Boston, MA 02111 Frost Dates
When can you plant in Boston, MA?
Typically, the last spring freeze lands around 04/04, roughly 219 days out. The first fall frost typically arrives around 11/09, about 218 frost-free days later.
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map puts Boston in Zone 7a (0 to 5°F average annual minimum); frost dates are NOAA's 1991-2020 station normal, not this year's forecast.
What to do before the first frost
About 10 weeks of growing season left in Boston before the first fall frost — a cold frame or row cover can stretch harvest weeks past that date.
Why 04/04 isn't a guarantee
04/04 is the middle of 30 years of NOAA records, not a promise. Plant by 03/25 and you're betting against frost in roughly 9 years out of 10. 04/17 is the safer bet, historically only a 1-in-10 chance of frost that late.
How Boston compares
Boston's growing season runs about 218 days, ranking 13,137 of 40,283 US ZIP codes measured here, longest to shortest. Within MA, it ranks 4 of 712.
Learn more
local microclimates covers what one yard in Boston can differ from the 02111 normal. zone vs. frost date covers why Zone 7a and Boston's frost date answer different questions.