When to plant lettuce in Pennsylvania

Plant out in Philadelphia

Mar 16–Apr 6

Across Pennsylvania the window opens between March 16 and April 16. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Start indoors, Philadelphia: Feb 2–Feb 16
Plant out, Philadelphia: Mar 16–Apr 6
Sow outdoors, Philadelphia: Mar 2–Apr 6
Fall planting, Philadelphia: Sep 22–Oct 6
Last frost, Philadelphia: Mar 30

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost; plant out from 2 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow outdoors from 4 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow again for fall 6–8 weeks before the first frost. Lettuce bolts in heat. Sow small batches every two weeks in spring and again in late summer.

Lettuce planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

PhiladelphiaMar 16–Apr 6

PittsburghApr 4–Apr 25

AllentownApr 6–Apr 27

ReadingMar 31–Apr 21

ErieApr 12–May 3

BethlehemApr 6–Apr 27

ScrantonApr 9–Apr 30

LancasterApr 5–Apr 26

LevittownApr 7–Apr 28

HarrisburgApr 1–Apr 22

YorkApr 12–May 3

Wilkes-BarreApr 9–Apr 30

AltoonaApr 11–May 2

State CollegeApr 6–Apr 27

Penn HillsApr 2–Apr 23

NorristownMar 25–Apr 15

ChesterMar 16–Apr 6

Mount LebanonApr 4–Apr 25

Bethel ParkApr 4–Apr 25

EastonApr 4–Apr 25

HazletonApr 16–May 7

Drexel HillMar 19–Apr 9

MonroevilleApr 8–Apr 29

WilliamsportApr 11–May 2

LebanonApr 6–Apr 27

PlumApr 2–Apr 23

King of PrussiaMar 25–Apr 15

ChambersburgApr 4–Apr 25

PottstownApr 6–Apr 27

CarlisleApr 9–Apr 30

All 35 cities

City	Start indoors	Plant out	Sow outdoors	Fall planting	Last frost
Philadelphia	Feb 2 to Feb 16	Mar 16 to Apr 6	Mar 2 to Apr 6	Sep 22 to Oct 6	Mar 30
Pittsburgh	Feb 21 to Mar 7	Apr 4 to Apr 25	Mar 21 to Apr 25	Sep 2 to Sep 16	Apr 18
Allentown	Feb 23 to Mar 9	Apr 6 to Apr 27	Mar 23 to Apr 27	Aug 29 to Sep 12	Apr 20
Reading	Feb 17 to Mar 3	Mar 31 to Apr 21	Mar 17 to Apr 21	Sep 3 to Sep 17	Apr 14
Erie	Mar 1 to Mar 15	Apr 12 to May 3	Mar 29 to May 3	Sep 9 to Sep 23	Apr 26
Bethlehem	Feb 23 to Mar 9	Apr 6 to Apr 27	Mar 23 to Apr 27	Aug 29 to Sep 12	Apr 20
Scranton	Feb 26 to Mar 12	Apr 9 to Apr 30	Mar 26 to Apr 30	Aug 25 to Sep 8	Apr 23
Lancaster	Feb 22 to Mar 8	Apr 5 to Apr 26	Mar 22 to Apr 26	Aug 29 to Sep 12	Apr 19
Levittown	Feb 24 to Mar 10	Apr 7 to Apr 28	Mar 24 to Apr 28	Aug 30 to Sep 13	Apr 21
Harrisburg	Feb 18 to Mar 4	Apr 1 to Apr 22	Mar 18 to Apr 22	Aug 28 to Sep 11	Apr 15
York	Mar 1 to Mar 15	Apr 12 to May 3	Mar 29 to May 3	Aug 24 to Sep 7	Apr 26
Wilkes-Barre	Feb 26 to Mar 12	Apr 9 to Apr 30	Mar 26 to Apr 30	Aug 25 to Sep 8	Apr 23
