In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Philadelphia planting calendar
Bars show when each crop can go in and when a planting from that window is ready. The blue band is the frost season, from the average first autumn frost to the average last spring frost. Hover or tap a crop for details.
Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday
Swipe sideways to see the whole year →
Dates by crop
| Crop | Sow indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 8 – Apr 12 | May 3 – Aug 15 plant out | Jul 2 – Oct 28 |
| Pepper | Mar 4 – Apr 8 | May 13 – Aug 11 plant out | Jul 10 – Oct 28 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Mar 9 – Apr 13 | May 18 – Aug 8 plant out | Jul 17 – Oct 28 |
| Cucumber | Apr 10 – May 7 | May 8 – Aug 25 sow | Jun 24 – Oct 28 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Apr 5 – May 2 | May 3 – Aug 29 sow | Jun 18 – Oct 28 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Apr 5 – May 2 | May 3 – Jul 29 sow | Jul 22 – Nov 9 |
| Watermelon | Apr 20 – May 17 | May 18 – Aug 7 sow | Jul 20 – Oct 28 |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 22 – Aug 10 sow | Jul 4 – Oct 28 |
| Green beans | – | May 3 – Aug 25 sow | Jun 21 – Oct 28 |
| Peas | – | Mar 17 – Apr 5, Sep 1 – Sep 11 sow | May 30 – Jul 2, Oct 25 – Nov 17 |
| Lettuce | Feb 4 – Mar 4 | Mar 11 – Apr 27, Aug 15 – Sep 22 sow | May 18 – Jul 3, Sep 21 – Nov 20 |
| Spinach | – | Mar 5 – Apr 23, Sep 15 – Sep 29 sow | May 14 – Jun 27, Oct 24 – Dec 10 |
| Kale | Jan 28 – Mar 4 | Mar 11 – May 29, Jul 5 – Sep 18 sow | May 25 – Dec 25 |
| Cabbage | Feb 1 – Mar 8, May 28 – Jul 2 | Mar 22 – Apr 25, Jul 16 – Sep 6 plant out | Jun 7 – Jul 20, Sep 9 – Dec 1 |
| Broccoli | Feb 1 – Mar 8, Jun 23 – Jul 28 | Mar 22 – May 2, Aug 11 – Sep 12 plant out | May 31 – Jul 18, Sep 28 – Nov 24 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 22 – Sep 10 sow | Jun 4 – Dec 25 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Mar 22 – Sep 17 sow | May 27 – Dec 1 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 11 – May 13, Sep 1 – Oct 11 sow | Apr 29 – Jun 16, Sep 22 – Nov 24 |
| Onions | Jan 6 – Feb 10 | Mar 17 – Aug 14 plant out | Jun 25 – Nov 10 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 20 – Nov 23 sow | May 20 – Jun 9 |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 28 – Jun 22 sow | Jun 24 – Oct 11 |
| Swiss chard | – | Mar 28 – Sep 21 sow | May 26 – Dec 1 |
| Basil | Apr 1 – Apr 29 | May 13 – Sep 12 plant out | Jun 9 – Oct 28 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Mar 22 – May 5, Sep 1 – Oct 1 sow | May 12 – Jul 2, Oct 1 – Nov 24 |
| Parsley | Jan 31 – Mar 7 | Mar 28 – Sep 6 sow | Jun 9 – Dec 10 |
Dates are for a typical year and the middle of the window is the safest. Sow a little at a time across a window rather than all at once. Cold snaps, heat waves, frost pockets and city warmth all shift the real dates; watch the forecast.
Frost dates in Philadelphia
- Average last spring frost
- April 2
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- April 13
- Average first autumn frost
- November 10
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 30
- Frost-free growing season
- 221 days
“Average” is the date with an even chance of a later (spring) or earlier (autumn) frost: a night at or below 0 °C (32 °F) at screen height. Tender crops go out a week or two after the spring date, which brings the risk down to about one year in ten.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Phila Intl Ap (10 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 7b from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -13°C9°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 31°C89°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -3°C26°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 25 of 25
The zone follows the USDA scheme: bands of the average lowest temperature of the year, 10 °F wide, split into a and b halves. Worked out from the coldest night of each year 1991–2020 at the NOAA station. It tells you which perennials survive winter, not when to sow.
Temperature and rain by month
Average highAverage lowRainFreezing point
| Month | High | Low | Mean | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6°C42°F | -3°C26°F | 1°C34°F | 83 mm3.3 in |
| February | 7°C45°F | -3°C27°F | 2°C36°F | 70 mm2.8 in |
| March | 12°C53°F | 1°C34°F | 6°C44°F | 103 mm4.0 in |
| April | 19°C65°F | 6°C43°F | 12°C54°F | 87 mm3.4 in |
| May | 24°C76°F | 12°C54°F | 18°C65°F | 89 mm3.5 in |
| June | 29°C84°F | 17°C63°F | 23°C74°F | 101 mm4.0 in |
| July | 31°C89°F | 20°C68°F | 26°C78°F | 109 mm4.3 in |
| August | 30°C87°F | 19°C67°F | 25°C77°F | 106 mm4.2 in |
| September | 27°C80°F | 15°C60°F | 21°C70°F | 102 mm4.0 in |
| October | 20°C69°F | 9°C48°F | 15°C58°F | 85 mm3.4 in |
| November | 14°C57°F | 3°C38°F | 9°C47°F | 76 mm3.0 in |
| December | 8°C47°F | -1°C31°F | 4°C39°F | 100 mm3.9 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).