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

Planting zone for 12538 — Hyde Park, NY

ZIP code 12538 (Hyde Park, Dutchess County) is in USDA zone 6a: the coldest winter night averages −10 to −5 °F. The median last spring frost is April 21 and the first fall frost October 21.

Where ZIP 12538 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.

Zone6a−10 to −5 °F
Coldest night−23.3 to −20.6 °C
Last frostApr 21
First frostOct 21
2012 zone5b

Was 5b on the 2012 map — half a zone warmer now. The zone is the one at the center of the ZIP code; hilly ZIPs can span two zones. What zone 6a means →

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

Loading the forecast for Hyde Park, 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 Hyde Park, NY

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 21median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsMay 4only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostOctober 21median — 10% chance by Oct 7
Growing season183 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around April 7 and returns around November 2.

From the NOAA station Poughkeepsie, NY — 5 miles away, elevation 253 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 12538

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 10 – Mar 24
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 10 – Mar 31
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 10 – Feb 24
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 31 – Apr 14
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 24 – Apr 7
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 31 – Apr 14
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 24 – Apr 7
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 31 – Apr 14
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 24 – Mar 10
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 28 – May 12
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 10 – Feb 24
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · May 5 – May 19
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 28 – May 12
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 28 – May 12
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 28 – May 12
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 21) 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 12538 came on Apr 2 — 7 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 9).

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 6a in New York

635 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in New York, and rated by the USDA to survive −10 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 6a. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 77

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 129

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 215

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 189

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 °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 sedge4 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °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 Hyde Park, NY.

Soil in Hyde Park, NY

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 12538 is Nassau — channery silt loam, somewhat excessively drained.

TextureChannery silt loama good balance for most vegetables
pH5.0strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageSomewhat excessively drainednatural drainage class
Organic matter4%moderate
Hydrologic groupDwater soaks in very slowly
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Nassau-Cardigan complex, hilly, very rocky.

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 12538; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Hyde Park, NY

Summer high83 °Faverage high, July
Winter low19 °Faverage low, January
Hot days13days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights135nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,927base 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)
Precipitation47.2 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 35 °F, low 19 °F 35°19° JanFebruary: average high 39 °F, low 20 °F 39°20° FebMarch: average high 47 °F, low 27 °F 47°27° MarApril: average high 60 °F, low 38 °F 60°38° AprMay: average high 71 °F, low 49 °F 71°49° MayJune: average high 78 °F, low 58 °F 78°58° JunJuly: average high 83 °F, low 63 °F 83°63° JulAugust: average high 82 °F, low 62 °F 82°62° AugSeptember: average high 74 °F, low 54 °F 74°54° SepOctober: average high 62 °F, low 42 °F 62°42° OctNovember: average high 51 °F, low 33 °F 51°33° NovDecember: average high 40 °F, low 25 °F 40°25° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 3.48 in precipitation 3.5 JanFebruary: 2.81 in precipitation 2.8 FebMarch: 3.54 in precipitation 3.5 MarApril: 3.89 in precipitation 3.9 AprMay: 3.50 in precipitation 3.5 MayJune: 4.57 in precipitation 4.6 JunJuly: 4.50 in precipitation 4.5 JulAugust: 4.31 in precipitation 4.3 AugSeptember: 4.64 in precipitation 4.6 SepOctober: 4.64 in precipitation 4.6 OctNovember: 3.46 in precipitation 3.5 NovDecember: 3.84 in precipitation 3.8 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Poughkeepsie, NY (5 mi away); precipitation: Poughkeepsie, NY (5 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

Nearby ZIP codes

3 of the 8 nearest ZIP codes are in a different zone — elevation and distance from water change winter lows quickly.

124936a
West Park, NY · 4 mi
124296a
Esopus, NY · 4 mi
125786a
Salt Point, NY · 5 mi
125806a
Staatsburg, NY · 5 mi
126016b
Poughkeepsie, NY · 6 mi
125696a
Pleasant Valley, NY · 7 mi
126046b
Poughkeepsie, NY · 7 mi
125286b
Highland, NY · 8 mi

New York planting zones →

Questions about 12538

What planting zone is ZIP code 12538?

ZIP code 12538 (Hyde Park, NY) is in USDA hardiness zone 6a on the 2023 map: the coldest night of an average winter reaches −10 to −5 °F (−23.3 to −20.6 °C).

When is the last frost in Hyde Park, NY?

The median last spring frost (32 °F) near 12538 is April 21; after May 4 there is only a 10% chance of frost. Data: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Poughkeepsie station.

When is the first frost in Hyde Park, NY?

The median first fall frost near 12538 is October 21, giving a median frost-free growing season of 183 days.

When should I plant tomatoes in 12538?

Start tomato seeds indoors around Feb 24 – Mar 10 and set transplants outside around Apr 28 – May 12, one to three weeks after the median last frost.

How much rain and snow does 12538 get?

About 47.2 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Poughkeepsie station).

How hot do summers get in Hyde Park, NY?

The average high peaks at 83 °F in July, with about 13 days a year at 90 °F or more.

What kind of soil does 12538 have?

The USDA soil survey maps Nassau at the center of ZIP 12538: channery silt loam, somewhat excessively drained, pH about 5.0 (strongly acidic).

Did spring come early in Hyde Park, NY in 2026?

Spring leaf-out near 12538 came on Apr 2 in 2026, 7 days earlier than the 1991–2020 average (Apr 9), according to the USA National Phenology Network Spring Index.

What kind of onions grow in Hyde Park, NY?

Long-day onions: the longest day near 12538 is 15 h 13 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

Did the zone for 12538 change?

Yes. The 2012 USDA map put 12538 in zone 5b; the 2023 map puts it in zone 6a. The newer map uses 1991–2020 data and more weather stations.