When to plant in West Newton, PA
Planting dates worked out from West Newton's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 12
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 24
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 23
1 year in 10 by Oct 8
Frost-free days
182
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Donora 1 Sw · 10.1 km away · station 232 m, town 237 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 17 – Mar 31 | May 12 – May 26 | Jul 6 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | May 12 – May 26 | Jul 11 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 20 – Feb 27 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | May 6 |
| Peas | — | Mar 22 – Apr 19 | May 16 |
| Bush beans | — | May 5 – May 26 | Jun 24 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 3 – May 15 | Jun 2 |
| Beet | — | Apr 1 – May 13 | May 21 |
| Potato | — | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | Jun 12 |
| Kale | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | Mar 29 – Apr 12 | May 11 |
| Broccoli | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | May 26 |
| Cucumber | Apr 14 – Apr 21 | May 12 – May 26 | Jul 1 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 14 – Apr 21 | May 12 – May 26 | Jun 26 |
| Winter squash | Apr 14 – Apr 21 | May 12 – May 26 | Jul 31 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 5 – May 26 | Jul 4 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Mar 27 – Apr 17 | Jun 25 |
| Garlic | — | Oct 9 – Nov 6 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 22 – Apr 19 | Apr 29 |
| Basil | Mar 31 – Apr 14 | May 12 – May 26 | Jul 8 |
West Newton'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 |
|---|---|
| 1927 | Apr 24 |
| 1928 | Apr 26 |
| 1929 | Apr 19 |
| 1930 | Apr 24 |
| 1931 | Apr 30 |
| 1932 | May 3 |
| 1933 | Apr 23 |
| 1934 | Apr 28 |
| 1935 | Apr 18 |
| 1936 | Apr 23 |
| 1937 | Apr 12 |
| 1938 | May 12 |
| 1939 | Apr 13 |
| 1940 | Apr 23 |
| 1941 | Apr 3 |
| 1942 | Apr 14 |
| 1943 | Apr 16 |
| 1944 | Apr 13 |
| 1945 | May 2 |
| 1946 | Apr 13 |
| 1947 | May 10 |
| 1948 | Apr 10 |
| 1949 | Apr 17 |
| 1950 | Apr 22 |
| 1951 | Apr 20 |
| 1952 | Apr 9 |
| 1953 | Apr 21 |
| 1954 | Apr 9 |
| 1955 | Apr 8 |
| 1956 | May 5 |
| 1957 | May 5 |
| 1958 | Apr 30 |
| 1959 | Apr 14 |
| 1960 | May 2 |
| 1961 | May 30 |
| 1962 | Apr 21 |
| 1963 | May 2 |
| 1964 | Apr 16 |
| 1965 | Apr 17 |
| 1967 | Apr 29 |
| 1968 | May 6 |
| 1969 | Apr 20 |
| 1970 | May 7 |
| 1971 | May 1 |
| 1972 | Apr 27 |
| 1973 | May 5 |
| 1974 | May 8 |
| 1975 | Apr 27 |
| 1976 | May 12 |
| 1977 | May 11 |
| 1978 | May 2 |
| 1979 | Apr 30 |
| 1980 | May 9 |
| 1982 | Apr 30 |
| 1983 | May 12 |
