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

Planting zone for Lakeville, MA

Lakeville, MA is in USDA zone 6b across its 2 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 23 and the first fall frost October 21.

Lakeville on the zone map

Outlined: its 1 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 codes2
Last frostApr 23
First frostOct 21
Growing season180 days

6b 2 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Lakeville, MA…

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 Lakeville, MA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 23median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 7only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 21median — 10% chance by Oct 6
Growing season180 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 9 and returns around November 3.

From the NOAA station Rochester, MA, elevation 66 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 Lakeville

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 12 – Mar 26
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 12 – Apr 2
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 2 – Apr 16
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 26 – Apr 9
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 2 – Apr 16
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 26 – Apr 9
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 2 – Apr 16
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 26 – Mar 12
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 30 – May 14
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 12 – Feb 26
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 7 – May 21
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 30 – May 14
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 30 – May 14
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 30 – May 14
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 26 – Sep 9
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 7 – Nov 11
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 23) and first fall frost (Oct 21) 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 02348 came on Apr 2 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Apr 4).

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 Lakeville, MA.

Soil in Lakeville, MA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 02348 is Merrimac — fine sandy loam, somewhat excessively drained.

TextureFine sandy loamdrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH5.1strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat excessively drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter4.12%moderate
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Merrimac fine sandy loam, 3 to 8 percent slopes.

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 02348; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Lakeville, MA

Summer high82 °Faverage high, July
Winter low17 °Faverage low, January
Hot days8days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights139nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,589base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 13 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 08 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation52.4 inper year, rain and melted snow
Snowfall42 inper year

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 38 °F, low 17 °F 38°17° JanFebruary: average high 40 °F, low 19 °F 40°19° FebMarch: average high 46 °F, low 26 °F 46°26° MarApril: average high 57 °F, low 36 °F 57°36° AprMay: average high 67 °F, low 46 °F 67°46° MayJune: average high 76 °F, low 55 °F 76°55° JunJuly: average high 82 °F, low 61 °F 82°61° JulAugust: average high 81 °F, low 60 °F 81°60° AugSeptember: average high 74 °F, low 52 °F 74°52° SepOctober: average high 63 °F, low 41 °F 63°41° OctNovember: average high 52 °F, low 32 °F 52°32° NovDecember: average high 43 °F, low 24 °F 43°24° Dec

Precipitation by month inches · ❄ = snowfall

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 4.44 in precipitation, 13.5 in snowfall 4.4❄14 JanFebruary: 3.76 in precipitation, 13.7 in snowfall 3.8❄14 FebMarch: 5.80 in precipitation, 6.8 in snowfall 5.8❄7 MarApril: 4.83 in precipitation, 1.3 in snowfall 4.8❄1 AprMay: 3.59 in precipitation 3.6 MayJune: 4.06 in precipitation 4.1 JunJuly: 3.33 in precipitation 3.3 JulAugust: 3.77 in precipitation 3.8 AugSeptember: 4.17 in precipitation 4.2 SepOctober: 4.95 in precipitation, 0.1 in snowfall 5.0 OctNovember: 4.43 in precipitation, 0.4 in snowfall 4.4 NovDecember: 5.26 in precipitation, 5.7 in snowfall 5.3❄6 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Middleboro, MA (3 mi away); precipitation: Middleboro, MA (3 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Lakeville

023476b
−5 to 0 °F
023486b
−5 to 0 °F

Massachusetts planting zones →

Questions about Lakeville

What planting zone is Lakeville, MA?

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

When is the last frost in Lakeville, MA?

The median last spring frost is April 23 and the median first fall frost is October 21 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Rochester station).

When can I plant a garden in Lakeville, MA?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Mar 12 – Apr 2; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Apr 30, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Lakeville, MA?

Long-day onions: the longest day is 15 h 13 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

How much rain and snow does Lakeville, MA get?

About 52.4 inches of precipitation a year and 42 inches of snowfall (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).