Claire, WI — USDA Zone 4b
- Green Bay, WI — USDA Zone 5a
- Kenosha, WI — USDA Zone 5b
- Madison, WI — USDA Zone 5a
- Milwaukee, WI — USDA Zone 5b
- New Berlin, WI — USDA Zone 5b
- Oshkosh, WI — USDA Zone 5a
- Racine, WI — USDA Zone 5b
- Sheboygan, WI — USDA Zone 5b
- All of Wisconsin by zone