Frost dates for Chatham, 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 13
typical year
Safe to plant
April 26
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 4
typical year
Growing season
206 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 16 – 30 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 2 – 23 | Sep 9 – 23 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | Sep 9 – 23 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 16 – Apr 27 | Sep 23 – Oct 7 |
| Onions | – | Mar 16 – 30 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | Aug 12 – 26 |
| Beets | – | Mar 16 – 30 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Kale | Feb 2 – 16 | Mar 16 – 30 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Broccoli | Feb 2 – 16 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Cabbage | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Mar 16 – 30 | Aug 26 – Sep 9 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 23 – Oct 14 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 1 – 15 | Apr 26 – May 10 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | May 3 – 17 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 26 – May 17 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 26 – May 24 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 26 – May 17 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 26 – Aug 26 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 26 – May 24 | – |
| Basil | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | May 3 – 10 | – |
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 | April 26 | April 13 | April 1 |
| Fall frost before | October 21 | November 4 | November 18 |
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 March 31 (April 11 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 19.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station CHATHAM MUNI AP, MA US (USW00094624), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 12 zip codes, all within 26 miles:
02631, 02633, 02642, 02643, 02645, 02650, 02652, 02653, 02659, 02663, 02666, 02667
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.