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When to plant in Newburyport, MA

USDA Zone 6b

Everything below — frost dates, hardiness zone, and what to plant when in Newburyport, Massachusetts — is derived from the closest NOAA station with complete climate normals.

Zone 6b means Newburyport sees real winter cold, but a good range of perennials survive; the frost dates above govern when annual vegetables go out.

Station · GROVELAND · 14.7 km
Last spring frost
May 3
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 8
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
158 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for NewburyportA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Newburyport: last spring frost around May 3, first fall frost around October 8, about 158 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

GROVELAND · 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 Newburyport’s own odds, recorded at GROVELAND.

Frost-probability curves for NewburyportProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around May 3 and the first fall frost around October 8, giving about 158 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 15May 3Sep 17Sep 30Oct 10
32°FMay 17May 3Apr 22Sep 28Oct 8Oct 23
28°FMay 4Apr 21Apr 7Oct 5Oct 20Nov 4

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
Broccoli
July 16July 30
Fall sowopen now
Cabbage
July 16July 30
Fall sowopen now
Carrot
July 16July 30
Fall sowopen now
Cauliflower
July 16July 30
Fall sowopen now
Napa Cabbage
July 16August 13
Fall sowin 11 days
Beet
July 30August 13
Fall sowin 11 days
Collards
July 30August 27
Fall sowin 11 days
Endive
July 30August 13
Fall sowin 11 days
Escarole
July 30August 13
Fall sowin 11 days
Fennel (Bulb)
July 30August 13
Fall sowin 11 days
Kale
July 30August 27
Fall sowin 11 days
Kohlrabi
July 30August 27
Fall sowin 11 days
Peas
July 30August 13
Fall sowin 11 days
Radicchio
July 30August 13
Fall sowin 11 days
Swiss Chard
July 30August 13
Fall sowin 11 days
Turnip
July 30August 27
Fall sowin 25 days
Arugula
August 13September 10
Fall sowin 25 days
Bok Choy
August 13August 27
Fall sowin 25 days
Chervil
August 13September 10
Fall sowin 25 days
Cilantro
August 13September 10
Fall sowin 25 days
Claytonia (Miner's Lettuce)
August 13September 10
Fall sowin 25 days
Corn Salad (Mâche)
August 13September 10
Fall sowin 25 days
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)
August 13August 27
Fall sowin 25 days
Lettuce
August 13September 10
Fall sowin 25 days
Mizuna
August 13September 10
Fall sowin 25 days
Mustard Greens
August 13September 10
Fall sowin 25 days
Radish
August 13September 10
Fall sowin 25 days
Shungiku (Edible Chrysanthemum)
August 13August 27
Fall sowin 25 days
Spinach
August 13September 10
Fall sowin 25 days
Tatsoi
August 13September 10

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 Newburyport, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 22 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.

GROVELAND
Primary
15 km · 9 m elevation
SPRING
May 3
FALL
Oct 8
HAVERHILL
15 km · 6 m elevation
SPRING
May 1
FALL
Oct 12
LAWRENCE MUNI AP
22 km · 45 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 21
FALL
Oct 21

Newburyport planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Newburyport, MA?

Newburyport's average last spring frost falls near May 3 — the 50% mark at 32°F in the 1991–2020 normals. Hold tender transplants until the risk has passed, then plant out.

When is the first fall frost in Newburyport, MA?

The first fall frost in Newburyport typically arrives around October 8 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is Newburyport in?

Newburyport is in USDA hardiness zone 6b. In zone 6b, winters are moderate — most common vegetables grow well in season.

How long is the growing season in Newburyport?

There are roughly 158 frost-free days in Newburyport (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around May 3 to the first fall frost near October 8.

When should I plant tomatoes in Newburyport?

In Newburyport, start tomato seeds indoors around March 8–March 22, then transplant seedlings outdoors around May 10 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Newburyport

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at GROVELAND, 15 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 Newburyport, MA — Frost Dates & Zone 6b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00193276. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/massachusetts/newburyport.