When to plant peas in Massachusetts

Sow outdoors in Boston

Feb 21–Mar 7

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.

Sow outdoors, Boston: Feb 21–Mar 7
Fall planting, Boston: Aug 31–Sep 14
Last frost, Boston: Apr 4

Sow outdoors 4–6 weeks before the last frost; sow again for fall 8–10 weeks before the first frost. Peas handle frost. The usual mistake is sowing too late and losing the crop to summer heat.

Peas planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

BostonFeb 21–Mar 7

WorcesterMar 12–Mar 26

SpringfieldMar 22–Apr 5

CambridgeMar 8–Mar 22

LowellMar 19–Apr 2

BrocktonMar 11–Mar 25

LynnMar 14–Mar 28

QuincyMar 14–Mar 28

New BedfordMar 18–Apr 1

Fall RiverMar 18–Apr 1

NewtonMar 8–Mar 22

LawrenceMar 2–Mar 16

SomervilleFeb 21–Mar 7

FraminghamMar 15–Mar 29

HaverhillMar 20–Apr 3

MaldenFeb 21–Mar 7

WalthamMar 17–Mar 31

BrooklineMar 8–Mar 22

TauntonMar 11–Mar 25

RevereFeb 21–Mar 7

MedfordFeb 21–Mar 7

Weymouth TownMar 14–Mar 28

PeabodyMar 13–Mar 27

ChicopeeMar 22–Apr 5

MethuenMar 2–Mar 16

EverettFeb 21–Mar 7

Barnstable TownMar 5–Mar 19

AttleboroMar 16–Mar 30

ArlingtonMar 17–Mar 31

SalemMar 14–Mar 28

All 69 cities

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

Questions

When should I plant peas in Massachusetts?

In Boston, sow outdoors from February 21 to March 7. Across Massachusetts the window opens between February 21 and March 24, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Sow outdoors 4–6 weeks before the last frost; sow again for fall 8–10 weeks before the first frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Massachusetts

Peas in other states

Frost dates for every city in Massachusetts