Calendars by city / PA
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania vegetable planting calendar
Planting windows for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania built from the NOAA 1991–2020 freeze normals at PITTSBURGH ASOS, PA US (station USW00094823), not from a hardiness zone.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania planting dates for 27 vegetables
The same windows as a table
Each row applies a published extension rule to the frost dates above. Hardy crops go out 2–4 weeks before the last frost; semi-hardy crops 0–2 weeks before; tender crops around the frost date; very tender crops 2 or more weeks after. The last fall planting date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost. The rules and their sources are on the methodology page.
| Crop | Frost class | Start seeds indoors | Plant outdoors | Last fall planting | Days to harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beets | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Aug 28 | 60 |
| Broccoli | Hardy | Feb 6 – Mar 6 | Transplant: Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Aug 30 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Cabbage | Hardy | Feb 6 – Mar 6 | Transplant: Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Aug 10 | 85 (from transplant) |
| Carrots | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Aug 18 | 70 |
| Cauliflower | Semi-hardy | Feb 20 – Mar 20 | Transplant: Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Aug 23 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Kohlrabi | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Sep 14 | 50 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Sep 4 | 60 |
| Onions (green) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Sep 4 | 60 |
| Onions (dry, from seed) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Jul 16 | 110 |
| Onions (dry, from sets) | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant sets: Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Jul 16 | 110 |
| Parsnips | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Aug 18 | 70 |
| Peas | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Aug 30 | 65 |
| Potatoes | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Plant seed potatoes: Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Jun 24 | 125 |
| Radishes | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Oct 4 | 30 |
| Spinach | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Sep 24 | 40 |
| Swiss chard | Semi-hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 10 – Apr 24 | Aug 28 | 60 |
| Turnips | Hardy | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Mar 27 – Apr 10 | Sep 14 | 50 |
| Snap beans | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 24 – May 1 | Aug 21 | 60 |
| Cantaloupe | Very tender | Apr 17 – May 8 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 8 – May 22 | Jul 27 | 85 |
| Sweet corn | Tender | — (direct sow) | Direct sow: Apr 24 – May 1 | Jul 22 | 60–90 |
| Cucumbers | Tender | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 24 – May 1 | Aug 26 | 55 |
| Eggplant | Very tender | Mar 6 – Apr 10 | Transplant: May 8 – May 22 | Aug 21 | 60 (from transplant) |
| Peppers | Very tender | Mar 13 – Apr 10 | Transplant: May 8 – May 22 | Aug 11 | 70 (from transplant) |
| Tomatoes | Very tender | Mar 20 – Apr 17 | Transplant: May 8 – May 22 | Aug 16 | 65 (from transplant) |
| Summer squash | Tender | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | Direct sow (or transplant): Apr 24 – May 1 | Aug 31 | 50 |
| Winter squash | Very tender | Apr 17 – May 8 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 8 – May 22 | Jul 12 | 100 |
| Watermelon | Very tender | Apr 17 – May 8 | Direct sow (or transplant): May 8 – May 22 | Jul 27 | 85 |
What the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania frost-free season means for your choices
At 179 frost-free days, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania gardeners should compare that number to the days-to-harvest column before buying seed. A crop whose days to harvest plus its transplant age is close to the season length needs either an early start indoors or a short-season variety.
- Hardy crops (peas, spinach, radishes, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage) can go in from about Mar 27 – Apr 10 and again for fall.
- Very tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, winter squash) should wait until May 8 – May 22; start tomato seeds indoors Mar 20 – Apr 17.
- Fall sowing is worthwhile only for the rows that show a separate fall date; for the others the spring window already covers the season.
Pittsburgh, PA planting questions
When is the last frost in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania?
The 50% probability date for the last spring 32°F reading at PITTSBURGH ASOS, PA US is Apr 24, from the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals. In half the years on that record the last frost came later than that date, so tender crops are safer a week or two after it. The last 28°F hard freeze averages Apr 12.
When can I plant tomatoes in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania?
Tomatoes are a very tender crop, so the Colorado State Extension rule puts them out 2 or more weeks after the last spring frost: May 8 – May 22 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Start the seeds indoors Mar 20 – Apr 17, which is 5 to 7 weeks before that transplant window.
How long is the growing season in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania?
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania averages 179 frost-free days, between the 50% last spring frost on Apr 24 and the 50% first fall frost on Oct 20 at PITTSBURGH ASOS, PA US. Check a variety's days to harvest against that number before buying seed.
When should I start seeds indoors in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania?
The earliest indoor sowing on this calendar is broccoli and cabbage at Feb 6 – Mar 6. Hardy crops are transplanted out Mar 27 – Apr 10 here, and each crop's indoor window is simply its outdoor window minus the transplant age published by Colorado State Extension, so nothing starts earlier than that.
What can I plant in fall in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania?
The crops with a separate fall sowing here, latest first, are radishes, spinach, kohlrabi, turnips, lettuce (leaf) and onions (green), plus 21 more on the chart above. Each fall date counts the crop's days to harvest back from the first fall frost on Oct 20, plus an allowance for frost-tolerant crops that is our own assumption, not the source's.
Station data and limitations
| NOAA station | PITTSBURGH ASOS, PA US (USW00094823) |
|---|---|
| Location | 40.4846, -80.2144 · elevation 366.7 m |
| Last spring 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Apr 24 / Apr 12 |
| First fall 32°F / 28°F (50%) | Oct 20 / Nov 2 |
| Dataset | NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual/seasonal product, data types ANN-TMIN-PRBLST/PRBFST-T32FP50 and T28FP50 |
| Retrieved | 2026-10-16 |
The normals describe the airport station, not your yard. They are averages of a 30-year record and say nothing about this year's weather. Watch the local forecast around the dates shown, and use soil temperature for warm-season crops, which the Colorado State guide treats as the better signal.
Nearby calendars
- Cleveland, Ohio — last spring frost Apr 22
- Columbus, Ohio — last spring frost Apr 16
- Detroit, Michigan — last spring frost Apr 20
- Washington, D.C. (Reagan National) — last spring frost Mar 28
Read the method behind these dates: last frost date vs hardiness zone.