When to plant in Belmont, MA
Planting dates worked out from Belmont's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Last spring frost
- Early · riskyApr 89 years in 10 still get a later frost
- TypicalApr 19about half of years get a later frost
- Safe to plant outMay 61 year in 10 gets a later frost
Hardy crops like peas and spinach are timed from the typical date. Wait for the safe date before planting out tomatoes, peppers and squash.
First fall frost
- EarlyOct 61 year in 10 has frost by then
- TypicalOct 22about half of years have had frost
- LateNov 89 years in 10 have had frost by then
A typical year has 186 frost-free days. Plan for tender crops to be ripe by the early date.
Station used: Jamaica Plain · 11.3 km away · station 29 m, town 21 m. How we match towns to stations
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | May 6 – May 20 | Jun 30 |
| Sweet pepper | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | May 6 – May 20 | Jul 5 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 25 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – Apr 15 | May 11 |
| Peas | — | Apr 1 – Apr 29 | May 26 |
| Bush beans | — | Apr 29 – May 20 | Jun 18 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 10 – May 22 | Jun 9 |
| Beet | — | Apr 10 – May 22 | May 30 |
| Potato | — | Apr 10 – May 1 | Jun 19 |
| Kale | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | May 21 |
| Broccoli | Feb 18 – Mar 4 | Apr 1 – Apr 22 | May 31 |
| Cucumber | Apr 8 – Apr 15 | May 6 – May 20 | Jun 25 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 8 – Apr 15 | May 6 – May 20 | Jun 20 |
| Winter squash | Apr 8 – Apr 15 | May 6 – May 20 | Jul 25 |
| Sweet corn | — | Apr 29 – May 20 | Jun 28 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 1 – Apr 22 | Jun 30 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 8 – Nov 5 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 1 – Apr 29 | May 9 |
| Basil | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | May 6 – May 20 | Jul 2 |
Belmont's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1963 | Apr 14 |
| 1964 | May 3 |
| 1965 | Apr 25 |
| 1966 | Apr 27 |
| 1967 | May 7 |
| 1968 | May 8 |
| 1969 | Apr 21 |
| 1970 | Apr 16 |
| 1971 | Apr 28 |
| 1972 | Apr 27 |
| 1973 | Apr 15 |
| 1974 | Apr 26 |
| 1975 | Apr 30 |
| 1976 | Apr 13 |
| 1977 | May 10 |
| 1978 | May 1 |
| 1979 | Apr 21 |
| 1980 | Apr 18 |
| 1982 | Apr 23 |
| 1983 | Apr 14 |
| 1984 | Apr 22 |
| 1985 | May 9 |
| 1986 | May 4 |
| 1987 | Apr 29 |
| 1988 | May 9 |
| 1989 | Apr 24 |
| 1990 | Apr 19 |
| 1991 | Apr 19 |
| 1992 | May 7 |
| 1993 | Apr 27 |
| 1994 | Apr 19 |
| 1995 | May 2 |
| 1996 | Apr 11 |
| 1997 | Apr 16 |
| 1998 | Apr 16 |
| 1999 | Apr 11 |
| 2000 | Apr 15 |
| 2001 | May 7 |
| 2002 | Apr 27 |
| 2009 | Apr 14 |
| 2010 | Apr 28 |
| 2011 | Apr 16 |
| 2012 | Apr 1 |
| 2013 | Apr 17 |
| 2014 | Apr 21 |
| 2015 | Apr 6 |
| 2016 | Apr 27 |
| 2017 | Apr 3 |
| 2018 | Apr 16 |
| 2019 | Apr 11 |
| 2020 | May 10 |
| 2021 | Apr 23 |
| 2022 | Apr 3 |
| 2023 | Apr 10 |
| 2024 | Apr 26 |
| 2025 | Apr 11 |
| 2026 | Apr 22 |
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1963 | 178 |
| 1964 | 161 |
| 1965 | 163 |
| 1966 | 168 |
| 1967 | 153 |
| 1968 | 171 |
| 1969 | 177 |
| 1970 | 184 |
| 1971 | 190 |
| 1972 | 165 |
| 1973 | 189 |
| 1974 | 170 |
| 1975 | 183 |
| 1976 | 188 |
| 1977 | 166 |
| 1978 | 160 |
| 1979 | 172 |
| 1980 | 178 |
| 1982 | 182 |
| 1983 | 189 |
| 1984 | 166 |
| 1985 | 164 |
| 1986 | 155 |
| 1987 | 167 |
| 1988 | 150 |
| 1989 | 168 |
| 1992 | 146 |
| 1993 | 166 |
| 1994 | 205 |
| 1995 | 186 |
| 1996 | 176 |
| 1997 | 188 |
| 1998 | 193 |
| 1999 | 179 |
| 2000 | 166 |
| 2001 | 154 |
| 2002 | 170 |
| 2009 | 188 |
| 2010 | 186 |
| 2011 | 194 |
| 2012 | 194 |
| 2013 | 191 |
| 2014 | 202 |
| 2015 | 194 |
| 2016 | 182 |
| 2017 | 219 |
| 2018 | 185 |
| 2019 | 206 |
| 2020 | 173 |
| 2021 | 194 |
| 2022 | 209 |
| 2023 | 205 |
| 2024 | 185 |
| 2025 | 209 |
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1963 | 17.8 °C |
| 1964 | 17.4 °C |
| 1965 | 17.8 °C |
| 1966 | 17.4 °C |
| 1967 | 17.1 °C |
| 1968 | 18.0 °C |
| 1969 | 18.4 °C |
| 1970 | 18.4 °C |
| 1971 | 18.2 °C |
| 1972 | 17.2 °C |
| 1973 | 18.6 °C |
| 1974 | 17.6 °C |
| 1975 | 17.6 °C |
| 1976 | 18.2 °C |
| 1977 | 18.2 °C |
| 1978 | 17.4 °C |
| 1979 | 18.2 °C |
| 1980 | 18.2 °C |
| 1982 | 16.5 °C |
| 1983 | 18.1 °C |
| 1984 | 17.8 °C |
| 1985 | 17.8 °C |
| 1986 | 17.0 °C |
| 1987 | 18.0 °C |
| 1988 | 18.3 °C |
| 1989 | 17.8 °C |
| 1990 | 17.3 °C |
| 1991 | 18.0 °C |
| 1992 | 16.5 °C |
| 1993 | 17.8 °C |
| 1995 | 17.3 °C |
| 1996 | 17.5 °C |
| 1999 | 19.3 °C |
| 2000 | 17.1 °C |
| 2001 | 18.1 °C |
| 2002 | 18.4 °C |
| 2008 | 17.7 °C |
| 2009 | 17.3 °C |
| 2010 | 19.3 °C |
| 2011 | 18.2 °C |
| 2012 | 18.5 °C |
| 2013 | 18.2 °C |
| 2014 | 18.0 °C |
| 2015 | 19.0 °C |
| 2016 | 19.1 °C |
| 2017 | 18.5 °C |
| 2018 | 19.1 °C |
| 2019 | 18.4 °C |
| 2020 | 18.6 °C |
| 2021 | 19.0 °C |
| 2022 | 19.4 °C |
| 2023 | 18.6 °C |
| 2024 | 19.2 °C |
| 2025 | 18.8 °C |
| 2026 | 19.0 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1963, Belmont's last spring frost has come about 2 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 5 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Jamaica Plain (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.