Squash vine borer in Pennsylvania: When It Shows Up and What Stops It
In Pennsylvania, squash vine borer moths usually start emerging in late June, with the heaviest egg-laying pressure hitting home gardens through mid-July…
Gardening in Pennsylvania
Everything we have worked out for Pennsylvania: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Philadelphia, the last spring freeze runs March 29 to April 6 and the first fall freeze runs November 5 to November 16, USDA zones 5a-7b, 4,116 growing degree days in the year.
Garlic does well: 21.8 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in Pennsylvania: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
Garden Pests in Pennsylvania: What Shows Up, When, and How to Stop It
A season-by-season look at Pennsylvania’s ten most common garden pests, how to identify their damage, and which controls are worth the effort.
Pennsylvania Lawn Care: What to Plant and When to Feed It
Pennsylvania lawns sit in a turf transition zone where cool-season and warm-season grasses both compromise, plus when to seed, feed, and mow each one.
Garlic Varieties That Suit Pennsylvania Winters
Explains which garlic varieties suit Pennsylvania’s cold winters, why hardneck and softneck both vernalize reliably here, and when to plant each type.
When to Plant Garlic in Pennsylvania: Counting Back From the First Frost
Pennsylvania’s fall planting window for garlic runs mid to late October, counted back from Philadelphia’s NOAA frost normals for early to mid November.
Growing Garlic in Pennsylvania: Planting Dates, Varieties and Winter Cold
A look at Pennsylvania’s frost dates, cold requirements, and best garlic varieties, using NOAA climate data and PSU Extension guidance for planting and winter care.
Tomato Pests in Pennsylvania: Which Ones Actually Show Up Here
A season-by-season guide to the flea beetles, potato beetles, aphids, hornworms, stink bugs, and fruitworms that actually damage Pennsylvania tomatoes.
Tomato Planting Dates in Pennsylvania: Counting Back From Your Frost Window
Pennsylvania’s frost dates vary by region, so this page shows how to count backward from NOAA’s Philadelphia normals to set your own transplant date.
Tomato Varieties That Ripen in Time in Pennsylvania
A county-by-county look at which named tomato cultivars have enough days to mature before Pennsylvania’s first fall frost, from cherry types to paste tomatoes.
Growing Tomatoes in Pennsylvania: Planting Dates, Varieties and Local Pests
Pennsylvania’s tomato season runs from Philadelphia’s early-April frost window to fall, with planting dates, soil prep, and variety picks for the whole state.