When to plant cabbage in Massachusetts

Plant out in Boston

Mar 7–Mar 21

Across Massachusetts the window opens between March 7 and April 7. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Start indoors, Boston: Jan 24–Feb 7
Plant out, Boston: Mar 7–Mar 21
Fall planting, Boston: Aug 17–Aug 31
Last frost, Boston: Apr 4

Start seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost; plant out 2–4 weeks before the last frost; sow again for fall 10–12 weeks before the first frost. Even watering keeps heads from splitting.

Cabbage planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

BostonMar 7–Mar 21

WorcesterMar 26–Apr 9

SpringfieldApr 5–Apr 19

CambridgeMar 22–Apr 5

LowellApr 2–Apr 16

BrocktonMar 25–Apr 8

LynnMar 28–Apr 11

QuincyMar 28–Apr 11

New BedfordApr 1–Apr 15

Fall RiverApr 1–Apr 15

NewtonMar 22–Apr 5

LawrenceMar 16–Mar 30

SomervilleMar 7–Mar 21

FraminghamMar 29–Apr 12

HaverhillApr 3–Apr 17

MaldenMar 7–Mar 21

WalthamMar 31–Apr 14

BrooklineMar 22–Apr 5

TauntonMar 25–Apr 8

RevereMar 7–Mar 21

MedfordMar 7–Mar 21

Weymouth TownMar 28–Apr 11

PeabodyMar 27–Apr 10

ChicopeeApr 5–Apr 19

MethuenMar 16–Mar 30

EverettMar 7–Mar 21

Barnstable TownMar 19–Apr 2

AttleboroMar 30–Apr 13

ArlingtonMar 31–Apr 14

SalemMar 28–Apr 11

All 69 cities

City	Start indoors	Plant out	Fall planting	Last frost
Boston	Jan 24 to Feb 7	Mar 7 to Mar 21	Aug 17 to Aug 31	Apr 4
Worcester	Feb 12 to Feb 26	Mar 26 to Apr 9	Jul 29 to Aug 12	Apr 23
Springfield	Feb 22 to Mar 8	Apr 5 to Apr 19	Jul 16 to Jul 30	May 3
Cambridge	Feb 8 to Feb 22	Mar 22 to Apr 5	Jul 31 to Aug 14	Apr 19
Lowell	Feb 19 to Mar 5	Apr 2 to Apr 16	Jul 18 to Aug 1	Apr 30
Brockton	Feb 11 to Feb 25	Mar 25 to Apr 8	Jul 27 to Aug 10	Apr 22
Lynn	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 11	Jul 28 to Aug 11	Apr 25
Quincy	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 11	Jul 30 to Aug 13	Apr 25
New Bedford	Feb 18 to Mar 4	Apr 1 to Apr 15	Jul 23 to Aug 6	Apr 29
Fall River	Feb 18 to Mar 4	Apr 1 to Apr 15	Jul 23 to Aug 6	Apr 29
Newton	Feb 8 to Feb 22	Mar 22 to Apr 5	Jul 31 to Aug 14	Apr 19
Lawrence	Feb 2 to Feb 16	Mar 16 to Mar 30	Aug 5 to Aug 19	Apr 13
Somerville	Jan 24 to Feb 7	Mar 7 to Mar 21	Aug 17 to Aug 31	Apr 4
Framingham	Feb 15 to Mar 1	Mar 29 to Apr 12	Jul 20 to Aug 3	Apr 26
Haverhill	Feb 20 to Mar 6	Apr 3 to Apr 17	Jul 20 to Aug 3	May 1
Malden	Jan 24 to Feb 7	Mar 7 to Mar 21	Aug 17 to Aug 31	Apr 4
Waltham	Feb 17 to Mar 3	Mar 31 to Apr 14	Jul 18 to Aug 1	Apr 28
Brookline	Feb 8 to Feb 22	Mar 22 to Apr 5	Jul 31 to Aug 14	Apr 19
Taunton	Feb 11 to Feb 25	Mar 25 to Apr 8	Jul 27 to Aug 10	Apr 22
Revere	Jan 24 to Feb 7	Mar 7 to Mar 21	Aug 17 to Aug 31	Apr 4
Medford	Jan 24 to Feb 7	Mar 7 to Mar 21	Aug 17 to Aug 31	Apr 4
Weymouth Town	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 11	Jul 30 to Aug 13	Apr 25
Peabody	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Mar 27 to Apr 10	Jul 25 to Aug 8	Apr 24
Chicopee	Feb 22 to Mar 8	Apr 5 to Apr 19	Jul 16 to Jul 30	May 3
Methuen	Feb 2 to Feb 16	Mar 16 to Mar 30	Aug 5 to Aug 19	Apr 13
Everett	Jan 24 to Feb 7	Mar 7 to Mar 21	Aug 17 to Aug 31	Apr 4
Barnstable Town	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Mar 19 to Apr 2	Aug 7 to Aug 21	Apr 16
Attleboro	Feb 16 to Mar 2	Mar 30 to Apr 13	Jul 23 to Aug 6	Apr 27
Arlington	Feb 17 to Mar 3	Mar 31 to Apr 14	Jul 18 to Aug 1	Apr 28
Salem	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 11	Jul 28 to Aug 11	Apr 25
