Frost dates for Scranton, 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
April 23
typical year
Safe to plant
May 10
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 20
typical year
Growing season
178 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 26 – Apr 9 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 12 – Apr 2 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 26 – Apr 16 | Aug 25 – Sep 8 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 26 – May 7 | Sep 8 – 22 |
| Onions | – | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 2 – 16 | – |
| Carrots | – | Apr 2 – 23 | Jul 28 – Aug 11 |
| Beets | – | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Aug 11 – 25 |
| Kale | Feb 12 – 26 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Aug 11 – 25 |
| Broccoli | Feb 12 – 26 | Apr 9 – 23 | Aug 11 – 25 |
| Cabbage | Jan 29 – Feb 12 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Aug 11 – 25 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 8 – 29 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 15 – 29 | May 10 – 24 | – |
| Peppers | Mar 8 – 22 | May 17 – 31 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | May 10 – 31 | – |
| Zucchini | – | May 10 – Jun 7 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | May 10 – 31 | – |
| Green beans | – | May 10 – Aug 11 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | May 10 – Jun 7 | – |
| Basil | Apr 5 – 19 | May 17 – 24 | – |
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 | May 10 | April 23 | April 9 |
| Fall frost before | October 4 | October 20 | November 4 |
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 April 10 (April 26 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 3.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 40 towns.
Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Dunmore, Kingston, Old Forge, Pittston, Archbald, Blakely, Taylor, Moosic, Dickson City, Plymouth, Exeter, Olyphant, Duryea, Swoyersville, Clarks Summit, Edwardsville, West Pittston, Jessup, Larksville, Forty Fort, Throop, Wyoming, Harveys Lake, Luzerne, Dallas, West Wyoming, Dupont, Avoca, Moscow, Tunkhannock, Clarks Green, Laflin, Hughestown, Dalton, Factoryville, Pringle, Courtdale, Yatesville
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station WILKES-BARRE INTL AP, PA US (USW00014777), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 39 zip codes, all within 18 miles:
18403, 18411, 18414, 18419, 18434, 18440, 18444, 18447, 18452, 18471, 18503, 18504, 18505, 18507, 18508, 18509, 18510, 18512, 18517, 18518, 18519, 18612, 18615, 18618, 18625, 18627, 18640, 18641, 18642, 18643, 18644, 18651, 18657, 18701, 18702, 18704, 18705, 18708, 18709
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.