Frost dates for Boston/Norton, MA
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
April 23
typical year
Safe to plant
May 5
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 17
typical year
Growing season
177 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | Aug 22 – Sep 5 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 26 – May 7 | Sep 5 – 19 |
| Onions | – | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 2 – 16 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 2 – 23 | Jul 25 – Aug 8 |
| Beets | – | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Aug 8 – 22 |
| Kale | Feb 12 – 26 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Aug 8 – 22 |
| Broccoli | Feb 12 – 26 | Apr 9 – 23 | Aug 8 – 22 |
| Cabbage | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Aug 8 – 22 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 5 – 26 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 10 – 24 | May 5 – 19 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 3 – 17 | May 12 – 26 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 5 – 26 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 5 – Jun 2 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 5 – 26 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 5 – Aug 8 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 5 – Jun 2 | – |
| Basil | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 12 – 19 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | May 5 | April 23 | April 10 |
| Fall frost before | October 3 | October 17 | November 1 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around April 9 (April 21 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 30.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station NWS BOSTON/NORTON, MA US (USC00198368), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 1 zip code, all within 9 miles:
02769
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.