USDA hardiness zone lookup
Cambridge (02139) — USDA Zone 7a
Cambridge, Massachusetts · 185-day growing season
Frost dates and growing season for 02139
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 7a |
|---|---|
| Average last spring frost | April 28 |
| Average first fall frost | October 30 |
| Growing season length | ~185 days |
| Temperature range (F) | 0 to 10°F |
| Temperature range (C) | -18 to -12°C |
These are 50%-probability averages modeled from this ZIP's USDA hardiness zone and regional climate normals — not a single-station reading. In a typical year the last spring frost will have passed by April 28, but in a colder-than-average year it can run 1-2 weeks later. Plant tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, basil) once both soil and night temperatures are consistently warm — a thermometer beats the calendar.
Growing season in Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts sits in USDA Zone 7a, with roughly 185 frost-free days between an average last spring frost around April 28 and a first fall frost around October 30. That is a long season — succession-sow through summer and run a full fall crop; heat-sensitive greens still need spring/autumn timing.
What grows in Cambridge
Cambridge falls in USDA Zone 7a, which means the same hardiness constraints apply as the full Zone 7 guide. Vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees rated to Zone 7a (or hardier) will overwinter here in a typical year.
- Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant
- Okra
- Sweet potatoes
- Squash, melons
- Beans (lima + pole)
- Figs
- Pomegranates (in protected spots)
- Apples, peaches, plums, pears
- Blueberries (rabbiteye + highbush)
- Asparagus, rhubarb
What to plant in Cambridge this week
Cambridge's last frost is around April 28. This is the spring transplant window — start tomatoes and peppers indoors if you haven't, and direct-sow cold-tolerant crops now.
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 7
- When to plant peppers in zone 7
- When to plant basil in zone 7
- When to plant bush beans in zone 7
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 7
Full planting calendar for Cambridge
Crop-by-crop sowing, transplant, and harvest dates calibrated to zone 7 averages:
- When to plant tomatoes in zone 7
- When to plant peppers in zone 7
- When to plant basil in zone 7
- When to plant garlic in zone 7
- When to plant lettuce in zone 7
- When to plant bush beans in zone 7
- When to plant cucumbers in zone 7
- When to plant summer squash in zone 7
- When to plant peas in zone 7
- When to plant carrots in zone 7
Local microclimate notes
Zone tables give you the average — but Cambridgegardens vary. South-facing walls and paved areas can run a full half-zone warmer than the published rating. Low-lying spots, frost pockets, and shaded north sides can run colder. If you've gardened here a few seasons, your own frost record (the last time you actually got frost damage) is more accurate than any national average.
Source and methodology
Hardiness zone from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 revision). Frost-date and growing-season figures are modeled from this ZIP's USDA hardiness zone and regional NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals — they are zone-level estimates, not a per-station record, so treat them as planning guidance and confirm against your own local frost history. Crop recommendations are drawn from US Cooperative Extension references and curated by the Growli editorial team. Last reviewed May 2026.
Nearby ZIP codes in Massachusetts
- 02108 — Boston (Zone 7a)
- 01609 — Worcester (Zone 6a)
- 01103 — Springfield (Zone 6a)
- 02118 — Boston (South End) (Zone 7a)
- 02124 — Boston (Dorchester) (Zone 7a)
- 02125 — Boston (Dorchester North) (Zone 7a)
- 02151 — Revere (Zone 7a)
- 02143 — Somerville (Zone 6b)
- 02148 — Malden (Zone 6b)
- 02301 — Brockton (Zone 6b)
- 02740 — New Bedford (Zone 7a)
- 02720 — Fall River (Zone 7a)
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