Altoona	Feb 28 to Mar 14	Apr 11 to May 2	Mar 28 to May 2	Aug 26 to Sep 9	Apr 25
State College	Feb 23 to Mar 9	Apr 6 to Apr 27	Mar 23 to Apr 27	Aug 31 to Sep 14	Apr 20
Penn Hills	Feb 19 to Mar 5	Apr 2 to Apr 23	Mar 19 to Apr 23	Sep 6 to Sep 20	Apr 16
Norristown	Feb 11 to Feb 25	Mar 25 to Apr 15	Mar 11 to Apr 15	Sep 5 to Sep 19	Apr 8
Chester	Feb 2 to Feb 16	Mar 16 to Apr 6	Mar 2 to Apr 6	Sep 21 to Oct 5	Mar 30
Mount Lebanon	Feb 21 to Mar 7	Apr 4 to Apr 25	Mar 21 to Apr 25	Sep 2 to Sep 16	Apr 18
Bethel Park	Feb 21 to Mar 7	Apr 4 to Apr 25	Mar 21 to Apr 25	Sep 2 to Sep 16	Apr 18
Easton	Feb 21 to Mar 7	Apr 4 to Apr 25	Mar 21 to Apr 25	Aug 30 to Sep 13	Apr 18
Hazleton	Mar 5 to Mar 19	Apr 16 to May 7	Apr 2 to May 7	Aug 27 to Sep 10	Apr 30
Drexel Hill	Feb 5 to Feb 19	Mar 19 to Apr 9	Mar 5 to Apr 9	Sep 15 to Sep 29	Apr 2
Monroeville	Feb 25 to Mar 11	Apr 8 to Apr 29	Mar 25 to Apr 29	Aug 30 to Sep 13	Apr 22
Williamsport	Feb 28 to Mar 14	Apr 11 to May 2	Mar 28 to May 2	Aug 29 to Sep 12	Apr 25
Lebanon	Feb 23 to Mar 9	Apr 6 to Apr 27	Mar 23 to Apr 27	Aug 30 to Sep 13	Apr 20
Plum	Feb 19 to Mar 5	Apr 2 to Apr 23	Mar 19 to Apr 23	Sep 6 to Sep 20	Apr 16
King of Prussia	Feb 11 to Feb 25	Mar 25 to Apr 15	Mar 11 to Apr 15	Sep 5 to Sep 19	Apr 8
Chambersburg	Feb 21 to Mar 7	Apr 4 to Apr 25	Mar 21 to Apr 25	Aug 30 to Sep 13	Apr 18
Pottstown	Feb 23 to Mar 9	Apr 6 to Apr 27	Mar 23 to Apr 27	Aug 28 to Sep 11	Apr 20
Carlisle	Feb 26 to Mar 12	Apr 9 to Apr 30	Mar 26 to Apr 30	Aug 23 to Sep 6	Apr 23
Allison Park	Feb 19 to Mar 5	Apr 2 to Apr 23	Mar 19 to Apr 23	Sep 6 to Sep 20	Apr 16
New Castle	Mar 5 to Mar 19	Apr 16 to May 7	Apr 2 to May 7	Aug 28 to Sep 11	Apr 30
Murrysville	Feb 25 to Mar 11	Apr 8 to Apr 29	Mar 25 to Apr 29	Aug 30 to Sep 13	Apr 22
Baldwin	Feb 21 to Mar 7	Apr 4 to Apr 25	Mar 21 to Apr 25	Sep 2 to Sep 16	Apr 18
Phoenixville	Feb 21 to Mar 7	Apr 4 to Apr 25	Mar 21 to Apr 25	Sep 1 to Sep 15	Apr 18

Questions

When should I plant lettuce in Pennsylvania?

In Philadelphia, plant out from March 16 to April 6. Across Pennsylvania the window opens between March 16 and April 16, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Start seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost; plant out from 2 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow outdoors from 4 weeks before to 1 weeks after the last frost; sow again for fall 6–8 weeks before the first frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Pennsylvania

Lettuce in other states

Frost dates for every city in Pennsylvania