When to plant garlic in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania spans USDA zones 5b–7b, so the right time to plant garlic shifts by weeks across the state. The window to plant for fall/overwintering runs from about September 5 in Hermitage to October 20 in Philadelphia — below are local dates for 86 cities, each computed from its own frost dates.
| City | Zone | Last frost | First frost | Fall-plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | 7b | March 30 | November 17 | October 20 – November 3 |
| Pittsburgh | 6b | April 18 | October 28 | September 30 – October 14 |
| Allentown | 7a | April 20 | October 24 | September 26 – October 10 |
| Reading | 7a | April 14 | October 29 | October 1 – October 15 |
| Erie | 7a | April 26 | November 4 | October 7 – October 21 |
| Bethlehem | 7a | April 20 | October 24 | September 26 – October 10 |
| Scranton | 6b | April 23 | October 20 | September 22 – October 6 |
| Lancaster | 7a | April 19 | October 24 | September 26 – October 10 |
Garlic in Pennsylvania: FAQ
When can I plant garlic in Pennsylvania?
Across Pennsylvania, the time to fall-plant garlic spans roughly September 5 in Hermitage to October 20 in Philadelphia, each following that city's local frost dates.
Does the garlic planting date vary across Pennsylvania?
Yes. Pennsylvania publishes 86 cities with their own frost dates, so the right garlic planting window shifts by weeks between the warmest and coldest parts of the state — use your city's page for the exact dates.
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