Fall River, Massachusetts: planting zone & frost dates
Fall River is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7a, where the average coldest winter night reaches 0 to 5°F (-17.8 to -15.0°C). The typical last spring frost is around May 5 and the first fall frost around Oct 9.
Frost dates
| Probability | Last spring frost (32°F) | First fall frost (32°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Safer (10% risk) | May 15 | Oct 2 |
| Typical planning date (30% risk) | May 5 | Oct 9 |
| Median (50%) | Apr 29 | Oct 15 |
How to read this: after the spring "10% risk" date, a 32°F frost happens in only about 1 year in 10. In fall, the "10% risk" date is the early end — a frost before it happens about 1 year in 10.
Frost data comes from NOAA station NEW BEDFORD MUNI AP, MA (USW00094726), 7.8 mi (12.5 km) from the city center and 52 ft lower than the city center (-16 m). Record used for the 1991–2020 normals: 22 years.
Why your yard may differ from the station: microclimates.
Hardiness zone across Fall River
All 7 ZIP codes covering Fall River are in zone 7a.
Vegetable planting calendar for Fall River
Dates are counted from the 30%-risk frost dates above (last frost May 5, first frost Oct 9). Shift a week later in cold spots or low-lying ground.
| Crop | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop sow/plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | May 12 – May 26 | — | — |
| Pepper | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | May 19 – Jun 2 | — | — |
| Lettuce | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | Apr 21 – May 12 | Apr 7 – May 19 | Jul 31 – Aug 28 |
| Green Beans | — | — | May 12 – Jun 16 | Jul 17 – Jul 31 |
| Sweet Corn | — | — | May 12 – Jun 9 | — |
| Zucchini & Summer Squash | Apr 7 – Apr 14 | May 12 – May 26 | May 12 – Jun 2 | Jul 17 – Jul 31 |
| Cucumber | Apr 7 – Apr 14 | May 19 – May 26 | May 12 – Jun 2 | Jul 17 – Jul 31 |
| Carrot | — | — | Apr 14 – May 19 | Jul 17 – Jul 31 |
| Onion | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 | — | — |
| Potato | — | Apr 7 – Apr 28 | — | — |
| Basil | Mar 24 – Apr 7 | May 19 – Jun 2 | May 19 – Jun 9 | — |
| Spinach | — | — | Mar 24 – Apr 21 | Aug 14 – Sep 11 |
| Kale | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | Apr 7 – Apr 28 | Apr 7 – Apr 28 | Jul 31 – Aug 28 |
| Broccoli | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | Apr 21 – May 12 | — | Jul 17 – Jul 31 |
| Peas | — | — | Mar 24 – Apr 14 | Jul 31 – Aug 14 |
| Eggplant | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | May 19 – Jun 2 | — | — |
| Cabbage | Mar 10 – Mar 24 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 | — | Jul 17 – Jul 31 |
| Radish | — | — | Mar 31 – May 19 | Aug 28 – Sep 25 |
| Strawberry | — | Apr 7 – Apr 28 | — | — |
| Beets | — | — | Apr 14 – May 26 | Jul 31 – Aug 14 |
Nearby cities in Massachusetts
- New Bedford — zone 7a, last frost May 5, first frost Oct 9
- Brockton — zone 6b, last frost Apr 28, first frost Oct 13
- Quincy — zone 6b, last frost Apr 30, first frost Oct 15
- Newton — zone 6b, last frost Apr 24, first frost Oct 16
- Boston — zone 6b, last frost Apr 8, first frost Nov 3
- Cambridge — zone 6b, last frost Apr 8, first frost Nov 3
More: all Massachusetts cities · other zone 7a cities: Louisville, KY, Wichita, KS, Cleveland, OH, Lexington, KY, St. Louis, MO, Boise, ID, Amarillo, TX, Providence, RI
Fall River gardening questions
When is the last frost in Fall River, MA?
Plan around May 5. At NOAA's NEW Bedford Municipal Airport, MA station, 7.8 mi from the city center, there is a 30% chance of a 32°F frost after that date. Half of springs have their last frost by Apr 29, and after May 15 the risk drops to about 1 in 10. A hard freeze (28°F) usually ends earlier, around Apr 15. The last frost is fairly predictable here: only 28 days separate the 90% and 10% dates (median for cities on this site: 36 days).
When should I plant tomatoes in Fall River, MA?
Start seeds indoors Mar 10 – Mar 24 and set transplants outside May 12 – May 26, once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is near 60°F. That leaves 157 days between the 30% frost dates, enough for most varieties including 80–85-day slicers. More: tomato planting dates by zone.
How long is the growing season in Fall River?
About 167 days without a 32°F frost in a typical (median) year. In 9 years out of 10 the season lasts at least 148 days, and in 1 year in 10 it runs 188 days or more. In fall there is a 10% chance of frost by Oct 2 and a 30% chance by Oct 9. That ranks 10th longest of 13 Massachusetts cities on this site.
When should I plant a fall garden in Fall River?
Count back from the first fall frost (Oct 9): transplant broccoli Jul 17 – Jul 31; sow kale Jul 31 – Aug 28; sow lettuce Jul 31 – Aug 28; sow radishes Aug 28 – Sep 25. Hardy crops keep growing through light frosts; the median 28°F hard freeze here is Oct 28. How the math works: succession and fall planting.
Did Fall River's hardiness zone change on the 2023 map?
Yes. Most of Fall River was zone 6b on the 2012 map and is zone 7a on the 2023 map — half a zone warmer, like about 56% of U.S. ZIP codes. The shift comes from a newer 1991–2020 averaging period plus more weather stations and better mapping; it does not mean last frost comes earlier. Why the 2023 map is warmer.
How does Fall River compare with Warwick, RI?
Both are in zone 7a. The typical last spring frost in Fall River (May 5) comes about 18 days later than in Warwick, RI (Apr 17), 17 miles away, and the first fall frost is Oct 9 versus Oct 24. The two cities use different NOAA stations.