Frost dates for Chester, PA
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
March 30
typical year
Safe to plant
April 9
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
November 16
typical year
Growing season
230 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Mar 2 – 16 | – |
| Spinach | – | Feb 16 – Mar 9 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 2 – 23 | Sep 21 – Oct 5 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 2 – Apr 13 | Oct 5 – 19 |
| Onions | – | Mar 2 – 16 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 9 – 23 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 9 – 30 | Aug 24 – Sep 7 |
| Beets | – | Mar 2 – 16 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Kale | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Mar 2 – 16 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Broccoli | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Mar 16 – 30 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Cabbage | Jan 5 – 19 | Mar 2 – 16 | Sep 7 – 21 |
| Garlic | – | – | Oct 5 – 26 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Feb 12 – 26 | Apr 9 – 23 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 5 – 19 | Apr 16 – 30 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 9 – 30 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 9 – May 7 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 9 – 30 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 9 – Sep 7 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 9 – May 7 | – |
| Basil | Mar 5 – 19 | Apr 16 – 23 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | April 9 | March 30 | March 16 |
| Fall frost before | November 2 | November 16 | December 2 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around March 20 (March 31 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 28.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 14 towns.
Chester, Brookhaven, Media, Chester Heights, Upland, Swedesboro, NJ, Eddystone, Marcus Hook, Parkside, Trainer, Rose Valley, Arden, DE, Ardentown, DE, Ardencroft, DE
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station MARCUS HOOK, PA US (USC00365390), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 16 zip codes, all within 7 miles:
08014, 08067, 08085, 19013, 19014, 19015, 19017, 19022, 19052, 19060, 19061, 19063, 19086, 19094, 19342, 19703
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.