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When to plant in Palmer Town, MA

USDA Zone 6a

Here are the average frost dates, USDA hardiness zone, and a month-by-month planting calendar for Palmer Town, Massachusetts — all computed from Palmer Town's nearest NOAA weather station.

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

Station · BELCHERTOWN · 10.7 km
Last spring frost
May 3
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 14
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
164 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for Palmer TownA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Palmer Town: last spring frost around May 3, first fall frost around October 14, about 164 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

BELCHERTOWN · 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 Palmer Town’s own odds, recorded at BELCHERTOWN.

Frost-probability curves for Palmer TownProbability 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 14, giving about 164 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 25May 13Apr 30Sep 23Oct 4Oct 16
32°FMay 16May 3Apr 21Oct 1Oct 14Oct 29
28°FMay 4Apr 20Apr 7Oct 12Oct 27Nov 9

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 8July 22
Fall sowin 3 days
Broccoli
July 22August 5
Fall sowin 3 days
Cabbage
July 22August 5
Fall sowin 3 days
Carrot
July 22August 5
Fall sowin 3 days
Cauliflower
July 22August 5
Fall sowin 3 days
Napa Cabbage
July 22August 19
Fall sowin 17 days
Beet
August 5August 19
Fall sowin 17 days
Collards
August 5September 2
Fall sowin 17 days
Endive
August 5August 19
Fall sowin 17 days
Escarole
August 5August 19
Fall sowin 17 days
Fennel (Bulb)
August 5August 19
Fall sowin 17 days
Kale
August 5September 2
Fall sowin 17 days
Kohlrabi
August 5September 2
Fall sowin 17 days
Peas
August 5August 19
Fall sowin 17 days
Radicchio
August 5August 19
Fall sowin 17 days
Swiss Chard
August 5August 19
Fall sowin 17 days
Turnip
August 5September 2

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 Palmer Town, 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.

BELCHERTOWN
Primary
11 km · 168 m elevation
SPRING
May 3
FALL
Oct 14
E BRIMFIELD LAKE
17 km · 213 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 28
FALL
Oct 15
STAFFORDVILLE
22 km · 224 m elevation
SPRING
May 7
FALL
Oct 12

Palmer Town planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Palmer Town, MA?

Palmer Town'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 Palmer Town, MA?

The first fall frost in Palmer Town typically arrives around October 14 (50% probability at 32°F). Harvest or protect frost-sensitive crops before then.

What hardiness zone is Palmer Town in?

Palmer Town is in USDA hardiness zone 6a. In zone 6a, winters are moderate — most common vegetables grow well in season.

How long is the growing season in Palmer Town?

There are roughly 164 frost-free days in Palmer Town (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around May 3 to the first fall frost near October 14.

When should I plant tomatoes in Palmer Town?

In Palmer Town, 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 Palmer Town

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

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at BELCHERTOWN, 11 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 Palmer Town, MA — Frost Dates & Zone 6a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00190562. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/massachusetts/palmer-town.
When to Plant in Palmer Town, MA — Frost Dates & Zone 6a — BlissGarden