When to plant in Southbridge, MA
Planting dates worked out from Southbridge's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 15
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 3
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 11
1 year in 10 by Sep 29
Frost-free days
160
median, 1991–2020
Station used: E Brimfield Lake · 8.7 km away · station 213 m, town 150 m. How we match towns to stations
This season
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | May 15 – May 29 | Jul 9 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 6 – Mar 20 | May 15 – May 29 | Jul 14 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 4 – Mar 11 | Apr 8 – Apr 22 | May 18 |
| Peas | — | Apr 8 – May 6 | Jun 2 |
| Bush beans | — | May 8 – May 29 | Jun 27 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 18 – May 30 | Jun 17 |
| Beet | — | Apr 18 – May 30 | Jun 7 |
| Potato | — | Apr 18 – May 9 | Jun 27 |
| Kale | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | May 28 |
| Broccoli | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | Apr 8 – Apr 29 | Jun 7 |
| Cucumber | Apr 17 – Apr 24 | May 15 – May 29 | Jul 4 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 17 – Apr 24 | May 15 – May 29 | Jun 29 |
| Winter squash | Apr 17 – Apr 24 | May 15 – May 29 | Aug 3 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 8 – May 29 | Jul 7 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 8 – Apr 29 | Jul 7 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 27 – Oct 25 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 8 – May 6 | May 16 |
| Basil | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | May 15 – May 29 | Jul 11 |
Southbridge's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1963 | May 24 |
| 1964 | Jun 6 |
| 1965 | Apr 25 |
| 1966 | May 16 |
| 1967 | May 25 |
| 1968 | May 27 |
| 1969 | May 27 |
| 1970 | May 7 |
| 1971 | May 15 |
| 1972 | May 26 |
| 1973 | Apr 30 |
| 1974 | May 8 |
| 1975 | Apr 30 |
| 1976 | May 13 |
| 1977 | May 10 |
| 1978 | May 4 |
| 1979 | Apr 22 |
| 1980 | Apr 22 |
| 1981 | May 19 |
| 1982 | Apr 30 |
| 1983 | May 18 |
| 1984 | May 18 |
| 1985 | May 10 |
| 1986 | May 10 |
| 1987 | May 14 |
| 1988 | Apr 26 |
| 1989 | Apr 29 |
| 1990 | Apr 18 |
| 1992 | May 7 |
| 1993 | Apr 30 |
| 1994 | May 3 |
| 1995 | May 2 |
| 1996 | May 15 |
| 1997 | Apr 27 |
| 1998 | May 14 |
| 1999 | May 1 |
| 2000 | May 3 |
| 2001 | May 8 |
| 2003 | May 18 |
| 2004 | May 5 |
| 2005 | May 13 |
| 2006 | Apr 30 |
| 2011 | Apr 23 |
| 2012 | May 1 |
| 2013 | May 15 |
| 2014 | Apr 21 |
| 2015 | Apr 25 |
| 2016 | Apr 28 |
| 2017 | Apr 15 |
| 2018 | Apr 24 |
| 2019 | Apr 29 |
| 2020 | May 10 |
| 2021 | Apr 23 |
| 2022 | Apr 22 |
| 2023 | May 18 |
| 2024 | Apr 27 |
| 2025 | Apr 19 |
| 2026 | Apr 22 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1963 | 113 |
| 1964 | 101 |
| 1965 | 155 |
| 1966 | 133 |
| 1967 | 134 |
| 1968 | 131 |
| 1969 | 141 |
| 1970 | 162 |
| 1971 | 173 |
| 1972 | 136 |
| 1973 | 174 |
| 1974 | 138 |
| 1975 | 155 |
| 1976 | 150 |
| 1977 | 150 |
| 1978 | 144 |
| 1979 | 150 |
| 1980 | 158 |
| 1981 | 144 |
| 1982 | 163 |
| 1983 | 155 |
| 1984 | 140 |
| 1985 | 154 |
| 1986 | 149 |
| 1987 | 147 |
| 1988 | 163 |
| 1989 | 151 |
| 1992 | 139 |
| 1993 | 142 |
| 1994 | 161 |
| 1995 | 168 |
| 1996 | 141 |
| 1997 | 167 |
| 1998 | 144 |
| 1999 | 158 |
| 2000 | 148 |
| 2001 | 151 |
| 2003 | 137 |
| 2004 | 153 |
| 2011 | 187 |
| 2012 | 164 |
| 2013 | 163 |
| 2014 | 182 |
| 2015 | 174 |
| 2016 | 165 |
| 2017 | 199 |
| 2018 | 177 |
| 2019 | 158 |
| 2020 | 160 |
| 2021 | 188 |
| 2022 | 189 |
| 2023 | 165 |
| 2024 | 172 |
| 2025 | 173 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1963 | 15.2 °C |
| 1964 | 15.2 °C |
| 1965 | 15.9 °C |
| 1966 | 15.4 °C |
| 1967 | 15.1 °C |
| 1968 | 16.2 °C |
| 1969 | 16.4 °C |
| 1970 | 16.4 °C |
| 1971 | 16.1 °C |
| 1972 | 15.7 °C |
| 1973 | 17.1 °C |
| 1974 | 16.0 °C |
| 1975 | 16.1 °C |
| 1976 | 16.4 °C |
| 1977 | 16.4 °C |
| 1978 | 15.7 °C |
| 1979 | 16.6 °C |
| 1980 | 16.6 °C |
| 1981 | 16.6 °C |
| 1982 | 15.7 °C |
| 1983 | 16.8 °C |
| 1984 | 16.1 °C |
| 1985 | 16.1 °C |
| 1986 | 15.8 °C |
| 1987 | 15.8 °C |
| 1988 | 16.2 °C |
| 1989 | 15.8 °C |
| 1990 | 15.9 °C |
| 1992 | 14.9 °C |
| 1993 | 16.3 °C |
| 1994 | 16.4 °C |
| 1995 | 15.7 °C |
| 1996 | 15.7 °C |
| 1997 | 15.0 °C |
| 1998 | 16.8 °C |
| 1999 | 16.8 °C |
| 2000 | 15.1 °C |
| 2001 | 16.3 °C |
| 2003 | 15.8 °C |
| 2004 | 16.4 °C |
| 2006 | 16.2 °C |
| 2011 | 17.4 °C |
| 2012 | 17.4 °C |
| 2013 | 16.8 °C |
| 2014 | 16.0 °C |
| 2015 | 17.1 °C |
| 2016 | 16.7 °C |
| 2017 | 16.9 °C |
| 2018 | 17.6 °C |
| 2019 | 17.1 °C |
| 2020 | 17.0 °C |
| 2021 | 17.5 °C |
| 2022 | 17.5 °C |
| 2023 | 17.2 °C |
| 2024 | 17.6 °C |
| 2025 | 17.3 °C |
| 2026 | 17.2 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1963, Southbridge's last spring frost has come about 3 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 6 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from E Brimfield Lake (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.