Soilclock

Massachusetts 53°F soil temperature

Updated Nov 4, 2026, 7:41 AM EST

The middle reading of 5 Massachusetts cities, 2 inches down, on Nov 3. Pick a city for its forecast and lawn calendar.

Massachusetts cities today

Estimated daily average soil temperature at 2 inches, the difference from normal for the date, and the change over the last week. Massachusetts spans cool-season grass country.

City2 in4 invs normal7 daysCrabgrass windowFall seeding ends
Boston 57°57° +6°+5° Apr 16 – May 3 Oct 30
Worcester 53°54° +7°+2° Apr 17 – May 5 Oct 18
Springfield 50°51° +4°+3° Apr 16 – May 4 Oct 20
Lowell 54°54° +6°+6° Apr 17 – May 2 Oct 23
New Bedford 52°52° +4°+5° Apr 21 – May 8 Oct 24

When to apply pre-emergent in Massachusetts

Crabgrass pre-emergent goes down when 2-inch soil holds about 50°F. Across Massachusetts that has typically happened first in Boston, around Apr 16, and last in New Bedford, around Apr 21. The window closes when soil holds 55°F and crabgrass starts sprouting.

Close view of a Kentucky bluegrass lawn
Kentucky bluegrass, the most common cool-season lawn grass in the northern US.

Last good week to seed in Massachusetts

Tall fescue and bluegrass seed sprouts best while 4-inch soil is between 55 and 70°F. The typical last day above 55°F:

What grows in Massachusetts lawns

Crabgrass is the weed spring pre-emergents are timed for. Lawns here are mostly cool-season grasses such as bluegrass and fescue.

Large crabgrass with its spreading finger-like seed heads
Large crabgrass in seed. Each plant can drop thousands of seeds that wait for warm spring soil.
Close view of a Kentucky bluegrass lawn
Kentucky bluegrass, the most common cool-season lawn grass in the northern US.
A low mat of bermudagrass with fine blades and seed heads
Bermudagrass, the warm-season grass behind most lawns from the Carolinas to Texas.

Other states