Western PA Calendar for Starting Seeds

By Charity Grimes Bauman

Timing can be criticall when starting seeds at home. Too early and you'll have overgrown and poorly nourished plants waiting to get outside. Too late, and you;ll miss valuable growing time. Use the calendar below to determine when to start seeds indoors.  For details on the supplies you need to get started and step-by-step directions for starting seeds, see our post on Indoor Seed Starting.

When to start seeds inside is calculated backwards from the time it is safe to plant the seedlings outdoors.  This is determined by the last frost date, which varies by plant hardiness zones.  Pittsburgh is USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6, so the average last frost date in spring is around May 15, and first frost date in fall is around October 15. 

The dates listed below are for earliest harvests, but many can also be planted or re-planted later in the season.  Some varieties can also be direct-sown, unless indicated. 

*Usually direct-sown, but can be started indoors.

**Must be started indoors; the outdoor growing season isn’t long enough for fruit production.