Philadelphia, Pennsylvania planting calendar and frost dates

Frost dates in Philadelphia

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Phila Franklin Inst, 0.6 miles NW of the city center. Low-lying and rural spots often frost later in spring and earlier in fall than airports and city centers.

What to plant each month in Philadelphia

1. January

   Start indoors: broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, leeks, onions, oregano, parsley, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, snapdragons

2. February

   Start indoors: black-eyed susans, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, celery, chives, cilantro, collard greens, eggplants, ginger, leeks, lettuce, marigolds, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, petunias, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard

   Plant or sow outdoors: black-eyed susans, blueberries, garlic, grapes, grass seed, hollyhocks, kale, onions, peas, poppies, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, turnips, wildflowers

3. March

   Start indoors: basil, cantaloupes, celery, cilantro, cucumbers, eggplants, marigolds, nasturtiums, peppers, pumpkins, ranunculus, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, beets, black-eyed susans, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, chives, cilantro, collard greens, dahlias, dill, figs, garden mums, garlic, gladioli, grapes, grass seed, green onions, hollyhocks, kale, lavenders, leeks, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, onions, oregano, parsley, peas, petunias, poppies, potatoes, radishes, ranunculus, raspberries, rhubarb, rosemary, roses, sage, snapdragons, spinach, strawberries, sunflowers, sweet corn, swiss chard, thyme, turnips, wildflowers

4. April

   Start indoors: cantaloupes, cosmos, cucumbers, okra, pumpkins, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, cantaloupes, chives, cilantro, cucumbers, dahlias, dill, eggplants, garden mums, ginger, gladioli, grapes, green beans, green onions, kentucky bluegrass, lavenders, lettuce, lilies, marigolds, mints, nasturtiums, oregano, parsley, peppers, perennial ryegrass, petunias, potatoes, pumpkins, ranunculus, rosemary, sage, spinach, sunflowers, sweet corn, sweet peas, swiss chard, tall fescue, thyme, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini

5. May

   Start indoors: zinnias

   Plant or sow outdoors: asparagus, basil, bermudagrass, cantaloupes, celery, centipedegrass, cosmos, cucumbers, eggplants, green beans, green onions, okra, peanuts, peppers, pumpkins, st. augustinegrass, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zinnias, zoysiagrass, zucchini

6. June

   Plant or sow outdoors: bermudagrass, centipedegrass, green onions, okra, st. augustinegrass, zinnias, zoysiagrass

7. July

   Plant for fall: peppers, potatoes

8. August

   Plant for fall: bearded irises, brussels sprouts, carrots, collard greens, cucumbers, green beans, lettuce, peas, peppers, potatoes, snapdragons, sweet corn, swiss chard, tomatoes, zucchini

9. September

   Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, clematis, collard greens, coneflowers, cucumbers, daylilies, green beans, hostas, hydrangeas, kale, lettuce, peas, radishes, roses, saffron, snapdragons, spinach, swiss chard, turnips, zucchini

10. October

    Plant for fall: azaleas, bearded irises, cabbages, cauliflower, clematis, coneflowers, crocuses, daffodils, daylilies, grass seed, hostas, hyacinths, hydrangeas, kale, kentucky bluegrass, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, perennial ryegrass, radishes, roses, saffron, spinach, tall fescue, tulips

11. November

    Plant for fall: crocuses, daffodils, garlic, hyacinths, lilies, ornamental alliums, peonies, tulips

12. December

    Start indoors: onions

    Plant for fall: crocuses, garlic, hyacinths, ornamental alliums, tulips

Frost dates and zones by ZIP code in Philadelphia

All 12 of Philadelphia's main ZIP codes take their frost dates from Phila Franklin Inst, so the dates on this page apply across the city. Every one of them is in zone 7b.

Planting dates for popular crops in Philadelphia

Nearby cities

• Camden, NJ zone 7b, last frost Apr 2
• Trenton, NJ zone 7b, last frost Apr 10
• Wilmington, DE zone 7b, last frost Apr 7
• Vineland, NJ zone 7a, last frost Apr 24
• Allentown, PA zone 7a, last frost Apr 20
• Bethlehem, PA zone 7a, last frost Apr 20