When to plant garlic in Massachusetts
Massachusetts spans USDA zones 5b–7b, so the right time to plant garlic shifts by weeks across the state. The window to plant for fall/overwintering runs from about September 6 in North Adams to October 12 in Boston — below are local dates for 89 cities, each computed from its own frost dates.
| City | Zone | Last frost | First frost | Fall-plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | 7a | April 4 | November 9 | October 12 – October 26 |
| Worcester | 6a | April 23 | October 21 | September 23 – October 7 |
| Springfield | 6a | May 3 | October 8 | September 10 – September 24 |
| Cambridge | 6b | April 19 | October 23 | September 25 – October 9 |
| Lowell | 6b | April 30 | October 10 | September 12 – September 26 |
| Brockton | 6b | April 22 | October 19 | September 21 – October 5 |
| Quincy | 7a | April 25 | October 22 | September 24 – October 8 |
| Lynn | 7a | April 25 | October 20 | September 22 – October 6 |
Garlic in Massachusetts: FAQ
When can I plant garlic in Massachusetts?
Across Massachusetts, the time to fall-plant garlic spans roughly September 6 in North Adams to October 12 in Boston, each following that city's local frost dates.
Does the garlic planting date vary across Massachusetts?
Yes. Massachusetts publishes 89 cities with their own frost dates, so the right garlic planting window shifts by weeks between the warmest and coldest parts of the state — use your city's page for the exact dates.
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