Data: 2023 USDA zones (PRISM/OSU) · NOAA 1991–2020 normals · updated

Planting zone for Nantucket, MA

Nantucket, MA is in USDA zone 7b across its 2 ZIP codes. The median last spring frost is April 13 and the first fall frost November 8.

Nantucket on the zone map

Outlined: its 2 ZIP code areas · tap the map for the zone at any spot · scroll or pinch to zoom

Not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zones come from the 2023 USDA hardiness-zone data by the PRISM Group, Oregon State University; we re-mapped and recolored them. The official map is at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Zone7b5 to 10 °F
ZIP codes2
Last frostApr 13
First frostNov 8
Growing season208 days

7b 2 ZIPs

Frost forecast — next 7 nights

live from the National Weather Service

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Forecast data: National Weather Service (api.weather.gov), public domain. This is not a warning service — for official frost and freeze warnings see weather.gov.

Frost dates in Nantucket, MA

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Blue: frost possible · fading green: frost risk falling or rising (90% → 10%) · green: frost-free
Last spring frostApril 13median — 50% chance of a later frost
Safe for tender plantsApril 27only 10% chance of frost after
First fall frostNovember 8median — 10% chance by Oct 25
Growing season208 daysfrost-free, median

A hard freeze (28 °F) usually ends around March 31 and returns around November 23.

From the NOAA station Nantucket Mem Airport, MA, elevation 46 ft. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, 32 °F threshold. Low spots and valleys can freeze later in spring than the station.

When to plant vegetables in Nantucket

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PeasSow outdoors · Mar 2 – Mar 16
SpinachSow outdoors · Mar 2 – Mar 23
Broccoli, cabbageStart indoors · Feb 2 – Feb 16
Broccoli, cabbageTransplant · Mar 23 – Apr 6
Onion setsPlant outdoors · Mar 16 – Mar 30
PotatoesPlant outdoors · Mar 23 – Apr 6
LettuceSow outdoors · Mar 16 – Mar 30
Carrots, beetsSow outdoors · Mar 23 – Apr 6
TomatoesStart indoors · Feb 16 – Mar 2
TomatoesTransplant · Apr 20 – May 4
Peppers, eggplantStart indoors · Feb 2 – Feb 16
Peppers, eggplantTransplant · Apr 27 – May 11
BeansSow outdoors · Apr 20 – May 4
Sweet cornSow outdoors · Apr 20 – May 4
Cucumbers, squashSow outdoors · Apr 20 – May 4
Fall lettuce, spinachSow outdoors · Sep 13 – Sep 27
GarlicPlant cloves · Oct 25 – Nov 29
Start seeds indoorsSow or plant outdoorsFall plantingMedian last & first frost

Counted from the median last spring frost (Apr 13) and first fall frost (Nov 8) with the rules of thumb U.S. extension services publish. Cool-season crops take a light frost; warm-season crops do best once the soil is above about 60 °F.

When spring arrived in 2026

In 2026, spring leaf-out near 02554 came on Apr 1 — about the same time as the 1991–2020 average (Apr 3).

JanFebMarAprMayJun

The Spring Index marks the day when accumulated warmth is enough for lilac and honeysuckle to leaf out — a widely used signal that the growing season has started. Source: USA National Phenology Network, www.usanpn.org — Spring Indices, first leaf, 2026 (data as of 2026-09-08) and 30-year average 1991–2020 (CC BY 4.0).

Native plants for zone 7b in Massachusetts

563 plants native to the lower 48 states, recorded in Massachusetts, and rated by the USDA to survive 5 °F or colder — the bottom of zone 7b. Each links to its USDA PLANTS profile.

Trees 67

American basswood100 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican beech80 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −44 °FAmerican chestnut115 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican elm120 ft · blooms early spring · medium shade tolerance · to −46 °FAmerican sycamore100 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −34 °Farborvitae50 ft · blooms mid spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Shrubs 110

alderleaf buckthorn3 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAllegheny serviceberry35 ft · blooms early spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °Falternateleaf dogwood25 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −47 °FAmerican black currant3 ft · blooms early spring · to −46 °FAmerican hazelnut10 ft · blooms spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican holly40 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −20 °F

Wildflowers & perennials 194

alkali buttercup1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican bur-reed3 ft · blooms indeterminate · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican eelgrass1 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −33 °FAmerican licorice4 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican lotus3 ft · blooms mid summer · high shade tolerance · to −36 °FAmerican pokeweed7 ft · blooms mid summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Grasses 165

