PlotPal

Boston planting calendar

This PlotPal local growing guide is a season-by-season starting point for Boston, Massachusetts. Boston gardens are commonly around USDA zone 7a, with colder pockets nearby. Treat the zone as a winter-hardiness clue, not a planting calendar. Boston’s last spring frost is often around late April and its first fall frost often arrives in late October, but real garden microclimates vary. Check the current forecast before planting tender crops. March–April: Cool-season start. As soil becomes workable, gardeners can begin with cold-tolerant crops and early sowings. Protect tender seedlings from surprise cold snaps. May–June: Warm-season handoff. After frost risk eases and nights warm, the garden shifts toward tomatoes, peppers, beans, cucumbers, basil, and other heat-loving crops. July–August: Harvest and reset. Keep harvesting summer crops, but start thinking forward. Late summer is a useful window for sowing fast greens and roots for fall. September–November: Fall garden. Cool weather favors many leafy crops. Harvest tender plants before frost, keep hardy crops going, and clean up diseased material before winter. Planting dates are guides rather than guarantees. Check the current forecast, your garden microclimate, and actual soil conditions before planting.