Frost dates for Plymouth-Kingston, 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 15
typical year
Safe to plant
April 28
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 1
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 18 – Apr 1 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 4 – 25 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 18 – Apr 8 | Sep 6 – 20 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 18 – Apr 29 | Sep 20 – Oct 4 |
| Onions | – | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | Aug 9 – 23 |
| Beets | – | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Kale | Feb 4 – 18 | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Broccoli | Feb 4 – 18 | Apr 1 – 15 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Cabbage | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 20 – Oct 11 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 3 – 17 | Apr 28 – May 12 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | May 5 – 19 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 28 – May 19 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 28 – May 26 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 28 – May 19 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 28 – Aug 23 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 28 – May 26 | – |
| Basil | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | May 5 – 12 | – |
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 28 | April 15 | April 2 |
| Fall frost before | October 17 | November 1 | November 14 |
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 18 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 13.
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station PLYMOUTH-KINGSTON, MA US (USC00196486), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 6 zip codes, all within 26 miles:
02047, 02050, 02332, 02359, 02364, 02657
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.