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When to plant in Carlisle, PA

USDA Zone 7a

Carlisle, Pennsylvania frost dates, USDA zone, and a full-year planting calendar, drawn from the nearest NOAA station and tuned to the local season.

Zone 7a means many perennials and even some tender shrubs overwinter in Carlisle, while your frost dates still decide when annuals go out.

Station · CARLISLE WTP · 3.1 km
Last spring frost
April 23
50% chance · 32°F
First fall frost
October 18
50% chance · 32°F
Growing season
178 days
frost-free
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Frost calendar for CarlisleA year-band showing 32°F frost risk from January to December for Carlisle: last spring frost around April 23, first fall frost around October 18, about 178 frost-free days between.
Shaded months carry frost risk; the clear span is the average frost-free season.

Frost probability

CARLISLE WTP · 1991–2020

The date the last spring and first fall frost occur, by threshold and probability. A 90% date is later in spring — and earlier in fall — than a 10% date; the 50% · 32°F row is what most gardeners plan around. These are Carlisle’s own odds, recorded at CARLISLE WTP.

Frost-probability curves for CarlisleProbability of the last spring frost and first fall frost by date at 32°F. The last spring frost is most likely around April 23 and the first fall frost around October 18, giving about 178 frost-free days.
Last spring frostFirst fall frostbold = 32°F · thin = 28°F / 36°F · dot = 50% date · band = 10–90% window
ThresholdSPRING 10%SPRING 50%SPRING 90%FALL 10%FALL 50%FALL 90%
36°FMay 19May 3Apr 20Sep 25Oct 6Oct 21
32°FMay 9Apr 23Apr 9Oct 4Oct 18Nov 2
28°FApr 24Apr 10Mar 28Oct 14Nov 1Nov 14

Download this table as CSV ↓ — every threshold and probability, plus this city’s planting-window dates.

What to plant now

TODAY · JULY 19
Fall sowopen now
Rutabaga
July 12July 26
Fall sowin 7 days
Broccoli
July 26August 9
Fall sowin 7 days
Cabbage
July 26August 9
Fall sowin 7 days
Carrot
July 26August 9
Fall sowin 7 days
Cauliflower
July 26August 9
Fall sowin 7 days
Napa Cabbage
July 26August 23
Fall sowin 21 days
Beet
August 9August 23
Fall sowin 21 days
Collards
August 9September 6
Fall sowin 21 days
Endive
August 9August 23
Fall sowin 21 days
Escarole
August 9August 23
Fall sowin 21 days
Fennel (Bulb)
August 9August 23
Fall sowin 21 days
Kale
August 9September 6
Fall sowin 21 days
Kohlrabi
August 9September 6
Fall sowin 21 days
Peas
August 9August 23
Fall sowin 21 days
Radicchio
August 9August 23
Fall sowin 21 days
Swiss Chard
August 9August 23
Fall sowin 21 days
Turnip
August 9September 6

Add these crops to your calendar (.ics) ↓

Full-year planting calendar

Start indoorsTransplantDirect sowFall sow

Each bar is the exact window to take a planting action in Carlisle, drawn to the day from the local frost dates. The dashed line is today.

Nearby weather stations

3 within 30 km · complete 32°F normals

When stations disagree by more than a few days, that spread is real microclimate variation — elevation, water, urban heat. Judge which station best matches your own yard.

CARLISLE WTP
Primary
3 km · 131 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 23
FALL
Oct 18
BLOSERVILLE 1 N
15 km · 213 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 18
FALL
Oct 26
HARRISBURG 1 NE
30 km · 128 m elevation
SPRING
Apr 15
FALL
Oct 23

Carlisle planting FAQ

When is the last spring frost in Carlisle, PA?

Plan for the last spring frost in Carlisle around April 23 (the date it has a 50% chance of a 32°F freeze). Anything frost-sensitive should go out after it.

When is the first fall frost in Carlisle, PA?

Expect Carlisle's first fall frost near October 18 — a 50% chance of 32°F by that date. Bring in or cover tender crops ahead of it.

What hardiness zone is Carlisle in?

Carlisle is in USDA hardiness zone 7a. In zone 7a, winters are moderate — most common vegetables grow well in season.

How long is the growing season in Carlisle?

There are roughly 178 frost-free days in Carlisle (a moderate growing season), running from the average last frost around April 23 to the first fall frost near October 18.

When should I plant tomatoes in Carlisle?

In Carlisle, start tomato seeds indoors around February 26–March 12, then transplant seedlings outdoors around April 30 once the danger of frost has passed.

Planting reminders

Never miss a window in Carlisle

An email when it’s time to start seeds, transplant, and sow — timed to Carlisle’s frost dates. Double opt-in, one-click unsubscribe, no spam.

Nearby cities

8 within reach

Frost dates recorded at CARLISLE WTP, 3 km from the city center · 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals · zone from the USDA/PRISM 2023 map. How we compute this.

Cite this page
BlissGarden. "When to Plant in Carlisle, PA — Frost Dates & Zone 7a." Frost normals: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, station USC00361920. Retrieved from https://blissgarden.com/pennsylvania/carlisle.
When to Plant in Carlisle, PA — Frost Dates & Zone 7a — BlissGarden