When to plant turnips in Massachusetts

Sow outdoors 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.

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

Sow outdoors 2–4 weeks before the last frost; sow again for fall 8–10 weeks before the first frost. Fall turnips are sweeter. Pull them at 2–3 inches across.

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

Questions

When should I plant turnips in Massachusetts?

In Boston, sow outdoors 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?

Sow outdoors 2–4 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

Turnips in other states

Frost dates for every city in Massachusetts