When to plant onions in Massachusetts

Plant out in Boston

Feb 21–Mar 14

Across Massachusetts the window opens between February 21 and March 24. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Start indoors, Boston: Jan 10–Feb 7
Plant out, Boston: Feb 21–Mar 14
Last frost, Boston: Apr 4

Start seeds indoors 8–12 weeks before the last frost; plant out 3–6 weeks before the last frost. Northern gardens need long-day varieties and southern gardens need short-day ones. A wrong pick gives small bulbs.

Onions planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

BostonFeb 21–Mar 14

WorcesterMar 12–Apr 2

SpringfieldMar 22–Apr 12

CambridgeMar 8–Mar 29

LowellMar 19–Apr 9

BrocktonMar 11–Apr 1

LynnMar 14–Apr 4

QuincyMar 14–Apr 4

New BedfordMar 18–Apr 8

Fall RiverMar 18–Apr 8

NewtonMar 8–Mar 29

LawrenceMar 2–Mar 23

SomervilleFeb 21–Mar 14

FraminghamMar 15–Apr 5

HaverhillMar 20–Apr 10

MaldenFeb 21–Mar 14

WalthamMar 17–Apr 7

BrooklineMar 8–Mar 29

TauntonMar 11–Apr 1

RevereFeb 21–Mar 14

MedfordFeb 21–Mar 14

Weymouth TownMar 14–Apr 4

PeabodyMar 13–Apr 3

ChicopeeMar 22–Apr 12

MethuenMar 2–Mar 23

EverettFeb 21–Mar 14

Barnstable TownMar 5–Mar 26

AttleboroMar 16–Apr 6

ArlingtonMar 17–Apr 7

SalemMar 14–Apr 4

All 69 cities

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

Questions

When should I plant onions in Massachusetts?

In Boston, plant out from February 21 to March 14. Across Massachusetts the window opens between February 21 and March 24, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Start seeds indoors 8–12 weeks before the last frost; plant out 3–6 weeks before the last frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Massachusetts

Onions in other states

Frost dates for every city in Massachusetts