Frost dates for Middleton, 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
May 3
typical year
Safe to plant
May 20
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 9
typical year
Growing season
157 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 | – | Apr 5 – 19 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | Aug 14 – 28 |
| Lettuce | – | Apr 5 – 26 | Aug 14 – 28 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 5 – May 17 | Aug 28 – Sep 11 |
| Onions | – | Apr 5 – 19 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 12 – 26 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 12 – May 3 | Jul 17 – 31 |
| Beets | – | Apr 5 – 19 | Jul 31 – Aug 14 |
| Kale | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Apr 5 – 19 | Jul 31 – Aug 14 |
| Broccoli | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jul 31 – Aug 14 |
| Cabbage | Feb 8 – 22 | Apr 5 – 19 | Jul 31 – Aug 14 |
| Garlic | – | – | Aug 28 – Sep 18 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | May 20 – Jun 3 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | May 27 – Jun 10 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 20 – Jun 10 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 20 – Jun 17 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 20 – Jun 10 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 20 – Jul 31 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 20 – Jun 17 | – |
| Basil | Apr 15 – 29 | May 27 – Jun 3 | – |
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 20 | May 3 | April 20 |
| Fall frost before | September 29 | October 9 | October 24 |
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 21 (May 6 in a late year), and the first one in fall around October 21.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MIDDLETON, MA US (USC00194744), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 4 zip codes, all within 4 miles:
01864, 01937, 01940, 01949
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.