Philadelphia planting schedule

The following planting schedule is designed for people that live in Philadelphia. Philadelphia falls under the 7b hardiness zone. It means the average minimum temperature is between 5 to 10 °F (-15 to -12.2 °C). These values should be taken into account when planting, because most plants cannot withstand frost, so when colder air arrives, the plants should be placed in a frost-free area.

JUMP TO TABLE

Why do you need a planting calendar?

The planting calendar is useful for every gardener.

  • Ensures your plants grow during the best temperature and light conditions, leading to healthier plants.
  • Provides a continuous supply of fresh produce throughout the growing season, reducing the need to buy from stores.
  • Saves water and fertilizer by using them when plants need them most, reducing waste and cost.
  • Spreads gardening tasks over the season, making gardening more manageable and enjoyable

What do the dates mean?

In the table below, you can see 4 dates.

Sowing seeds indoor: Sowing seeds indoors is a crucial step in gardening, allowing gardeners to extend the growing season and ensure healthy plant development. The ideal indoor sowing date varies by plant type and local climate but generally occurs 6-8 weeks before the last expected frost date. This early start provides young plants with a controlled environment, promoting strong root systems and robust growth before transplanting outdoors. Indoor sowing helps avoid the harsh conditions of early spring, reducing the risk of frost damage and giving plants a head start. Proper timing and care during this stage are essential for a successful gardening season.

Transplanting to outdoor: Transplanting plants outdoors is typically done after the last frost date when the soil has warmed. This timing ensures that young plants can thrive without the risk of frost damage. Transplanting usually occurs 1-2 weeks after sowing seeds indoors, allowing plants to establish strong roots. Gradually acclimate seedlings to outdoor conditions through a process called hardening off, ensuring a smooth transition and promoting healthy growth.

Harvesting: Harvesting usually occurs three months after sowing seeds, depending on the specific plant’s maturity period. This timing ensures the produce reaches peak ripeness and nutritional value. Monitoring the growth and health of plants is essential to determine the precise harvesting time. Properly timed harvesting maximizes yield and flavor, providing fresh, home-grown produce at its best.

Last Month to plant: The last month a vegetable can be planted is determined by counting back from the first expected frost date, ensuring the plant has enough time to mature before cold weather arrives. Planting too late can result in stunted growth or failure to produce a harvest. Always check the specific requirements for each vegetable and your local frost dates to optimize planting times and achieve a successful yield.

Our planting calendar recommends planting your vegetables and herbs in the given months in Philadelphia.

Vegetables

Plant Sow seeds indoor Transplanting to outdoor Harvesting Month Last date
Cucumber May 9 May 16 July 10 August 3
Brussels Sprouts March 7 March 14 June 2 August 27
Tomato April 18 April 23 June 17 August 21
Spinach January 17 January 27 March 2 November 23
Beets March 28th April 7th May 27th October 10th
Zucchini May 3 May 10 June 19 August 22
Cabbages May 9 May 16 July 15 July 29
Potato March 28 April 7 June 6 September 30
Radish February 21 February 26 March 25 November 1
Broccoli March 12 March 22 May 16 October 13
Carrot All Year All Year All Year All Year
Cauliflower February 11 February 18 April 8 October 18
Onion All year All year All year All year

Herbs

Plant Sow seeds indoor Transplanting to outdoor Harvesting Month Last date
Marjoram April 2 April 9 May 14 September 21
Parsley January 31 February 20 April 10 October 15
Dill April 30 May 10 June 7 September 3
Fennel February 6 February 20 May 6 September 22
Sage March 30 April 9 June 8 August 27
Thyme All year All year All year All year
Oregano February 19 February 26 April 11 October 15
Mustard February 19 February 26 March 27 October 30
Mint April 19 April 29 June 28 August 11
Lavender March 12 March 26 May 5 October 20
Rosemary January 12 January 27 April 16 October 9
Ginger N/A N/A N/A N/A
Basil April 4 April 14 June 3 August 26
Cilantro March 13 March 20 July 11 August 8

When can you grow Marjoram in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on April 2, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 50 °F (10 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Marjoram can tolerate. Then, wait for days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Marjoram to outdoor on April 9. It takes 35 days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on May 14. You can plant your Marjoram until September 21.

When can you grow Cucumber in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on May 9, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 61 °F (16 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Cucumber can tolerate. Then, wait for days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Cucumber to outdoor on May 16. It takes days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on July 10. You need to wait for May 9 to start sowing seeds.

When can you grow Brussels Sprouts in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on March 7, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 45 °F (7 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Brussels Sprouts can tolerate. Then, wait for days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Brussels Sprouts to outdoor on March 14. It takes days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on June 2. You need to wait for March 7 to start sowing seeds.

When can you grow Tomato in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on April 18, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 54 °F (12 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Tomato can tolerate. Then, wait for days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Tomato to outdoor on April 23. It takes 54 days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on June 17. You need to wait for April 18 to start sowing seeds.

When can you grow Parsley in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on January 31, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 32 °F (0 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Parsley can tolerate. Then, wait for 20 days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Parsley to outdoor on February 20. It takes 50 days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on April 10. You can plant your Parsley until October 15.

