Lawrence, MA 01921 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Lawrence, MA?
The last spring frost here typically falls around 05/03, about 248 days from today. The first fall frost typically arrives around 10/08, about 158 frost-free days later.
Zone 6b (-5 to 0°F average annual minimum) comes from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map; the frost dates above are the 1991-2020 normal at the nearest reporting NOAA station for Lawrence, not a forecast for this year.
What to do before the first frost
About 6 weeks of growing season left in Lawrence before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 05/03 isn't a guarantee
05/03 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 04/22 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 05/17 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Lawrence compares
Lawrence's growing season runs about 158 days, ranking 32,866 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within MA, it ranks 552 of 712.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in Lawrence can differ from the 01921 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 6b and Lawrence's frost date answer different questions.