What to plant this week in Boston, MA
Boston gardeners are officially past the last frost date of April 3, allowing you to rush cool-season crops like garlic and borage into the ground immediately. With overnight temperatures hovering near your zone's minimum of 0°F, be ready for a chilly snap while enjoying the harvest of beans and melons that have survived this week.
The next 7 days
Boston, MAGrowing in Boston right now
- The city's notorious 'urban heat island' effect means Boston often warms faster than surrounding rural areas, but coastal breezes can still chill early tomatoes; monitor forecasts closely before planting sensitive starts outdoors.
- Boston soil tends to be heavy clay in many neighborhoods, making drainage difficult; amend raised beds or dig deep holes with compost and coarse sand to prevent root rot for your new squash and pumpkin plants.
- Spring rainfall is frequent and often windy, so secure tall sunflowers and zinnias with stakes now before storms knock them over, as the city's narrow streets create unpredictable gusts.
Sow this week
No direct sowing windows open this week.
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
37 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Honeydew Melon
- Lima Bean
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Pumpkin
- Roselle (Cranberry Hibiscus)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Sweet Potato
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Thin out overcrowded seedlings to give remaining plants room for air circulation and sun.
- Apply a light layer of straw mulch around warm-weather crops to retain soil moisture during heat waves.
- Practice succession sowing with fast-maturing beans or radishes every two weeks to extend your harvest window.
Pest & disease watch
- Spider mites are emerging on the underside of basil leaves in our warmer microclimates; mist plants gently in the morning to dislodge them and keep humidity up.
- Cutworms frequently attack young bean and corn seedlings at night, so check the soil line daily and use cardboard collars or hand-pick any larvae you find.
- Late spring powdery mildew can strike cucumbers and melons quickly if nights stay cool while days are warm; apply a baking soda solution early to prevent white patches on leaves.
Watering this week
Water deeply at the base of plants in the early morning to reduce evaporation and prevent fungal diseases on wet foliage.
Harvest basil leaves regularly by pinching off stems just above a leaf pair to encourage bushier growth rather than flowering.
Boston gardening questions
3Is it safe to plant my cold-sensitive crops like basil and zucchini outdoors this week?
Since we have passed the average last frost date of April 3, it is generally safe to transplant warm-weather crops now. However, keep them under a row cover for the first few nights if temperatures dip near our zone minimum of 0°F.
What specific pests should I watch for on my newly planted beans and corn?
Cutworms are the primary threat this week, often severing seedlings at soil level just before dawn. Place small cardboard tubes around the base of each plant to create a barrier that prevents them from climbing up.
How do I handle Boston's heavy clay soil when starting new squash beds?
Mix in generous amounts of aged compost and perlite or coarse sand to improve drainage for your pumpkins and zucchini. Avoid planting directly into cold, wet ground as it can lead to root rot before the plants establish.
Other cities in zone 7a
12See the full zone 7a guide → · Plan your Boston garden in SproutGuide →