When can you grow Dill in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on April 30, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 59 °F (15 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Dill can tolerate. Then, wait for days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Dill to outdoor on May 10. It takes days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on June 7. You can plant your Dill until September 03.

When can you grow Spinach in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on January 17, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 36 °F (2 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Spinach can tolerate. Then, wait for 5 days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Spinach to outdoor on January 27. It takes 40 days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on March 2. You can plant your Spinach until November 23.

When can you grow Fennel in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on February 6, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 32 °F (0 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Fennel can tolerate. Then, wait for 14 days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Fennel to outdoor on February 20. It takes 76 days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on May 6. You can plant your Fennel until September 22.

When can you grow Sage in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on March 30, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 50 °F (10 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Sage can tolerate. Then, wait for days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Sage to outdoor on April 9. It takes 60 days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on June 8. You need to wait for March 30 to start sowing seeds.

When can you grow Beets in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on March 28th, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 41 °F (5 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Beets can tolerate. Then, wait for days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Beets to outdoor on April 7th. It takes days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on May 27th. You can plant your Beets until October 10.

When can you grow Thyme in Philadelphia?

You can plant Thyme in your city all year! Just remember that the plant takes 20 days to germinate from seeds and 60 days to grow after transplanting. In addition, you can start sowing your seeds outdoor for the best outcome. There is no need to create artifical environment, thus start planting outdoor.

When can you grow Oregano in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on February 19, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 41 °F (5 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Oregano can tolerate. Then, wait for days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Oregano to outdoor on February 26. It takes 45 days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on April 11. You can plant your Oregano until October 15.

When can you grow Mustard in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on February 19, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 41 °F (5 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Mustard can tolerate. Then, wait for days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Mustard to outdoor on February 26. It takes days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on March 27. You can plant your Mustard until October 30.

When can you grow Mint in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on April 19, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 56 °F (13 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Mint can tolerate. Then, wait for days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Mint to outdoor on April 29. It takes 60 days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on June 28. You need to wait for April 19 to start sowing seeds.

When can you grow Lavender in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on March 12, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 41 °F (5 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Lavender can tolerate. Then, wait for days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Lavender to outdoor on March 26. It takes days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on May 5. You can plant your Lavender until October 20.

When can you grow Rosemary in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on January 12, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 36 °F (2 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Rosemary can tolerate. Then, wait for days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Rosemary to outdoor on January 27. It takes days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on April 16. You can plant your Rosemary until October 09.

When can you grow Zucchini in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on May 3, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 59 °F (15 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Zucchini can tolerate. Then, wait for days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Zucchini to outdoor on May 10. It takes 40 days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on June 19. You need to wait for May 3 to start sowing seeds.

When can you grow Cabbages in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on May 9, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 61 °F (16 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Cabbages can tolerate. Then, wait for days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Cabbages to outdoor on May 16. It takes days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on July 15. You can plant your Cabbages until July 29.

When can you grow Potato in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on March 28, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 41 °F (4.5 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Potato can tolerate. Then, wait for days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Potato to outdoor on April 7. It takes days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on June 6. You can plant your Potato until September 30.

When can you grow Radish in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on February 21, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 41 °F (5 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Radish can tolerate. Then, wait for days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Radish to outdoor on February 26. It takes 28 days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on March 25. You can plant your Radish until November 01.

When can you grow Broccoli in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on March 12, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 40 °F (4 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Broccoli can tolerate. Then, wait for days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Broccoli to outdoor on March 22. It takes days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on May 16. You can plant your Broccoli until October 13.

When can you grow Carrot in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on All Year, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 32 °F (0 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Carrot can tolerate. Then, wait for 14 days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Carrot to outdoor on All Year. It takes 84 days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on All Year. You need to wait for All Year to start sowing seeds.

When can you grow Cauliflower in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on February 11, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 40 °F (4 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Cauliflower can tolerate. Then, wait for days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Cauliflower to outdoor on February 18. It takes days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on April 8. You can plant your Cauliflower until October 18.

When can you grow Onion in Philadelphia?

You can plant Onion in your city all year! Just remember that the plant takes 9 days to germinate from seeds and 120 days to grow after transplanting. In addition, you can start sowing your seeds outdoor for the best outcome. There is no need to create artifical environment, thus start planting outdoor.

When can you grow Ginger in Philadelphia?

Due to the fact, that the temperature is not stable above 50 °F (10 °C) at any time of the year, Ginger cannot be planted outdoors. In order to grow this plant indoors, it is necessary to create artificial conditions. These specific conditions are difficult to create, so we don't recommend planting Ginger in your city.

When can you grow Basil in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on April 4, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 59 °F (15 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Basil can tolerate. Then, wait for 10 days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Basil to outdoor on April 14. It takes 50 days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on June 3. You need to wait for April 4 to start sowing seeds.

When can you grow Cilantro in Philadelphia?

You can start sowing your seeds on March 13, because during this period, night temperatures are already stable above 41 °F (5 °C) in Philadelphia. This is the minimum temperature Cilantro can tolerate. Then, wait for 7 days for germination. After that, you can transplant your Cilantro to outdoor on March 20. It takes 113 days to grow you plant, so you can harvest it on July 11. You need to wait for March 13 to start sowing seeds.