Quantcast
2023 Planting Calendar: When to Start Vegetable Seeds | The Old Farmer's Almanac

For daily wit & wisdom, sign up for the Almanac Daily newsletter.

Planting Calendar for West Chester, PA

For the Almanac's fall and spring planting calendars, we've calculated the best time to start seeds indoors, when to transplant young plants outside, and when to direct seed into the ground.

Use the icon below for the best print or email format.

Print Friendly and PDF

Planting Dates for Spring

On average, your last spring frost occurs on May 2 (at W CHESTER 2 NW, PA climate station, elevation 374 feet).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Moon Based on Moon Dates
Start Seeds IndoorsPlant Seedlings
or Transplants
Start Seeds Outdoors
ArugulaN/AN/AFrost Apr 18-May 2
Moon Apr 19-May 2
BasilFrost Mar 6-21
Moon Mar 6- 7
Frost May 2-23
Moon May 2- 5, May 19-23
N/A
BeetsN/AN/AFrost Apr 18-May 9
Moon Apr 18, May 6- 9
Bell PeppersFrost Feb 20-Mar 6
Moon Feb 20-Mar 6
Frost May 9-23
Moon May 19-23
N/A
Bok ChoyFrost Mar 21-Apr 4
Moon Mar 21-Apr 4
Frost May 9-23
Moon May 19-23
N/A
BroccoliFrost Mar 6-21
Moon Mar 6- 7
Frost Apr 4-25
Moon Apr 4- 5, Apr 19-25
N/A
CabbageFrost Mar 6-21
Moon Mar 6- 7
Frost Apr 4-18
Moon Apr 4- 5
N/A
CantaloupesFrost Apr 4-11
Moon Apr 4- 5
Frost May 16-30
Moon May 19-30
N/A
CarrotsN/AN/AFrost Mar 28-Apr 11
Moon Apr 6-11
CauliflowerFrost Mar 6-21
Moon Mar 6- 7
Frost Apr 4-25
Moon Apr 4- 5, Apr 19-25
N/A
CeleryFrost Feb 20-Mar 6
Moon Feb 20-Mar 6
Frost May 9-23
Moon May 19-23
N/A
ChivesN/AN/AFrost Apr 4-11
Moon Apr 4- 5
Cilantro (Coriander)N/AN/AFrost May 2-16
Moon May 2- 5
CollardsN/AN/AFrost Apr 4-18
Moon Apr 4- 5
CornN/AN/AFrost May 16-Jun 6
Moon May 19-Jun 3
CucumbersFrost Apr 4-11
Moon Apr 4- 5
Frost May 16-30
Moon May 19-30
N/A
DillN/AN/AFrost May 2-Jun 6
Moon May 2- 5, May 19-Jun 3
EggplantsFrost Mar 6-21
Moon Mar 6- 7
Frost May 16-30
Moon May 19-30
N/A
Fava Beans (Broad Beans)Frost Feb 6-20
Moon Feb 20
Frost Mar 14-Apr 4
Moon Mar 21-Apr 4
N/A
Green BeansN/AN/AFrost May 9-30
Moon May 19-30
Jalapeño PeppersFrost Feb 20-Mar 6
Moon Feb 20-Mar 6
Frost May 9-23
Moon May 19-23
N/A
KaleFrost Mar 6-21
Moon Mar 6- 7
Frost Apr 4-25
Moon Apr 4- 5, Apr 19-25
N/A
KohlrabiFrost Mar 21-Apr 4
Moon Mar 21-Apr 4
Frost Apr 11-18
N/A
LettuceFrost Mar 21-Apr 4
Moon Mar 21-Apr 4
Frost Apr 18-May 16
Moon Apr 19-May 5
N/A
OkraN/AN/AFrost May 16-30
Moon May 19-30
OnionsN/AN/AFrost Apr 4-25
Moon Apr 6-18
OreganoFrost Feb 20-Mar 21
Moon Feb 20-Mar 7
Frost May 2-23
Moon May 2- 5, May 19-23
N/A
ParsleyN/AN/AFrost Apr 4-18
Moon Apr 4- 5
ParsnipsN/AN/AFrost Apr 11-May 2
Moon Apr 11-18
PeasN/AN/AFrost Mar 21-Apr 11
Moon Mar 21-Apr 5
PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Apr 4-18
Moon Apr 6-18
PumpkinsFrost Apr 11-25
Moon Apr 19-25
Frost May 16-30
Moon May 19-30
N/A
RadishesN/AN/AFrost Mar 6-28
Moon Mar 8-20
RosemaryFrost Feb 20-Mar 6
Moon Feb 20-Mar 6
Frost May 9-30
Moon May 19-30
N/A
SageFrost Mar 6-21
Moon Mar 6- 7
Frost May 2-16
Moon May 2- 5
N/A
SpinachN/AN/AFrost Mar 21-Apr 11
Moon Mar 21-Apr 5
Sweet PotatoesN/AN/AFrost May 23-Jun 6
Moon Jun 4- 6
Swiss ChardFrost Mar 21-Apr 4
Moon Mar 21-Apr 4
Frost Apr 11-18
N/A
ThymeFrost Feb 20-Mar 21
Moon Feb 20-Mar 7
Frost May 2-23
Moon May 2- 5, May 19-23
N/A
TomatillosFrost Mar 6-21
Moon Mar 6- 7
Frost May 23-Jun 6
Moon May 23-Jun 3
N/A
TomatoesFrost Mar 6-21
Moon Mar 6- 7
Frost May 9-30
Moon May 19-30
N/A
TurnipsN/AN/AFrost Apr 4-25
Moon Apr 6-18
WatermelonsFrost Apr 4-11
Moon Apr 4- 5
Frost May 16-30
Moon May 19-30
N/A
Winter SquashN/AN/AFrost May 16-Jun 13
Moon May 19-Jun 3
Zucchini and Summer SquashN/AN/AFrost May 16-Jun 13
Moon May 19-Jun 3

