In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Pittsburgh 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 12 – Apr 16 | May 7 – Aug 6 plant out | Jul 7 – Oct 20 |
| Pepper | Mar 8 – Apr 12 | May 17 – Aug 3 plant out | Jul 15 – Oct 20 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Mar 14 – Apr 18 | May 23 – Jul 30 plant out | Jul 23 – Oct 20 |
| Cucumber | Apr 14 – May 11 | May 12 – Aug 17 sow | Jun 29 – Oct 20 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Apr 9 – May 6 | May 7 – Aug 20 sow | Jun 23 – Oct 20 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Apr 9 – May 6 | May 7 – Jul 20 sow | Jul 27 – Oct 27 |
| Watermelon | Apr 25 – May 22 | May 23 – Jul 29 sow | Jul 26 – Oct 20 |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 27 – Aug 2 sow | Jul 10 – Oct 20 |
| Green beans | – | May 7 – Aug 17 sow | Jun 26 – Oct 20 |
| Peas | – | Mar 23 – Apr 2, Aug 27 – Sep 1 sow | Jun 4 – Jul 4, Oct 22 – Nov 4 |
| Lettuce | Feb 14 – Mar 14 | Mar 21 – Apr 26, Aug 12 – Sep 13 sow | May 24 – Jul 4, Sep 18 – Nov 7 |
| Spinach | – | Mar 13 – Apr 20, Sep 12 – Sep 20 sow | May 19 – Jun 27, Oct 25 – Nov 27 |
| Kale | Feb 4 – Mar 11 | Mar 18 – Sep 9 sow | May 31 – Dec 12 |
| Cabbage | Feb 8 – Mar 15, May 23 – Jun 27 | Mar 29 – Apr 30, Jul 11 – Aug 28 plant out | Jun 13 – Jul 25, Sep 4 – Nov 18 |
| Broccoli | Feb 8 – Mar 15, May 30 – Jul 4 | Mar 29 – May 7, Jul 18 – Sep 3 plant out | Jun 6 – Jul 23, Sep 4 – Nov 11 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 29 – Sep 1 sow | Jun 9 – Dec 12 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Mar 29 – Sep 8 sow | Jun 2 – Nov 18 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 18 – May 13, Aug 27 – Oct 1 sow | May 5 – Jun 17, Sep 17 – Nov 11 |
| Onions | Jan 12 – Feb 16 | Mar 23 – Aug 4 plant out | Jun 30 – Oct 28 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 12 – Nov 11 sow | May 25 – Jun 14 |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 4 – Jul 3 sow | Jun 29 – Oct 22 |
| Swiss chard | – | Apr 4 – Sep 12 sow | May 31 – Nov 18 |
| Basil | Apr 5 – May 3 | May 17 – Sep 4 plant out | Jun 14 – Oct 20 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Mar 29 – May 4, Aug 27 – Sep 21 sow | May 18 – Jul 2, Sep 26 – Nov 11 |
| Parsley | Feb 6 – Mar 13 | Apr 3 – Aug 29 sow | Jun 14 – Nov 27 |
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 Pittsburgh
- Average last spring frost
- April 18
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- May 6
- Average first autumn frost
- October 28
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 14
- Frost-free growing season
- 192 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, Pittsburgh Allegheny Co Ap (11 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 7a from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -17°C2°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 30°C87°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -6°C22°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 | 4°C39°F | -6°C22°F | -1°C31°F | 69 mm2.7 in |
| February | 6°C43°F | -5°C24°F | 1°C33°F | 62 mm2.5 in |
| March | 11°C53°F | -1°C30°F | 5°C41°F | 84 mm3.3 in |
| April | 18°C65°F | 4°C40°F | 11°C53°F | 90 mm3.6 in |
| May | 24°C76°F | 10°C51°F | 17°C63°F | 104 mm4.1 in |
| June | 29°C83°F | 15°C59°F | 22°C71°F | 107 mm4.2 in |
| July | 30°C87°F | 17°C63°F | 24°C75°F | 93 mm3.7 in |
| August | 30°C85°F | 17°C62°F | 23°C74°F | 80 mm3.1 in |
| September | 26°C80°F | 12°C54°F | 19°C67°F | 80 mm3.2 in |
| October | 20°C67°F | 6°C44°F | 13°C55°F | 72 mm2.8 in |
| November | 12°C54°F | 1°C34°F | 7°C44°F | 66 mm2.6 in |
| December | 6°C43°F | -3°C27°F | 2°C35°F | 70 mm2.8 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).