When to Plant in Pittsburgh, PA

Pittsburgh's location in the Allegheny foothills gives it a Zone 6a climate with a last frost around April 30 and a first fall frost around October 17 — about 175 frost-free days. The city is famously cloudy, with one of the lowest sunshine totals in the country, which affects how crops perform.

Despite the clouds, Pittsburgh's gardening is productive and rewarding. The cooler summers that cloudiness brings actually benefit heat-sensitive crops. Choose tomato varieties like Celebrity or Early Girl that set fruit in cloudy conditions. Fall is often the best growing season with warm days and cool nights well into October.

This month in Pittsburgh: November 2026

Pittsburgh's first frost usually comes around October 17, so November is past it. Kale, collards, leeks, and carrots will hold in the ground through most of the month, longer under a row cover. Dig the carrots before the clay freezes; it's much easier while it's still soft.

Garlic can still go in during the first half of November. Give the bed a few inches of compost first so the cloves aren't sitting in wet clay all winter, then mulch with straw once the ground turns cold.

Pull the stakes and cages, knock the soil off them, and put them away dry. Shredded leaves over the empty beds now will keep the soil from crusting over by spring.

Updated November 3, 2026

What to plant now in Pittsburgh

Spring: Tomatoes, peppers, squash, beans, cucumbers, and corn after last frost around April 30.
Early Spring (Mar–Apr): Peas, lettuce, spinach, kale, and onion sets as soon as soil is workable.
Fall: Excellent season — broccoli, kale, lettuce, carrots, spinach, and fall beans.
Winter: Garlic planted in October. Cover crops and planning.

In Pittsburgh (170 frost-free days, a moderate season), 30 of 56 planner crops fit outright, 25 get two plantings, 1 crop is perennial.

Month by month in Pittsburgh

Month	What to do
January	Order seeds. Research cloudy-climate tomato varieties. Plan garden layout.
February	Start tomato, pepper, and eggplant seeds indoors under grow lights.
March	Direct sow peas, spinach, and lettuce as soil thaws. Start brassica transplants.
April	Transplant cold-hardy seedlings. After April 30 — transplant warm-season crops.
May	Plant beans, squash, and cucumbers. Full spring garden planted.
June	Warm-season crops growing. Stake and train tomatoes.
July	Harvest summer crops. Start fall brassica seeds indoors.
August	Plant fall broccoli, kale, and cabbage transplants. Direct sow carrots.
September	Fall garden prime time. Plant lettuce and spinach. Harvest summer crops.
October	First frost around October 17. Plant garlic. Harvest or protect crops.
November	Cold-hardy greens can continue under row cover. Clean up beds.
December	Rest season. Plan next year and review seed catalogs.

Frost dates for Pittsburgh ZIP codes

ZIP	Last spring frost (50%)	First fall frost (50%)	Zone
15237	May 1	October 14	6b
15206	April 30	October 17	6b
15210	April 30	October 17	6b
15205	May 1	October 17	6b

FAQ

When is the last frost date in Pittsburgh, PA?

Pittsburgh's average last frost date is around April 30. Start warm-season crops indoors in early February and transplant outdoors after late April.

Does Pittsburgh's cloudiness affect gardening?

Yes — Pittsburgh gets fewer sunny days than most US cities. Choose sun-tolerant tomato varieties like Celebrity, Early Girl, or Jet Star that perform in lower-light conditions. Full-sun beds facing south are essential.

What vegetables grow best in Pittsburgh?

Cool-season crops do excellently: peas, lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, and carrots. Tomatoes produce well with the right variety selection. Fall is often the best season.

How do I make the most of Pittsburgh's fall season?

Plant broccoli, kale, and lettuce in August for a September–October harvest. The warm days and cool nights in September and October often produce the best vegetables of the year.

How does Plan My Garden help Pittsburgh gardeners?

Enter your Pittsburgh zip code and we'll build a personalized planting schedule for every crop — using your exact frost dates and tuned for Pennsylvania's four-season growing calendar.