Planting Dates for Fall

On average, your first fall frost occurs on October 12 (at W CHESTER 2 NW, PA climate station).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Start Seeds Indoors by...Plant Seedlings Outdoors by...Start Seeds Outdoors by...
ArugulaN/AN/AFrost Sep 7
BeetsN/AN/AFrost Aug 28
Bell PeppersFrost Apr 29Frost Jun 24N/A
Bok ChoyN/AN/AFrost Sep 2
BroccoliFrost Jul 1Frost Jul 29N/A
CabbageFrost Jun 21Frost Jul 19N/A
CantaloupesN/AN/AFrost Jun 14
CarrotsN/AN/AFrost Aug 23
CauliflowerFrost Jul 1Frost Jul 29N/A
CeleryFrost Apr 20Frost Jun 29N/A
CollardsN/AN/AFrost Aug 13
CornN/AN/AFrost Jul 4
CucumbersN/AN/AFrost Jul 9
EggplantsFrost Apr 29Frost Jun 24N/A
Fava Beans (Broad Beans)N/AN/AFrost Aug 13
Green BeansN/AN/AFrost Jul 9
Jalapeño PeppersFrost May 19Frost Jul 14N/A
KaleFrost Jul 21Frost Aug 18N/A
KohlrabiN/AN/AFrost Aug 23
LettuceN/AN/AFrost Sep 2
OkraN/AN/AFrost Jul 4
ParsnipsN/AN/AFrost Jul 9
PeasN/AN/AFrost Aug 8
PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Jun 24
PumpkinsN/AN/AFrost May 30
RadishesN/AN/AFrost Sep 7
SpinachN/AN/AFrost Sep 17
Sweet PotatoesFrost May 10Frost Jun 14N/A
Swiss ChardN/AN/AFrost Sep 2
TomatillosN/AN/AFrost Jul 4
TomatoesFrost May 4Frost Jun 29N/A
TurnipsN/AN/AFrost Sep 2
WatermelonsN/AN/AFrost Jun 14
Winter SquashN/AN/AFrost Jun 29
Zucchini and Summer SquashN/AN/AFrost Jul 14
The Old Farmer's Store