Lowell, Massachusetts planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Lowell

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Lowell, 2.5 miles WNW of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers.

What to plant each month in Lowell

1. January

   Start indoors: onions

2. February

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

3. March

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

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

4. April

   Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, celery, cilantro, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, marigolds, nasturtiums, okra, peppers, pumpkins, ranunculus, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, green onions, hollyhocks, kale, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, peas, petunias, poppies, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, strawberries, sunflowers, sweet corn, swiss chard, thyme, turnips, wildflowers

5. May

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

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, cantaloupes, chives, cilantro, cucumbers, dahlias, dill, eggplants, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, perennial ryegrass, petunias, pumpkins, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

6. June

   Start indoors: zinnias

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, 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, green onions, okra, st. augustinegrass, zinnias, zoysiagrass

   Plant for fall: bearded irises, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, collard greens, lettuce, peas, snapdragons, swiss chard

8. August

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

9. September

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

10. October

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

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Lowell

All 4 of Lowell's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Lowell, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 6b.

Planting dates for popular crops in Lowell

Nearby cities

• Lawrence, MA zone 6b, last frost Apr 13
• Nashua, NH zone 6a, last frost Apr 30
• Haverhill, MA zone 6a, last frost May 1
• Waltham, MA zone 6b, last frost Apr 28
• Medford, MA zone 6b, last frost Apr 4
• Peabody, MA zone 6b, last frost May 3