When to plant in Midland, PA
Planting dates worked out from Midland's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 13
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 25
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 20
1 year in 10 by Oct 3
Frost-free days
176
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Washington 3 Ne · 9.2 km away · station 396 m, town 303 m. How we match towns to stations
This season
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 7 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 12 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 21 – Feb 28 | Mar 28 – Apr 11 | May 7 |
| Peas | — | Mar 27 – Apr 24 | May 21 |
| Bush beans | — | May 6 – May 27 | Jun 25 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 5 – May 17 | Jun 4 |
| Beet | — | Apr 5 – May 17 | May 25 |
| Potato | — | Apr 5 – Apr 26 | Jun 14 |
| Kale | Feb 20 – Mar 6 | Apr 3 – Apr 17 | May 16 |
| Broccoli | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | May 27 |
| Cucumber | Apr 15 – Apr 22 | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 2 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 15 – Apr 22 | May 13 – May 27 | Jun 27 |
| Winter squash | Apr 15 – Apr 22 | May 13 – May 27 | Aug 1 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 6 – May 27 | Jul 5 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Mar 28 – Apr 18 | Jun 26 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 6 – Nov 3 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 27 – Apr 24 | May 4 |
| Basil | Apr 1 – Apr 15 | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 9 |
Midland's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1976 | May 12 |
| 1977 | May 11 |
| 1985 | Apr 11 |
| 1986 | May 3 |
| 1987 | Apr 6 |
| 1988 | Apr 21 |
| 1989 | May 8 |
| 1990 | Apr 20 |
| 1991 | Apr 13 |
| 1992 | Apr 14 |
| 1993 | Apr 28 |
| 1994 | Apr 22 |
| 1995 | Apr 26 |
| 1996 | May 14 |
| 1997 | Apr 21 |
| 1998 | Apr 29 |
| 1999 | Apr 24 |
| 2000 | Apr 14 |
| 2001 | Apr 20 |
| 2002 | May 22 |
| 2003 | Apr 25 |
| 2004 | Mar 24 |
| 2005 | May 4 |
| 2007 | Apr 17 |
| 2008 | Apr 16 |
| 2009 | Apr 14 |
| 2010 | Jun 9 |
| 2012 | Apr 29 |
| 2013 | Apr 28 |
| 2014 | Apr 25 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1976 | 151 |
| 1977 | 147 |
| 1986 | 167 |
| 1987 | 185 |
| 1988 | 169 |
| 1989 | 153 |
| 1990 | 182 |
| 1991 | 183 |
| 1992 | 186 |
| 1993 | 155 |
| 1994 | 202 |
| 1995 | 182 |
| 1996 | 142 |
| 1997 | 182 |
| 1998 | 188 |
| 1999 | 183 |
| 2001 | 170 |
| 2002 | 163 |
| 2003 | 160 |
| 2004 | 229 |
| 2005 | 173 |
| 2007 | 193 |
| 2008 | 160 |
| 2009 | 174 |
| 2010 | 144 |
| 2012 | 162 |
| 2013 | 179 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1976 | 16.2 °C |
| 1977 | 18.0 °C |
| 1985 | 17.6 °C |
| 1986 | 17.7 °C |
| 1987 | 18.2 °C |
| 1988 | 17.6 °C |
| 1989 | 16.8 °C |
| 1990 | 16.8 °C |
| 1991 | 19.3 °C |
| 1992 | 16.3 °C |
| 1993 | 17.6 °C |
| 1994 | 17.2 °C |
| 1995 | 17.8 °C |
| 1996 | 17.1 °C |
| 1997 | 15.9 °C |
| 1998 | 18.1 °C |
| 1999 | 18.4 °C |
| 2001 | 17.3 °C |
| 2002 | 18.4 °C |
| 2003 | 17.2 °C |
| 2004 | 18.5 °C |
| 2005 | 18.6 °C |
| 2007 | 17.9 °C |
| 2008 | 16.8 °C |
| 2009 | 16.4 °C |
| 2010 | 17.6 °C |
| 2011 | 18.8 °C |
| 2012 | 18.6 °C |
| 2013 | 18.3 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1976, Midland's last spring frost has stayed at about the same time of year. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Washington 3 Ne (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.