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

Planting zone for 01262 — Stockbridge, MA

ZIP code 01262 (Stockbridge, Berkshire County) is in USDA zone 5b: the coldest winter night averages −15 to −10 °F. The median last spring frost is May 7 and the first fall frost October 3.

Where ZIP 01262 is

Outlined: the ZIP code area · 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.

Zone5b−15 to −10 °F
Coldest night−26.1 to −23.3 °C
Last frostMay 7
First frostOct 3
2012 zone5b

Same zone as on the 2012 map. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 5b means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Stockbridge, 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 Stockbridge, MA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostMay 7median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 21only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 3median — 10% chance by Sep 21
Growing season147 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 27 and returns around October 15.

From the NOAA station Lenox Dale, MA — 4 miles away, elevation 1,004 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 01262

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 26 – Apr 9
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 26 – Apr 16
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 26 – Mar 12
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Apr 16 – Apr 30
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Apr 16 – Apr 30
LettuceSow outdoors · Apr 9 – Apr 23
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Apr 16 – Apr 30
TomatoesStart indoors · Mar 12 – Mar 26
TomatoesTransplant · May 14 – May 28
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 26 – Mar 12
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 21 – Jun 4
BeansSow outdoors · May 14 – May 28
Sweet cornSow outdoors · May 14 – May 28
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · May 14 – May 28
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Aug 8 – Aug 22
GarlicPlant cloves · Sep 19 – Oct 24
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (May 7) and first fall frost (Oct 3) 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 01262 came on Apr 12 — 3 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 15).

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 5b in Massachusetts

527 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Massachusetts, and rated by the USDA to survive −15 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 5b. 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 104

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 181

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 154

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 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FBailey's sedge2.1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °Fbeaked spikerush3 ft · blooms late spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °F

Vines 7

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 honeysuckle16 ft · blooms late summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °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 Stockbridge, MA.

Soil in Stockbridge, MA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 01262 is Kendaia — silt loam, poorly drained.

TextureSilt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH6.5neutral; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainagePoorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter6.5%high
Hydrologic groupC/Dslow when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Kendaia silt 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 01262; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Stockbridge, MA

Summer high82 °Faverage high, July
Winter low13 °Faverage low, January
Hot days8days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights166nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,253base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 17 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 05 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation49.1 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 32 °F, low 13 °F 32°13° JanFebruary: average high 35 °F, low 14 °F 35°14° FebMarch: average high 43 °F, low 21 °F 43°21° MarApril: average high 56 °F, low 32 °F 56°32° AprMay: average high 69 °F, low 43 °F 69°43° MayJune: average high 77 °F, low 52 °F 77°52° JunJuly: average high 82 °F, low 57 °F 82°57° JulAugust: average high 81 °F, low 55 °F 81°55° AugSeptember: average high 72 °F, low 48 °F 72°48° SepOctober: average high 59 °F, low 37 °F 59°37° OctNovember: average high 47 °F, low 28 °F 47°28° NovDecember: average high 36 °F, low 19 °F 36°19° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″6″January: 2.83 in precipitation 2.8 JanFebruary: 2.64 in precipitation 2.6 FebMarch: 3.46 in precipitation 3.5 MarApril: 3.85 in precipitation 3.9 AprMay: 3.81 in precipitation 3.8 MayJune: 4.98 in precipitation 5.0 JunJuly: 4.55 in precipitation 4.5 JulAugust: 4.94 in precipitation 4.9 AugSeptember: 4.72 in precipitation 4.7 SepOctober: 5.12 in precipitation 5.1 OctNovember: 3.81 in precipitation 3.8 NovDecember: 4.42 in precipitation 4.4 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Lenox Dale, MA (4 mi away); precipitation: Stockbridge .2 Nne, MA (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 5b.

012295b
Glendale, MA · 2 mi
012665b
West Stockbridge, MA · 3 mi
012365b
Housatonic, MA · 4 mi
012425b
Lenox Dale, MA · 4 mi
012605b
South Lee, MA · 4 mi
012385b
Lee, MA · 5 mi
012545b
Richmond, MA · 5 mi
012405b
Lenox, MA · 6 mi

All 2 ZIP codes in Stockbridge → · Massachusetts planting zones →

Questions about 01262

What planting zone is ZIP code 01262?

ZIP code 01262 (Stockbridge, MA) is in USDA hardiness zone 5b on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −15 to −10 °F (−26.1 to −23.3 °C).

When is the last frost in Stockbridge, MA?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 01262 is May 7; after May 21 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Lenox Dale station.

When is the first frost in Stockbridge, MA?

The median first fall frost near 01262 is October 3, giving a median frost-free growing season of 147 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 01262?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Mar 12 – Mar 26 and set transplants outside around May 14 – May 28, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 01262 get?

About 49.1 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Stockbridge .2 Nne station).

How hot do summers get in Stockbridge, MA?

The average high peaks at 82 °F in July, with about 8 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 01262 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Kendaia at the center of ZIP 01262: silt loam, poorly drained, pH about 6.5 (neutral).

Did spring come early in Stockbridge, MA in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 01262 came on Apr 12 in 2026, 3 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 15), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Stockbridge, MA?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 01262 is 15 h 17 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).