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Plan your vegetable garden in Massachusetts

All the statistical weather information you need to prepare a bulletproof plan for your garden in Massachusetts

Temperature range in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has temperatures ranging from -5°F to 84°F, with approximately 210 frost free days.

Massachusetts has 140 days with average temperature range from 50°F to 90°F that are suitable for growing warm season vegetables and 186 days with average temperature range from 40°F to 80°F that are suitable for growing cool season vegetables

Chart displaying weekly air temperature in Massachusetts

Massachusetts air temperature chart based on weather statistics from 2019 to 2023

Total frost free days (after last frost and before first frost)210
Total days suitable to grow warm season vegetables140
Total days suitable to grow cool season vegetables186
Day with highest recorded temperature in past 4 yearsJuly 28: 84°F
Day with lowest recorded temperature in past 4 yearsFebruary 04: -5°F
First expected frost dateNovember 01
Last expected frost dateApril 05

Notable temperature facts for gardening in Massachusetts

Warm season vegetables you can grow in Massachusetts

Chart displaying days suitable for growing warm season vegetables in Massachusetts

Days suitable for growing warm season vegetables in Massachusetts

Warm season vegetables can be planted in Massachusetts after May 27 when air temperatures are consistently above 50°F (10°C) and soil temperature is above 50°F (10°C)

Good temperature range for warm season vegetables is between 50°F and 90°F. With warm season vegetables it is important to wait until all conditions are optimal, because sudden temperature drop can stun new vegetable growth, this way delaying overall harvest.

Warm season vegetables that can be planted directly into soil in Massachusetts
Pixel art image of Summer squash

Summer squash

Warm season vegetables that need to be started indoors before transplanting outdoors in Massachusetts

Cool season vegetables you can grow in Massachusetts

Chart displaying days suitable for growing cool season vegetables in Massachusetts

Days suitable for growing cool season vegetables in Massachusetts

Cool season vegetables can be planted in Massachusetts after May 11 when average air temperature is consistently above 40°F (4°C) and soil temperature is above 45°F (7°C)

Good temperature range for cool season vegetables is between 40°F and 80°F. With cool season vegetables it is important to avoid high air temperatures because exposure to high temperatures is most likely to stun growth, cause bitterness and encourage premature bolting in some plants. Plan your cool vegetable planting so they are harvested before hot weather stretch, provide them with additional shading.

Table with days suitable to grow vegetables in Massachusetts

Tolerable temperature range for cool season vegetables: 40°F to 80°F

Tolerable temperature range for warm season vegetables: 50°F to 90°F

WeekAverage temperaturePossible min and max temperatureSuitable for cool season vegetablesSuitable for warm season vegetables
1January 01 - January 0334°F to 42°F27°F to 51°F
2January 04 - January 1030°F to 38°F15°F to 45°F
3January 11 - January 1727°F to 38°F7°F to 59°F
4January 18 - January 2424°F to 35°F3°F to 50°F
5January 25 - January 3124°F to 35°F5°F to 48°F
6February 01 - February 0725°F to 37°F-5°F to 53°F
7February 08 - February 1427°F to 38°F12°F to 52°F
8February 15 - February 2127°F to 39°F9°F to 55°F
9February 22 - February 2827°F to 39°F13°F to 56°F
10March 01 - March 0726°F to 39°F10°F to 55°F
11March 08 - March 1431°F to 44°F12°F to 57°F
12March 15 - March 2133°F to 46°F18°F to 60°F
13March 22 - March 2835°F to 47°F27°F to 59°F
14March 29 - April 0435°F to 48°F22°F to 56°F
15April 05 - April 1139°F to 51°F31°F to 62°F
16April 12 - April 1842°F to 54°F33°F to 72°FTRUE
17April 19 - April 2541°F to 53°F32°F to 63°FTRUE
18April 26 - May 0241°F to 52°F36°F to 64°FTRUE
19May 03 - May 0944°F to 55°F38°F to 66°FTRUE
20May 10 - May 1645°F to 59°F35°F to 71°FTRUE
21May 17 - May 2349°F to 63°F39°F to 75°FTRUE
22May 24 - May 3050°F to 63°F43°F to 74°FTRUETRUE
23May 31 - June 0652°F to 65°F45°F to 77°FTRUETRUE
24June 07 - June 1355°F to 67°F48°F to 75°FTRUETRUE
25June 14 - June 2055°F to 67°F48°F to 76°FTRUETRUE
26June 21 - June 2759°F to 70°F51°F to 79°FTRUETRUE
27June 28 - July 0461°F to 72°F54°F to 82°FTRUETRUE
28July 05 - July 1161°F to 73°F55°F to 79°FTRUETRUE
29July 12 - July 1863°F to 73°F57°F to 79°FTRUETRUE
30July 19 - July 2564°F to 75°F57°F to 84°FTRUETRUE
31July 26 - August 0163°F to 75°F55°F to 84°FTRUETRUE
32August 02 - August 0863°F to 74°F55°F to 84°FTRUETRUE
33August 09 - August 1563°F to 74°F57°F to 82°FTRUETRUE
34August 16 - August 2262°F to 72°F57°F to 79°FTRUETRUE
35August 23 - August 2961°F to 72°F52°F to 81°FTRUETRUE
36August 30 - September 0559°F to 70°F53°F to 77°FTRUETRUE
37September 06 - September 1260°F to 69°F53°F to 80°FTRUETRUE
38September 13 - September 1956°F to 66°F47°F to 73°FTRUETRUE
39September 20 - September 2654°F to 64°F45°F to 75°FTRUETRUE
40September 27 - October 0353°F to 62°F47°F to 71°FTRUETRUE
41October 04 - October 1050°F to 60°F41°F to 71°FTRUETRUE
42October 11 - October 1750°F to 60°F45°F to 66°FTRUE
43October 18 - October 2447°F to 57°F41°F to 65°FTRUE
44October 25 - October 3147°F to 56°F35°F to 69°FTRUE
45November 01 - November 0742°F to 53°F30°F to 65°FTRUE
46November 08 - November 1440°F to 51°F21°F to 65°FTRUE
47November 15 - November 2135°F to 45°F27°F to 59°F
48November 22 - November 2836°F to 46°F29°F to 54°F
49November 29 - December 0534°F to 44°F26°F to 56°F
50December 06 - December 1232°F to 43°F17°F to 55°F
51December 13 - December 1933°F to 42°F13°F to 55°F
52December 20 - December 2628°F to 38°F14°F to 55°F
53December 27 - December 3133°F to 42°F26°F to 50°F

Table with days suitable to grow vegetables in Massachusetts

Counties in Massachusetts

For more precise weather statisctics and planting information, please select a County.

  • Barnstable County

  • Berkshire County

  • Bristol County

  • Dukes County

  • Essex County

  • Franklin County

  • Hampden County

  • Hampshire County

  • Middlesex County

  • Nantucket County

  • Norfolk County

  • Plymouth County

  • Suffolk County

  • Worcester County