Calendars by city / MA
Boston, Massachusetts vegetable planting calendar
Planting windows for Boston, Massachusetts built from the NOAA 1991–2020 freeze normals at BOSTON, MA US (station USW00014739), not from a hardiness zone.
Boston, Massachusetts planting dates for 27 vegetables
The same windows as a table
Each row applies a published extension rule to the frost dates above. Hardy crops go out 2–4 weeks before the last frost; semi-hardy crops 0–2 weeks before; tender crops around the frost date; very tender crops 2 or more weeks after. The last fall planting date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost. The rules and their sources are on the methodology page.
| Crop | Frost class | Start seeds indoors | Plant outdoors | Last fall planting | Days to harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beets | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Sep 16 | 60 |
| Broccoli | Hardy | Jan 19 – Feb 16 | Transplant: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Sep 18 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Cabbage | Hardy | Jan 19 – Feb 16 | Transplant: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Aug 29 | 85 (from transplant) |
| Carrots | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Sep 6 | 70 |
| Cauliflower | Semi-hardy | Feb 2 – Mar 2 | Transplant: Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Sep 11 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Oct 3 | 50 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Sep 23 | 60 |
| Onions (green) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Sep 23 | 60 |
| Onions (dry, from seed) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Aug 4 | 110 |
| Onions (dry, from sets) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant sets: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Aug 4 | 110 |
| Parsnips | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Sep 6 | 70 |
| Peas | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Sep 18 | 65 |
| Potatoes | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant seed potatoes: Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Jul 13 | 125 |
| Radishes | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Oct 23 | 30 |
| Spinach | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Oct 13 | 40 |
| Swiss chard | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 23 – Apr 6 | Sep 16 | 60 |
| Turnips | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 9 – Mar 23 | Oct 3 | 50 |
| Snap beans | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 6 – Apr 13 | Sep 9 | 60 |
| Cantaloupe | Very tender | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 20 – May 4 | Aug 15 | 85 |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 6 – Apr 13 | Aug 10 | 60–90 |
| Cucumbers | Tender | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 6 – Apr 13 | Sep 14 | 55 |
| Eggplant | Very tender | Feb 16 – Mar 23 | Transplant: Apr 20 – May 4 | Sep 9 | 60 (from transplant) |
| Peppers | Very tender | Feb 23 – Mar 23 | Transplant: Apr 20 – May 4 | Aug 30 | 70 (from transplant) |
| Tomatoes | Very tender | Mar 2 – Mar 30 | Transplant: Apr 20 – May 4 | Sep 4 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Summer squash | Tender | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 6 – Apr 13 | Sep 19 | 50 |
| Winter squash | Very tender | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 20 – May 4 | Jul 31 | 100 |
| Watermelon | Very tender | Mar 30 – Apr 20 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 20 – May 4 | Aug 15 | 85 |
What the Boston, Massachusetts frost-free season means for your choices
At 216 frost-free days, Boston, Massachusetts gardeners should compare that number to the days-to-harvest column before buying seed. A crop whose days to harvest plus its transplant age is close to the season length needs either an early start indoors or a short-season variety.
- Hardy crops (peas, spinach, radishes, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage) can go in from about Mar 9 – Mar 23 and again for fall.
- Very tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, winter squash) should wait until Apr 20 – May 4; start tomato seeds indoors Mar 2 – Mar 30.
- Fall sowing is worthwhile only for the rows that show a separate fall date; for the others the spring window already covers the season.
Boston, MA planting questions
When is the last frost in Boston, Massachusetts?
The 50% probability date for the last spring 32°F reading at BOSTON, MA US is Apr 6, from the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. In half the years on that record the last frost came later than that date, so tender crops are safer a week or two after it. The last 28°F hard freeze averages Mar 29.
When can I plant tomatoes in Boston, Massachusetts?
Tomatoes are a very tender crop, so the Colorado State Extension rule puts them out 2 or more weeks after the last spring frost: Apr 20 – May 4 in Boston, Massachusetts. Start the seeds indoors Mar 2 – Mar 30, which is 5 to 7 weeks before that transplant window.
How long is the growing season in Boston, Massachusetts?
Boston, Massachusetts averages 216 frost-free days, between the 50% last spring frost on Apr 6 and the 50% first fall frost on Nov 8 at BOSTON, MA US. Check a variety's days to harvest against that number before buying seed.
When should I start seeds indoors in Boston, Massachusetts?
The earliest indoor sowing on this calendar is broccoli and cabbage at Jan 19 – Feb 16. Hardy crops are transplanted out Mar 9 – Mar 23 here, and each crop's indoor window is simply its outdoor window minus the transplant age published by Colorado State Extension, so nothing starts earlier than that.
What can I plant in fall in Boston, Massachusetts?
The crops with a separate fall sowing here, latest first, are radishes, spinach, kohlrabi, turnips, lettuce (leaf) and onions (green), plus 21 more on the chart above. Each fall date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost on Nov 8, plus an allowance for frost-tolerant crops that is our own assumption, not the source's.
Station data and limitations
| NOAA station | BOSTON, MA US (USW00014739) |
|---|---|
| Location | 42.3606, -71.0097 · elevation 3.7 m |
| Last spring 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Apr 6 / Mar 29 |
| First fall 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Nov 8 / Nov 21 |
| Dataset | NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal product, data types ANN-TMIN-PRBLST/PRBFST-T32FP50 and T28FP50 |
| Retrieved | 2026-10-16 |
The normals describe the airport station, not your yard. They are averages of a 30-year record and say nothing about this year's weather. Watch the local forecast around the dates shown, and use soil temperature for warm-season crops, which the Colorado State guide treats as the better signal.
Nearby calendars
- Concord, New Hampshire — last spring frost May 13
- Hartford, Connecticut — last spring frost Apr 24
- Portland, Maine — last spring frost May 1
- Albany, New York — last spring frost Apr 28
Read the method behind these dates: last frost date vs hardiness zone.