When to plant lettuce in Massachusetts

Plant out in Boston

Mar 21–Apr 11

Across Massachusetts the window opens between March 21 and April 21. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Start indoors, Boston: Feb 7–Feb 21
Plant out, Boston: Mar 21–Apr 11
Sow outdoors, Boston: Mar 7–Apr 11
Fall planting, Boston: Sep 14–Sep 28
Last frost, Boston: Apr 4

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost; plant out from 2 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow outdoors from 4 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow again for fall 6–8 weeks before the first frost. Lettuce bolts in heat. Sow small batches every two weeks in spring and again in late summer.

Lettuce planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

BostonMar 21–Apr 11

WorcesterApr 9–Apr 30

SpringfieldApr 19–May 10

CambridgeApr 5–Apr 26

LowellApr 16–May 7

BrocktonApr 8–Apr 29

LynnApr 11–May 2

QuincyApr 11–May 2

New BedfordApr 15–May 6

Fall RiverApr 15–May 6

NewtonApr 5–Apr 26

LawrenceMar 30–Apr 20

SomervilleMar 21–Apr 11

FraminghamApr 12–May 3

HaverhillApr 17–May 8

MaldenMar 21–Apr 11

WalthamApr 14–May 5

BrooklineApr 5–Apr 26

TauntonApr 8–Apr 29

RevereMar 21–Apr 11

MedfordMar 21–Apr 11

Weymouth TownApr 11–May 2

PeabodyApr 10–May 1

ChicopeeApr 19–May 10

MethuenMar 30–Apr 20

EverettMar 21–Apr 11

Barnstable TownApr 2–Apr 23

AttleboroApr 13–May 4

ArlingtonApr 14–May 5

SalemApr 11–May 2

All 69 cities

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

Questions

When should I plant lettuce in Massachusetts?

In Boston, plant out from March 21 to April 11. Across Massachusetts the window opens between March 21 and April 21, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost; plant out from 2 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow outdoors from 4 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow again for fall 6–8 weeks before the first frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Massachusetts

Lettuce in other states

Frost dates for every city in Massachusetts