In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Boston planting calendar
Bars show when each crop can go in and when a planting from that window is ready. The blue band is the frost season, from the average first autumn frost to the average last spring frost. Hover or tap a crop for details.
Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday
Swipe sideways to see the whole year →
Dates by crop
| Crop | Sow indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 25 – Apr 29 | May 20 – Aug 2 plant out | Jul 20 – Oct 17 |
| Pepper | Mar 21 – Apr 25 | May 30 – Jul 30 plant out | Jul 29 – Oct 17 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Mar 27 – May 1 | Jun 5 – Jul 26 plant out | Aug 5 – Oct 17 |
| Cucumber | Apr 27 – May 24 | May 25 – Aug 13 sow | Jul 12 – Oct 17 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Apr 22 – May 19 | May 20 – Aug 16 sow | Jul 6 – Oct 17 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Apr 22 – May 19 | May 20 – Jul 16 sow | Aug 10 – Nov 1 |
| Watermelon | May 8 – Jun 4 | Jun 5 – Jul 25 sow | Aug 8 – Oct 17 |
| Sweet corn | – | May 9 – Jul 28 sow | Jul 23 – Oct 17 |
| Green beans | – | May 20 – Aug 13 sow | Jul 10 – Oct 17 |
| Peas | – | Apr 3 – Apr 27, Aug 15 – Sep 1 sow | Jun 16 – Jul 21, Oct 6 – Nov 16 |
| Lettuce | Feb 22 – Mar 22 | Mar 29 – May 20, Aug 1 – Sep 12 sow | Jun 5 – Jul 25, Sep 7 – Nov 19 |
| Spinach | – | Mar 23 – May 14, Sep 1 – Sep 17 sow | May 31 – Jul 17, Oct 9 – Dec 9 |
| Kale | Feb 15 – Mar 22 | Mar 29 – Sep 6 sow | Jun 12 – Dec 24 |
| Cabbage | Feb 19 – Mar 26, May 11 – Jun 15 | Apr 9 – May 25, Jun 29 – Aug 26 plant out | Jun 25 – Aug 16, Aug 23 – Nov 30 |
| Broccoli | Feb 19 – Mar 26, May 17 – Jun 21 | Apr 9 – Jun 1, Jul 5 – Sep 2 plant out | Jun 18 – Aug 15, Aug 22 – Nov 23 |
| Carrots | – | Apr 9 – Aug 29 sow | Jun 21 – Dec 24 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Apr 9 – Sep 6 sow | Jun 14 – Nov 30 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 29 – Jun 4, Aug 15 – Oct 1 sow | May 17 – Jul 8, Sep 5 – Nov 23 |
| Onions | Jan 23 – Feb 27 | Apr 3 – Aug 5 plant out | Jul 12 – Nov 9 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 8 – Nov 11 sow | Jun 8 – Jun 28 |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 14 – Aug 8 sow | Jul 11 – Nov 9 |
| Swiss chard | – | Apr 14 – Sep 9 sow | Jun 12 – Nov 30 |
| Basil | Apr 18 – May 16 | May 30 – Aug 31 plant out | Jun 27 – Oct 17 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Apr 9 – May 27, Aug 15 – Sep 20 sow | May 30 – Jul 24, Sep 14 – Nov 23 |
| Parsley | Feb 17 – Mar 24 | Apr 14 – Aug 26 sow | Jun 26 – Dec 9 |
Dates are for a typical year and the middle of the window is the safest. Sow a little at a time across a window rather than all at once. Cold snaps, heat waves, frost pockets and city warmth all shift the real dates; watch the forecast.
Frost dates in Boston
- Average last spring frost
- April 4
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- April 17
- Average first autumn frost
- November 9
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 29
- Frost-free growing season
- 218 days
“Average” is the date with an even chance of a later (spring) or earlier (autumn) frost: a night at or below 0 °C (32 °F) at screen height. Tender crops go out a week or two after the spring date, which brings the risk down to about one year in ten.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Boston (4 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 7a from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -16°C3°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 29°C85°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -6°C20°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 25 of 25
The zone follows the USDA scheme: bands of the average lowest temperature of the year, 10 °F wide, split into a and b halves. Worked out from the coldest night of each year 1991–2020 at the NOAA station. It tells you which perennials survive winter, not when to sow.
Temperature and rain by month
Average highAverage lowRainFreezing point
| Month | High | Low | Mean | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3°C37°F | -6°C20°F | -2°C29°F | 95 mm3.7 in |
| February | 4°C40°F | -6°C22°F | -1°C31°F | 82 mm3.2 in |
| March | 8°C47°F | -2°C29°F | 3°C38°F | 119 mm4.7 in |
| April | 15°C58°F | 3°C38°F | 9°C48°F | 100 mm3.9 in |
| May | 21°C70°F | 9°C48°F | 15°C59°F | 82 mm3.2 in |
| June | 26°C79°F | 14°C58°F | 20°C68°F | 94 mm3.7 in |
| July | 29°C85°F | 18°C64°F | 24°C74°F | 88 mm3.4 in |
| August | 28°C83°F | 17°C63°F | 23°C73°F | 91 mm3.6 in |
| September | 24°C76°F | 13°C55°F | 19°C65°F | 92 mm3.6 in |
| October | 18°C64°F | 6°C44°F | 12°C54°F | 114 mm4.5 in |
| November | 12°C53°F | 2°C35°F | 7°C44°F | 100 mm3.9 in |
| December | 6°C43°F | -3°C26°F | 1°C34°F | 110 mm4.3 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).