When to plant in Winchester, MA
USDA Zone 6bWinchester, Massachusetts frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.
Zone 6b means Winchester sees real winter cold, but a good range of perennials survive; the frost dates above govern when annual vegetables go out.
The average last spring frost in Winchester is now 5 days earlier than in the 1981–2010 normals. See how frost dates are shifting nationwide →
Frost probability
READING · 1991–2020The 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 Winchester’s own odds, recorded at READING.
| Threshold | SPRING 10% | SPRING 50% | SPRING 90% | FALL 10% | FALL 50% | FALL 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | May 20 | May 7 | Apr 26 | Sep 26 | Oct 6 | Oct 20 |
| 32°F | May 8 | Apr 25 | Apr 13 | Oct 3 | Oct 17 | Nov 1 |
| 28°F | Apr 24 | Apr 11 | Mar 31 | Oct 14 | Oct 30 | Nov 11 |
Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.
What to plant now
TODAY · JULY 19Full-year planting calendar
Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Winchester, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.
Nearby weather stations
3 within 12 km · complete 32°F normalsWhen 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.
Winchester planting FAQ
When is the last spring frost in Winchester, MA?
Plan for the last spring frost in Winchester around April 25 (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 Winchester, MA?
In Winchester, the first 32°F freeze of fall lands around October 17 on average. Time your last harvests and any season-extension cover before it.
What hardiness zone is Winchester in?
Winchester 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 Winchester?
There are roughly 175 frost-free days in Winchester (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around April 25 to the first fall frost near October 17.
When should I plant tomatoes in Winchester?
In Winchester, start tomato seeds indoors around February 28–March 14, then transplant seedlings outdoors around May 2 once the danger of frost has passed.
Never miss a window in Winchester
An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Winchester’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.
Nearby cities
8 within reachFrost dates recorded at READING, 8 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Winchester, MA — Frost Dates & Zone 6b." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00196783. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/massachusetts/winchester.