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When to plant in Fall River, MA

USDA Zone 7a

Fall River, Massachusetts frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.

In zone 7a, Fall River supports a wide range of perennials year-round; the frost dates above are what set your annual vegetable timing.

Station · NEW BEDFORD MUNI AP · 12.5 km
Last spring frost
April 29
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 15
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
169 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Fall RiverA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Fall River: last spring frost around April 29, first fall frost around October 15, about 169 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

NEW BEDFORD MUNI AP · 1991–2020

The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Fall River’s own odds, recorded at NEW BEDFORD MUNI AP.

Frost-probability curves for Fall RiverProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 29 and the first fall frost around October 15, giving about 169 frost-free days.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FMay 27May 12Apr 28Sep 22Oct 3Oct 18
32°FMay 15Apr 29Apr 17Oct 2Oct 15Oct 31
28°FApr 30Apr 15Mar 31Oct 12Oct 28Nov 12

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowopen now
Rutabaga
July 9July 23
Fall sowin 4 days
Broccoli
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Cabbage
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Carrot
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Cauliflower
July 23August 6
Fall sowin 4 days
Napa Cabbage
July 23August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Beet
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Collards
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Endive
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Escarole
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Fennel (Bulb)
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Kale
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Kohlrabi
August 6September 3
Fall sowin 18 days
Peas
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Radicchio
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Swiss Chard
August 6August 20
Fall sowin 18 days
Turnip
August 6September 3

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Fall River, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 16 km · complete 32°F normals

When stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.

NEW BEDFORD MUNI AP
Primary
13 km · 24 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 29
FALL
Oct 15
TIVERTON
15 km · 27 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 11
FALL
Nov 2
ROCHESTER
16 km · 20 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 23
FALL
Oct 21

Fall River planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Fall River, MA?

Plan for the last spring frost in Fall River around April 29 (the date it has a 50% chance of a 32°F freeze). Anything frost-sensitive should go out after it.

When is the first fall frost in Fall River, MA?

Expect Fall River's first fall frost near October 15 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Fall River in?

Fall River is in USDA hardiness zone 7a. In zone 7a, winters are moderate — most common vegetables grow well in season.

How long is the growing season in Fall River?

Fall River has about 169 frost-free days — a moderate growing season — between the average last spring frost (April 29) and first fall frost (October 15).

When should I plant tomatoes in Fall River?

For Fall River, sow tomatoes indoors about March 4–March 18 and move the seedlings out around May 6, after the last spring frost.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Fall River

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Fall River’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at NEW BEDFORD MUNI AP, 13 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Fall River, MA — Frost Dates & Zone 7a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USW00094726. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/massachusetts/fall-river.