Cambridge, Massachusetts planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Cambridge

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Boston Logan International Airport, 2.5 miles E of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers. Cambridge shares this station with Boston, so the two cities have the same frost dates and planting calendar.

What to plant each month in Cambridge

1. January

   Start indoors: broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, snapdragons

2. February

   Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard

   Plant or sow outdoors: black-eyed susans, blueberries, garlic, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, kale, onions, peas, poppies, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, turnips, wildflowers

3. March

   Start indoors: celery, cilantro, eggplants, ginger, marigolds, nasturtiums, peppers, ranunculus, tomatoes

   Plant or sow outdoors: beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, dahlias, dill, figs, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsley, peas, poppies, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, roses, snapdragons, spinach, strawberries, swiss chard, turnips, wildflowers

4. April

   Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, okra, peppers, pumpkins, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, carrots, chives, cilantro, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, gladioli, grapes, green onions, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, petunias, potatoes, ranunculus, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, swiss chard, thyme

5. May

   Start indoors: cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, watermelons, winter squash, zinnias, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, cantaloupes, cucumbers, eggplants, garden mums, ginger, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, peppers, perennial ryegrass, pumpkins, st. augustinegrass, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, tall fescue, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

6. June

   Start indoors: zinnias

   Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, green beans, green onions, okra, peanuts, peppers, pumpkins, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zinnias, zoysiagrass, zucchini

7. July

   Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, zinnias, zoysiagrass

   Plant for fall: potatoes

8. August

   Plant for fall: bearded irises, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, lettuce, peas, radishes, snapdragons, spinach, sweet corn, swiss chard, turnips

9. September

   Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, lettuce, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, tulips, turnips

10. October

    Plant for fall: cabbages, cauliflower, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, kale, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, radishes, saffron, spinach, tulips

11. November

    Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips

12. December

    Start indoors: onions

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Cambridge

All 5 of Cambridge's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Boston Logan International Airport, so the dates on this page apply across the city. The hardiness zone is 6b in 02138, 02139, 02140, and 7a in 02141, 02142.

Boston Logan International Airport also supplies the frost dates for Boston, Lynn, Somerville, Malden, Revere and Medford and 1 more cities, so their planting calendars match Cambridge's.

Planting dates for popular crops in Cambridge

Nearby cities

• Somerville, MA zone 7a, last frost Apr 4
• Medford, MA zone 6b, last frost Apr 4
• Everett, MA zone 7a, last frost Apr 4
• Malden, MA zone 6b, last frost Apr 4
• Newton, MA zone 6b, last frost Apr 19
• Boston, MA zone 6b, last frost Apr 4