When to plant peas in Pennsylvania

Peas
Sow outdoors in Philadelphia
Feb 16–Mar 2

Across Pennsylvania the window opens between February 16 and March 19. Find your city below; the dates follow each town's own average last frost.

Sow outdoors, Philadelphia
Feb 16–Mar 2
Fall planting, Philadelphia
Sep 8–Sep 22
Last frost, Philadelphia
Mar 30

Sow outdoors 4–6 weeks before the last frost; sow again for fall 8–10 weeks before the first frost. Peas handle frost. The usual mistake is sowing too late and losing the crop to summer heat.

Peas planting dates by city

Start indoorsPlant outSow outdoorsFall plantingAverage last and first frost
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PhiladelphiaFeb 16–Mar 2
PittsburghMar 7–Mar 21
AllentownMar 9–Mar 23
ReadingMar 3–Mar 17
ErieMar 15–Mar 29
BethlehemMar 9–Mar 23
ScrantonMar 12–Mar 26
LancasterMar 8–Mar 22
LevittownMar 10–Mar 24
HarrisburgMar 4–Mar 18
YorkMar 15–Mar 29
Wilkes-BarreMar 12–Mar 26
AltoonaMar 14–Mar 28
State CollegeMar 9–Mar 23
Penn HillsMar 5–Mar 19
NorristownFeb 25–Mar 11
ChesterFeb 16–Mar 2
Mount LebanonMar 7–Mar 21
Bethel ParkMar 7–Mar 21
EastonMar 7–Mar 21
HazletonMar 19–Apr 2
Drexel HillFeb 19–Mar 5
MonroevilleMar 11–Mar 25
WilliamsportMar 14–Mar 28
LebanonMar 9–Mar 23
PlumMar 5–Mar 19
King of PrussiaFeb 25–Mar 11
ChambersburgMar 7–Mar 21
PottstownMar 9–Mar 23
CarlisleMar 12–Mar 26
All 35 cities
CitySow outdoorsFall plantingLast frost
PhiladelphiaFeb 16 to Mar 2Sep 8 to Sep 22Mar 30
PittsburghMar 7 to Mar 21Aug 19 to Sep 2Apr 18
AllentownMar 9 to Mar 23Aug 15 to Aug 29Apr 20
ReadingMar 3 to Mar 17Aug 20 to Sep 3Apr 14
ErieMar 15 to Mar 29Aug 26 to Sep 9Apr 26
BethlehemMar 9 to Mar 23Aug 15 to Aug 29Apr 20
ScrantonMar 12 to Mar 26Aug 11 to Aug 25Apr 23
LancasterMar 8 to Mar 22Aug 15 to Aug 29Apr 19
LevittownMar 10 to Mar 24Aug 16 to Aug 30Apr 21
HarrisburgMar 4 to Mar 18Aug 14 to Aug 28Apr 15
YorkMar 15 to Mar 29Aug 10 to Aug 24Apr 26
Wilkes-BarreMar 12 to Mar 26Aug 11 to Aug 25Apr 23
AltoonaMar 14 to Mar 28Aug 12 to Aug 26Apr 25
State CollegeMar 9 to Mar 23Aug 17 to Aug 31Apr 20
Penn HillsMar 5 to Mar 19Aug 23 to Sep 6Apr 16
NorristownFeb 25 to Mar 11Aug 22 to Sep 5Apr 8
ChesterFeb 16 to Mar 2Sep 7 to Sep 21Mar 30
Mount LebanonMar 7 to Mar 21Aug 19 to Sep 2Apr 18
Bethel ParkMar 7 to Mar 21Aug 19 to Sep 2Apr 18
EastonMar 7 to Mar 21Aug 16 to Aug 30Apr 18
HazletonMar 19 to Apr 2Aug 13 to Aug 27Apr 30
Drexel HillFeb 19 to Mar 5Sep 1 to Sep 15Apr 2
MonroevilleMar 11 to Mar 25Aug 16 to Aug 30Apr 22
WilliamsportMar 14 to Mar 28Aug 15 to Aug 29Apr 25
LebanonMar 9 to Mar 23Aug 16 to Aug 30Apr 20
PlumMar 5 to Mar 19Aug 23 to Sep 6Apr 16
King of PrussiaFeb 25 to Mar 11Aug 22 to Sep 5Apr 8
ChambersburgMar 7 to Mar 21Aug 16 to Aug 30Apr 18
PottstownMar 9 to Mar 23Aug 14 to Aug 28Apr 20
CarlisleMar 12 to Mar 26Aug 9 to Aug 23Apr 23
Allison ParkMar 5 to Mar 19Aug 23 to Sep 6Apr 16
New CastleMar 19 to Apr 2Aug 14 to Aug 28Apr 30
MurrysvilleMar 11 to Mar 25Aug 16 to Aug 30Apr 22
BaldwinMar 7 to Mar 21Aug 19 to Sep 2Apr 18
PhoenixvilleMar 7 to Mar 21Aug 18 to Sep 1Apr 18

Questions

When should I plant peas in Pennsylvania?

In Philadelphia, sow outdoors from February 16 to March 2. Across Pennsylvania the window opens between February 16 and March 19, depending on the local last frost.

How is this date worked out?

Sow outdoors 4–6 weeks before the last frost; sow again for fall 8–10 weeks before the first frost. Frost dates are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for the weather station nearest each city.

More for Pennsylvania

Peas in other states

Frost dates for every city in Pennsylvania