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

Planting zone for 11967 — Shirley, NY

ZIP code 11967 (Shirley, Suffolk County) is in USDA zone 7a: the coldest winter night averages 0 to 5 °F. The median last spring frost is April 18 and the first fall frost October 28.

Where ZIP 11967 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.

Zone7a0 to 5 °F
Coldest night−17.8 to −15 °C
Last frostApr 18
First frostOct 28
2012 zone7a

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 7a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Shirley, NY…

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 Shirley, NY

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 18median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 1only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 28median — 10% chance by Oct 13
Growing season193 daysfrost-free, median

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

From the NOAA station Shirley Brookhaven Airport, NY — within 1 mile, elevation 82 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 11967

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 7 – Mar 21
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 7 – Mar 28
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 7 – Feb 21
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 28 – Apr 11
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 21 – Apr 4
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 28 – Apr 11
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 21 – Apr 4
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 28 – Apr 11
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 21 – Mar 7
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 25 – May 9
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 7 – Feb 21
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 2 – May 16
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 25 – May 9
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 25 – May 9
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 25 – May 9
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 2 – Sep 16
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 14 – Nov 18
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 18) and first fall frost (Oct 28) 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 11967 came on Apr 1 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Mar 31).

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 7a in New York

656 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in New York, and rated by the USDA to survive 0 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 7a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 78

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 131

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 221

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 200

alkali sacaton3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °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 9

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican wisteria50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °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 °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 Shirley, NY.

Soil in Shirley, NY

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 11967 is Riverhead — sandy loam, well drained.

TextureSandy loamdrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH5.2strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageWell drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter3%moderate
Hydrologic groupAwater soaks in fast
Farmland classprime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Riverhead sandy loam, 0 to 3 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 11967; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Shirley, NY

Summer high83 °Faverage high, July
Winter low24 °Faverage low, January
Hot days7days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights104nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days3,060base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 06 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 14 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation44.2 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 39 °F, low 24 °F 39°24° JanFebruary: average high 41 °F, low 25 °F 41°25° FebMarch: average high 47 °F, low 31 °F 47°31° MarApril: average high 58 °F, low 40 °F 58°40° AprMay: average high 68 °F, low 49 °F 68°49° MayJune: average high 77 °F, low 60 °F 77°60° JunJuly: average high 83 °F, low 66 °F 83°66° JulAugust: average high 81 °F, low 65 °F 81°65° AugSeptember: average high 74 °F, low 57 °F 74°57° SepOctober: average high 64 °F, low 46 °F 64°46° OctNovember: average high 54 °F, low 37 °F 54°37° NovDecember: average high 45 °F, low 29 °F 45°29° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 2.97 in precipitation 3.0 JanFebruary: 3.10 in precipitation 3.1 FebMarch: 4.62 in precipitation 4.6 MarApril: 4.06 in precipitation 4.1 AprMay: 3.47 in precipitation 3.5 MayJune: 3.70 in precipitation 3.7 JunJuly: 3.24 in precipitation 3.2 JulAugust: 3.04 in precipitation 3.0 AugSeptember: 3.90 in precipitation 3.9 SepOctober: 3.99 in precipitation 4.0 OctNovember: 3.65 in precipitation 3.6 NovDecember: 4.50 in precipitation 4.5 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Shirley Brookhaven Airport, NY (within 1 mile); precipitation: Shirley Brookhaven Airport, NY (within 1 mile). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

All 8 nearest ZIP codes share zone 7a.

119507a
Mastic, NY · 2 mi
117197a
Brookhaven, NY · 2 mi
119557a
Moriches, NY · 3 mi
119807a
Yaphank, NY · 3 mi
119517a
Mastic Beach, NY · 3 mi
117137a
Bellport, NY · 4 mi
119347a
Center Moriches, NY · 4 mi
119737a
Upton, NY · 4 mi

New York planting zones →

Questions about 11967

What planting zone is ZIP code 11967?

ZIP code 11967 (Shirley, NY) is in USDA hardiness zone 7a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches 0 to 5 °F (−17.8 to −15 °C).

When is the last frost in Shirley, NY?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 11967 is April 18; after May 1 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Shirley Brookhaven Airport station.

When is the first frost in Shirley, NY?

The median first fall frost near 11967 is October 28, giving a median frost-free growing season of 193 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 11967?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 21 – Mar 7 and set transplants outside around Apr 25 – May 9, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 11967 get?

About 44.2 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Shirley Brookhaven Airport station).

How hot do summers get in Shirley, NY?

The average high peaks at 83 °F in July, with about 7 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 11967 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Riverhead at the center of ZIP 11967: sandy loam, well drained, pH about 5.2 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Shirley, NY in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 11967 came on Apr 1 in 2026, about the same as the 1991–2020 average (Mar 31), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Shirley, NY?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 11967 is 15 h 06 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).