Leominster	Feb 18 to Mar 4	Apr 1 to Apr 15	Jul 19 to Aug 2	Apr 29
Woburn	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 11	Jul 25 to Aug 8	Apr 25
Beverly	Feb 23 to Mar 9	Apr 6 to Apr 20	Jul 20 to Aug 3	May 4
Pittsfield	Feb 24 to Mar 10	Apr 7 to Apr 21	Jul 13 to Jul 27	May 5
Marlborough	Feb 21 to Mar 7	Apr 4 to Apr 18	Jul 14 to Jul 28	May 2
Fitchburg	Feb 20 to Mar 6	Apr 3 to Apr 17	Jul 17 to Jul 31	May 1
Amherst Town	Feb 24 to Mar 10	Apr 7 to Apr 21	Jul 16 to Jul 30	May 5
Westfield	Feb 22 to Mar 8	Apr 5 to Apr 19	Jul 16 to Jul 30	May 3
Chelsea	Jan 24 to Feb 7	Mar 7 to Mar 21	Aug 17 to Aug 31	Apr 4
Braintree Town	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 11	Jul 30 to Aug 13	Apr 25
Holyoke	Feb 22 to Mar 8	Apr 5 to Apr 19	Jul 16 to Jul 30	May 3
Watertown	Feb 8 to Feb 22	Mar 22 to Apr 5	Jul 31 to Aug 14	Apr 19
Randolph Town	Feb 7 to Feb 21	Mar 21 to Apr 4	Aug 3 to Aug 17	Apr 18
Lexington	Feb 17 to Mar 3	Mar 31 to Apr 14	Jul 18 to Aug 1	Apr 28
Franklin Town	Feb 19 to Mar 5	Apr 2 to Apr 16	Jul 17 to Jul 31	Apr 30
Needham	Feb 15 to Mar 1	Mar 29 to Apr 12	Jul 20 to Aug 3	Apr 26
North Attleborough Town	Feb 11 to Feb 25	Mar 25 to Apr 8	Jul 27 to Aug 10	Apr 22
Norwood	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 11	Jul 17 to Jul 31	Apr 25
Northampton	Feb 24 to Mar 10	Apr 7 to Apr 21	Jul 16 to Jul 30	May 5
Gloucester	Feb 23 to Mar 9	Apr 6 to Apr 20	Jul 20 to Aug 3	May 4
Wellesley	Feb 15 to Mar 1	Mar 29 to Apr 12	Jul 20 to Aug 3	Apr 26
Melrose	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 11	Jul 25 to Aug 8	Apr 25
Bridgewater Town	Feb 20 to Mar 6	Apr 3 to Apr 17	Jul 17 to Jul 31	May 1
West Springfield Town	Feb 22 to Mar 8	Apr 5 to Apr 19	Jul 16 to Jul 30	May 3
Agawam Town	Feb 22 to Mar 8	Apr 5 to Apr 19	Jul 16 to Jul 30	May 3
Saugus	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 11	Jul 25 to Aug 8	Apr 25
Milton	Feb 7 to Feb 21	Mar 21 to Apr 4	Aug 3 to Aug 17	Apr 18
Danvers	Feb 13 to Feb 27	Mar 27 to Apr 10	Jul 25 to Aug 8	Apr 24
Milford	Feb 19 to Mar 5	Apr 2 to Apr 16	Jul 17 to Jul 31	Apr 30
Wakefield	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 11	Jul 25 to Aug 8	Apr 25
Belmont	Feb 8 to Feb 22	Mar 22 to Apr 5	Jul 31 to Aug 14	Apr 19
Burlington	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 11	Jul 25 to Aug 8	Apr 25
Reading	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 11	Jul 25 to Aug 8	Apr 25
Dedham	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 11	Jul 17 to Jul 31	Apr 25
Wilmington	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 11	Jul 25 to Aug 8	Apr 25
Stoneham	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 11	Jul 25 to Aug 8	Apr 25
Winchester	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 11	Jul 25 to Aug 8	Apr 25
Gardner	Feb 21 to Mar 7	Apr 4 to Apr 18	Jul 21 to Aug 4	May 2
Marblehead	Feb 14 to Feb 28	Mar 28 to Apr 11	Jul 28 to Aug 11	Apr 25

Questions

When should I plant cabbage in Massachusetts?

In Boston, plant out from March 7 to March 21. Across Massachusetts the window opens between March 7 and April 7, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Start seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost; plant out 2–4 weeks before the last frost; sow again for fall 10–12 weeks before the first frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Massachusetts

Cabbage in other states

Frost dates for every city in Massachusetts