Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for Brockton, MA

Brockton, MA is in USDA zone 6b across its 5 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 22 and the first fall frost October 19.

Brockton on the zone map

Outlined: its 2 ZIP code areas · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone6b−5 to 0 °F
ZIP codes5
Last frostApr 22
First frostOct 19
Growing season178 days

6b 5 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

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Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates in Brockton, MA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 22median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 5only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 19median — 10% chance by Oct 5
Growing season178 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 6 and returns around October 31.

From the NOAA station Brockton, MA, elevation 75 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in Brockton

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 11 – Mar 25
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 11 – Apr 1
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 11 – Feb 25
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 1 – Apr 15
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 25 – Apr 8
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 1 – Apr 15
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 25 – Apr 8
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 1 – Apr 15
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 25 – Mar 11
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 29 – May 13
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 11 – Feb 25
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 6 – May 20
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 29 – May 13
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 29 – May 13
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 29 – May 13
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 24 – Sep 7
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 5 – Nov 9
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 22) and first fall frost (Oct 19) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 02303 came on Apr 3 — 3 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 6).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Native plants for zone 6b in Massachusetts

548 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Massachusetts, and rated by the USDA to survive −5 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 6b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 66

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican beech80 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −44 °FAmerican chestnut115 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican sycamore100 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −34 °Farborvitae50 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Shrubs 109

alderleaf buckthorn3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAllegheny serviceberry35 ft · blooms early spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °FAmerican black currant3 ft · blooms early spring · to −46 °FAmerican hazelnut10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican holly40 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −20 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 188

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican licorice4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Grasses 159

American beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °FAmerican cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °Farctic brome3 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAtlantic mannagrass3 ft · blooms summer · low shade tolerance · to −8 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FBailey's sedge2.1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Vines 8

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fsummer grape30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °Ftrumpet creeper2 ft · blooms summer · high shade tolerance · to −13 °F

Source: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov), National Plant Data Team — state distribution, native status and the “Temperature, Minimum” characteristic. Check light, moisture and soil needs before buying; local nurseries and your state native plant society can confirm what thrives in Brockton, MA.

Soil in Brockton, MA

The center of ZIP 02303 is mapped as Urban land, till substratum, 0 to 8 percent slopes: built-over ground without natural soil data. Garden soil here is usually imported or disturbed — test before you plant.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 02303; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Brockton, MA

Summer high84 °Faverage high, July
Winter low21 °Faverage low, January
Hot days15days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights129nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,982base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 15 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 06 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation50.2 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall34 inper year; 30 days with snow on the ground

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 39 °F, low 21 °F 39°21° JanFebruary: average high 41 °F, low 22 °F 41°22° FebMarch: average high 48 °F, low 29 °F 48°29° MarApril: average high 59 °F, low 38 °F 59°38° AprMay: average high 70 °F, low 47 °F 70°47° MayJune: average high 78 °F, low 57 °F 78°57° JunJuly: average high 84 °F, low 63 °F 84°63° JulAugust: average high 83 °F, low 62 °F 83°62° AugSeptember: average high 75 °F, low 54 °F 75°54° SepOctober: average high 64 °F, low 43 °F 64°43° OctNovember: average high 54 °F, low 34 °F 54°34° NovDecember: average high 44 °F, low 26 °F 44°26° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 4.02 in precipitation, 9.1 in snowfall 4.0❄9 JanFebruary: 3.62 in precipitation, 12.8 in snowfall 3.6❄13 FebMarch: 5.23 in precipitation, 6.9 in snowfall 5.2❄7 MarApril: 4.53 in precipitation, 0.7 in snowfall 4.5❄1 AprMay: 3.44 in precipitation 3.4 MayJune: 4.13 in precipitation 4.1 JunJuly: 3.17 in precipitation 3.2 JulAugust: 3.60 in precipitation 3.6 AugSeptember: 4.08 in precipitation 4.1 SepOctober: 4.96 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 5.0 OctNovember: 4.39 in precipitation, 0.2 in snowfall 4.4 NovDecember: 5.06 in precipitation, 4.5 in snowfall 5.1❄5 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Brockton, MA (2 mi away); precipitation: Brockton, MA (2 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Brockton

023016b
−5 to 0 °F
023026b
−5 to 0 °F
023036b
−5 to 0 °F
023046b
−5 to 0 °F
023056b
−5 to 0 °F

Massachusetts planting zones →

Questions about Brockton

What planting zone is Brockton, MA?

Brockton, MA is in USDA hardiness zone 6b on the 2023 map (6b: −5 to 0 °F).

When is the last frost in Brockton, MA?

The median last spring frost is April 22 and the median first fall frost is October 19 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Brockton station).

When can I plant a garden in Brockton, MA?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Mar 11 – Apr 1; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Apr 29, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Brockton, MA?

Long-day onions: the longest day is 15 h 15 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

How much rain and snow does Brockton, MA get?

About 50.2 inches of precipitation a year and 34 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).