Frost dates for Lawrence, 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 29
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 28
typical year
Growing season
198 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 2 – 16 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | Sep 2 – 16 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 16 – Apr 27 | Sep 16 – 30 |
| Onions | – | Mar 16 – 30 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | Aug 5 – 19 |
| Beets | – | Mar 16 – 30 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Kale | Feb 2 – 16 | Mar 16 – 30 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Broccoli | Feb 2 – 16 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Cabbage | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Mar 16 – 30 | Aug 19 – Sep 2 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 16 – Oct 7 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 4 – 18 | Apr 29 – May 13 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | May 6 – 20 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 29 – May 20 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 29 – May 27 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 29 – May 20 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 29 – Aug 19 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 29 – May 27 | – |
| Basil | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | May 6 – 13 | – |
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 29 | April 13 | April 1 |
| Fall frost before | October 13 | October 28 | November 10 |
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 3 (April 17 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 9.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 2 towns.
Lawrence, Methuen
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station LAWRENCE, MA US (USC00194105), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 6 zip codes, all within 7 miles:
01810, 01840, 01843, 01844, 01876, 03079
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.