American beachgrass2.5 ft · blooms spring · high shade tolerance · to −28 °FAmerican cupscale3 ft · blooms early summer · high shade tolerance · to −18 °Farctic brome3 ft · blooms early summer · low shade tolerance · to −33 °FAtlantic mannagrass3 ft · blooms summer · low shade tolerance · to −8 °Fawlfruit sedge4 ft · blooms mid spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FBailey's sedge2.1 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −33 °F

Vines 9

American bittersweet15 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −38 °FAmerican wisteria50 ft · blooms spring · low shade tolerance · to −3 °Fdevil's darning needles15 ft · blooms mid summer · medium shade tolerance · to −38 °Ffrost grape83 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −23 °Friverbank grape45 ft · blooms late spring · medium shade tolerance · to −33 °Fsummer grape30 ft · blooms late spring · low shade tolerance · to −23 °F

Source: USDA, NRCS. 2026. The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov), National Plant Data Team — state distribution, native status and the “Temperature, Minimum” characteristic. Check light, moisture and soil needs before buying; local nurseries and your state native plant society can confirm what thrives in Nantucket, MA.

Soil in Nantucket, MA

The soil mapped at the center of ZIP 02554 is Berryland Variant — loamy sand, very poorly drained.

TextureLoamy sanddrains and warms fast; dries out and needs more feeding
pH4.0strongly acidic; most vegetables like 6.0–7.0
DrainageVery poorly drainedconsider raised beds
Organic matter1%low — add compost
Hydrologic groupB/Dmoderate when drained; wet otherwise
Farmland classNot prime farmlandUSDA classification

Map unit: Berryland Variant loamy sand, 0 to 3 percent slopes.

Soil Survey Staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database, via Soil Data Access, accessed 2026-10-29. The soil at the center point of ZIP 02554; soils change within a few hundred feet, so a home soil test (pH, nutrients) is still the best guide.

Climate in Nantucket, MA

Summer high76 °Faverage high, August
Winter low27 °Faverage low, January
Hot days0days a year at 90 °F or more
Freezing nights86nights a year at 32 °F or less
Growing degree days2,344base 50 °F — the season’s usable heat
Longest day15 h 09 mindaylight on June 21
Shortest day9 h 11 mindaylight on December 21
Onions to growLong-daysummer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too)
Precipitation40.9 inper year, rain and melted snow

Average high and low, by month

20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32 °FJanuary: average high 40 °F, low 27 °F 40°27° JanFebruary: average high 40 °F, low 27 °F 40°27° FebMarch: average high 44 °F, low 32 °F 44°32° MarApril: average high 52 °F, low 39 °F 52°39° AprMay: average high 61 °F, low 47 °F 61°47° MayJune: average high 69 °F, low 56 °F 69°56° JunJuly: average high 75 °F, low 63 °F 75°63° JulAugust: average high 76 °F, low 62 °F 76°62° AugSeptember: average high 70 °F, low 57 °F 70°57° SepOctober: average high 62 °F, low 49 °F 62°49° OctNovember: average high 53 °F, low 40 °F 53°40° NovDecember: average high 45 °F, low 32 °F 45°32° Dec

Precipitation by month inches

0″1″2″3″4″5″January: 3.18 in precipitation 3.2 JanFebruary: 2.84 in precipitation 2.8 FebMarch: 3.84 in precipitation 3.8 MarApril: 3.60 in precipitation 3.6 AprMay: 2.98 in precipitation 3.0 MayJune: 3.00 in precipitation 3.0 JunJuly: 2.72 in precipitation 2.7 JulAugust: 3.00 in precipitation 3.0 AugSeptember: 3.59 in precipitation 3.6 SepOctober: 4.39 in precipitation 4.4 OctNovember: 3.79 in precipitation 3.8 NovDecember: 3.93 in precipitation 3.9 Dec

NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — temperature: Nantucket Mem Airport, MA (3 mi away); precipitation: Nantucket Mem Airport, MA (3 mi away). Daylight is calculated from latitude.

ZIP codes in Nantucket

025547b
5 to 10 °F
025847b
5 to 10 °F

Massachusetts planting zones →

Questions about Nantucket

What planting zone is Nantucket, MA?

Nantucket, MA is in USDA hardiness zone 7b on the 2023 map (7b: 5 to 10 °F).

When is the last frost in Nantucket, MA?

The median last spring frost is April 13 and the median first fall frost is November 8 (NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Nantucket Mem Airport station).

When can I plant a garden in Nantucket, MA?

Cool-season crops like peas and spinach go in around Mar 2 – Mar 23; tomatoes, peppers, beans and squash after about Apr 20, once frost risk has passed.

What kind of onions grow in Nantucket, MA?

Long-day onions: the longest day is 15 h 09 min, so summer days reach 15+ hours, enough for long-day varieties (intermediate types work too).

How much rain and snow does Nantucket, MA get?

About 40.9 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals).