Framingham frost dates: April 26 and October 12, and what to time by them

The four dates, from NOAA

NOAA's normals give the date by which half of years have had their last spring frost or first fall frost. Natick is the closest normals station to Framingham.

• Last 28 degree hard freeze in spring: April 13 (median).
• Last 32 degree frost in spring: April 26 (median).
• First 32 degree frost in fall: October 12 (median).
• First 28 degree hard freeze in fall: October 24 (median).

What to time by the spring date

A median date means one year in two is later. Give tender plants a week or two of margin after April 26.

• Tender annuals and vegetables: after the last frost, with margin.
• Irrigation start-up: after the hard freezes are done, so pipes and heads are not caught by a cold night.
• Spring clean-up: Framingham's 2026 spring curbside leaf weeks were April 6 and April 13, close to the hard freeze date.

What to time by the fall dates

• Fall aeration and overseeding need 3 to 4 weeks of good growth before cold weather, so they belong well before mid-October.
• Winterize irrigation before the hard freezes. A median of October 24 means many years freeze sooner.
• Leaf clean-ups follow the trees, and Framingham's fall curbside weeks usually start around the end of October.

Write April 26 and October 12 on the calendar by the back door. Most yard timing follows from them.

Gerson's Landscaping is a landscaping business based in Framingham, Massachusetts, owned by Gerson E. Paniagua, offering lawn care, clean-ups, mulching, snow removal, stone walls and bluestone patios. Gerson speaks English and Spanish.