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When to plant in Pittsfield, MA

USDA Zone 5b

Pittsfield, Massachusetts frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.

In zone 5b, Pittsfield gardeners can grow many hardy perennials, while the last and first frost still dictate the annual vegetable calendar.

Station · PITTSFIELD MUNI AP · 3.6 km
Last spring frost
May 5
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 5
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
153 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for PittsfieldA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Pittsfield: last spring frost around May 5, first fall frost around October 5, about 153 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

PITTSFIELD MUNI AP · 1991–2020

The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Pittsfield’s own odds, recorded at PITTSFIELD MUNI AP.

Frost-probability curves for PittsfieldProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around May 5 and the first fall frost around October 5, giving about 153 frost-free days.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FJun 2May 19May 4Sep 12Sep 26Oct 7
32°FMay 21May 5Apr 23Sep 23Oct 5Oct 22
28°FMay 9Apr 23Apr 8Oct 2Oct 18Nov 4

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowopen now
Broccoli
July 13July 27
Fall sowopen now
Cabbage
July 13July 27
Fall sowopen now
Carrot
July 13July 27
Fall sowopen now
Cauliflower
July 13July 27
Fall sowopen now
Napa Cabbage
July 13August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Beet
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Collards
July 27August 24
Fall sowin 8 days
Endive
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Escarole
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Fennel (Bulb)
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Kale
July 27August 24
Fall sowin 8 days
Kohlrabi
July 27August 24
Fall sowin 8 days
Peas
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Radicchio
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Swiss Chard
July 27August 10
Fall sowin 8 days
Turnip
July 27August 24
Fall sowin 22 days
Arugula
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Bok Choy
August 10August 24
Fall sowin 22 days
Chervil
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Cilantro
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Claytonia (Miner's Lettuce)
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Corn Salad (Mâche)
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
August 10August 24
Fall sowin 22 days
Lettuce
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Mizuna
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Mustard Greens
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Radish
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Shungiku (Edible Chrysanthemum)
August 10August 24
Fall sowin 22 days
Spinach
August 10September 7
Fall sowin 22 days
Tatsoi
August 10September 7

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Pittsfield, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 28 km · complete 32°F normals

When stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.

PITTSFIELD MUNI AP
Primary
4 km · 364 m elevation
SPRING
May 5
FALL
Oct 5
LENOX DALE
13 km · 306 m elevation
SPRING
May 7
FALL
Oct 3
NORTH ADAMS HARRIMAN AP
28 km · 199 m elevation
SPRING
May 10
FALL
Oct 4

Pittsfield planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Pittsfield, MA?

Pittsfield's average last spring frost falls near May 5 — the 50% mark at 32°F in the 1991–2020 normals. Hold tender transplants until the risk has passed, then plant out.

When is the first fall frost in Pittsfield, MA?

Expect Pittsfield's first fall frost near October 5 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Pittsfield in?

Pittsfield is in USDA hardiness zone 5b. In zone 5b, winters are cold — pick cold-hardy varieties and protect tender crops.

How long is the growing season in Pittsfield?

Pittsfield has about 153 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (May 5) and first fall frost (October 5).

When should I plant tomatoes in Pittsfield?

For Pittsfield, sow tomatoes indoors about March 10–March 24 and move the seedlings out around May 12, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Pittsfield

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Pittsfield’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at PITTSFIELD MUNI AP, 4 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Pittsfield, MA — Frost Dates & Zone 5b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00014763. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/massachusetts/pittsfield.
When to Plant in Pittsfield, MA — Frost Dates & Zone 5b — BlissGarden