When to plant · 35 cities · zones 5b–7a
When to plant carrots in Massachusetts
Direct sow nantes carrot around Apr 13 — the Massachusetts statewide median, counted from a last spring frost of Apr 27 across 539 ZIP codes and 72 NOAA stations.
The rule: Direct sow two weeks before the last frost and keep the top half-inch of soil damp for the 14–21 days it takes to germinate.
Massachusetts carrots, by step
Statewide median last frost Apr 27, first fall frost Oct 14, 2027 season. Each cultivar's own indoor lead time and days to maturity, same engine as the Plan Builder.
| Cultivar | Start indoors | Sow | First harvest | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nantes CarrotScarlet Nantes | Direct sow | Apr 13 | Jun 22 | 70 from sow |
Tight means first harvest lands within two weeks of the median first fall frost. Statewide dates are the ZIP-weighted median of every NOAA 1991–2020 station Massachusetts's ZIP codes resolve to.
Carrots in Massachusetts, city by city
Nantes Carrot, scheduled from each city's nearest NOAA station — the same dates as its frost page.
| City | Last frost | Sow | First harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bostonzone 7a | Apr 4 | Mar 21 | May 30 |
| Worcesterzone 6a | Apr 23 | Apr 9 | Jun 18 |
| Springfieldzone 6a | May 3 | Apr 19 | Jun 28 |
| Cambridgezone 6b | Apr 19 | Apr 5 | Jun 14 |
| Lowellzone 6b | Apr 30 | Apr 16 | Jun 25 |
| Brocktonzone 6b | Apr 22 | Apr 8 | Jun 17 |
| Lynnzone 7a | Apr 25 | Apr 11 | Jun 20 |
| Quincyzone 7a | Apr 25 | Apr 11 | Jun 20 |
| New Bedfordzone 7a | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | Jun 24 |
| Fall Riverzone 7a | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | Jun 24 |
| Newtonzone 6b | Apr 19 | Apr 5 | Jun 14 |
| Lawrencezone 6b | Apr 13 | Mar 30 | Jun 8 |
| Somervillezone 7a | Apr 4 | Mar 21 | May 30 |
| Framinghamzone 6b | Apr 26 | Apr 12 | Jun 21 |
| Haverhillzone 6a | May 1 | Apr 17 | Jun 26 |
| Maldenzone 6b | Apr 4 | Mar 21 | May 30 |
| Walthamzone 6b | Apr 28 | Apr 14 | Jun 23 |
| Tauntonzone 6b | Apr 22 | Apr 8 | Jun 17 |
| Reverezone 7a | Apr 4 | Mar 21 | May 30 |
| Weymouthzone 6b | Apr 25 | Apr 11 | Jun 20 |
| Medfordzone 6b | Apr 4 | Mar 21 | May 30 |
| Peabodyzone 6b | Apr 24 | Apr 10 | Jun 19 |
| Chicopeezone 6a | May 3 | Apr 19 | Jun 28 |
| Methuenzone 6b | Apr 13 | Mar 30 | Jun 8 |
| Everettzone 7a | Apr 4 | Mar 21 | May 30 |
| Barnstablezone 7a | Apr 16 | Apr 2 | Jun 11 |
| Attleborozone 6b | Apr 27 | Apr 13 | Jun 22 |
| Salemzone 7a | Apr 25 | Apr 11 | Jun 20 |
| Leominsterzone 6a | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | Jun 24 |
| Woburnzone 6b | Apr 25 | Apr 11 | Jun 20 |
| Beverlyzone 6b | May 4 | Apr 20 | Jun 29 |
| Pittsfieldzone 5b | May 5 | Apr 21 | Jun 30 |
| Marlboroughzone 6b | May 2 | Apr 18 | Jun 27 |
| Fitchburgzone 6a | Apr 29 | Apr 15 | Jun 24 |
| Amherstzone 6a | May 5 | Apr 21 | Jun 30 |
What Massachusetts carrots need
Scarlet Nantes Carrot Seed
The carrot that makes a fermented habanero sauce work. It brings sweetness and body so the sauce has texture without thickener and heat without being one-dimensional.
Organic Seed Starter Potting MixMust have
Seed-starting mix is not potting soil with a nicer label — it is finer, lighter, and low in nutrients on purpose, because a seedling's first roots want air and moisture, not fertiliser.
Ocean Forest Potting SoilMust have
Pre-charged with enough nutrition to carry a transplant for its first month without feeding, which is exactly the window when most container plants stall.
5-Gallon Fabric Grow Bags, 5-Pack
Fabric pots air-prune roots and drain faster than a plastic pot can, which is the entire reason container tomatoes fail. Five gallons is the honest minimum for a pepper; a tomato wants ten.
Rapitest Soil Test Kit
In-ground growers are guessing until they test. pH outside 6.0–6.8 locks nutrients out no matter how much fertiliser you add, and no amount of feeding fixes that.
3-in-1 Soil Moisture / Light / pH Tester
Used for one thing — is the root zone actually dry six inches down — it prevents both halves of the most common container failure. Ignore the pH scale on it entirely.
Garden Harvest Basket with Tool Caddy
A harvest basket that doubles as a colander means the hose rinse happens in the garden, and the dirt stays outside. On a 20-pound tomato day that is a genuine time saving.
Paid links. We earn a commission from Amazon if you buy; you pay the same. Disclosure.
Carrots in Massachusetts: questions
When should I plant carrots in Massachusetts?
Direct sow around Apr 13 at the statewide median; across the state that date runs from Mar 30 in the warmest tenth of Massachusetts's ZIP codes to Apr 23 in the coldest. To cut the freeze risk to one year in ten, count from May 11 instead of the median last frost. Use the city table for your own town.
When is the last frost in Massachusetts?
The ZIP-weighted median of NOAA 1991–2020 station medians is Apr 27. In the warmest tenth of Massachusetts's ZIP codes the median last frost falls on or before Apr 13; in the coldest tenth, on or after May 7.
When will Massachusetts carrots be ready to harvest?
Nantes Carrot planted on the statewide date is ready around Jun 22: 70 days from sow.
More for Massachusetts
- When to plant tomatoes
- When to plant peppers
- When to plant tomatillos
- When to plant basil
- When to plant onions
- When to plant cilantro
- When to plant mustard greens
Carrots in every state → · Massachusetts frost dates → · How frost-date math works →