| 1984 | May 17 |
| 1985 | Apr 17 |
| 1986 | May 4 |
| 1987 | Apr 29 |
| 1988 | May 1 |
| 1989 | May 4 |
| 1990 | Apr 19 |
| 1991 | Apr 12 |
| 1992 | Apr 13 |
| 1993 | Apr 27 |
| 1994 | Apr 24 |
| 1995 | Apr 16 |
| 1996 | May 14 |
| 1997 | Apr 21 |
| 1998 | Apr 12 |
| 1999 | Apr 25 |
| 2000 | Apr 27 |
| 2001 | Apr 19 |
| 2002 | May 21 |
| 2003 | Apr 25 |
| 2004 | May 4 |
| 2005 | May 5 |
| 2006 | Apr 26 |
| 2007 | Apr 14 |
| 2008 | Apr 16 |
| 2009 | Apr 13 |
| 2010 | May 11 |
| 2011 | Apr 6 |
| 2012 | Apr 24 |
| 2013 | May 14 |
| 2015 | Apr 24 |
| 2016 | Apr 15 |
| 2017 | Apr 10 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1927 | 202 |
| 1928 | 186 |
| 1929 | 204 |
| 1930 | 178 |
| 1931 | 189 |
| 1932 | 179 |
| 1933 | 184 |
| 1934 | 167 |
| 1935 | 217 |
| 1936 | 185 |
| 1937 | 185 |
| 1938 | 180 |
| 1939 | 184 |
| 1940 | 179 |
| 1941 | 214 |
| 1942 | 167 |
| 1943 | 187 |
| 1944 | 185 |
| 1945 | 165 |
| 1946 | 215 |
| 1947 | 143 |
| 1948 | 190 |
| 1949 | 192 |
| 1950 | 202 |
| 1951 | 196 |
| 1952 | 194 |
| 1953 | 197 |
| 1954 | 205 |
| 1955 | 199 |
| 1956 | 189 |
| 1957 | 159 |
| 1958 | 158 |
| 1959 | 187 |
| 1960 | 171 |
| 1961 | 121 |
| 1962 | 186 |
| 1963 | 180 |
| 1964 | 172 |
| 1965 | 170 |
| 1967 | 173 |
| 1968 | 177 |
| 1969 | 177 |
| 1970 | 149 |
| 1971 | 186 |
| 1972 | 165 |
| 1973 | 182 |
| 1974 | 147 |
| 1975 | 158 |
| 1976 | 158 |
| 1977 | 183 |
| 1978 | 168 |
| 1979 | 167 |
| 1980 | 166 |
| 1982 | 170 |
| 1983 | 157 |
| 1984 | 169 |
| 1985 | 194 |
| 1986 | 168 |
| 1987 | 162 |
| 1988 | 163 |
| 1989 | 153 |
| 1990 | 183 |
| 1991 | 178 |
| 1992 | 187 |
| 1993 | 166 |
| 1994 | 186 |
| 1995 | 192 |
| 1996 | 171 |
| 1997 | 182 |
| 1998 | 205 |
| 1999 | 185 |
| 2000 | 184 |
| 2001 | 171 |
| 2002 | 164 |
| 2003 | 160 |
| 2004 | 188 |
| 2005 | 177 |
| 2006 | 171 |
| 2007 | 197 |
| 2008 | 185 |
| 2009 | 188 |
| 2010 | 171 |
| 2011 | 192 |
| 2012 | 166 |
| 2013 | 163 |
| 2015 | 176 |
| 2016 | 210 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1927 | 18.3 °C |
| 1928 | 18.3 °C |
| 1929 | 19.2 °C |
| 1930 | 19.6 °C |
| 1931 | 20.2 °C |
| 1932 | 19.8 °C |
| 1933 | 21.2 °C |
| 1934 | 20.6 °C |
| 1935 | 19.2 °C |
| 1936 | 20.2 °C |
| 1937 | 19.5 °C |
| 1938 | 19.9 °C |
| 1939 | 20.1 °C |
| 1940 | 18.9 °C |
| 1941 | 20.2 °C |
| 1944 | 20.8 °C |
| 1948 | 20.5 °C |
| 1949 | 20.1 °C |
| 1950 | 18.9 °C |
| 1951 | 19.6 °C |
| 1952 | 20.1 °C |
| 1953 | 20.4 °C |
| 1954 | 20.5 °C |
| 1955 | 21.3 °C |
| 1956 | 19.2 °C |
| 1957 | 20.6 °C |
| 1958 | 18.7 °C |
| 1959 | 20.5 °C |
| 1960 | 18.9 °C |
| 1961 | 17.2 °C |
| 1962 | 19.3 °C |
| 1963 | 18.3 °C |
| 1964 | 19.4 °C |
| 1965 | 19.0 °C |
| 1967 | 18.4 °C |
| 1968 | 19.0 °C |
| 1969 | 18.8 °C |
| 1971 | 18.4 °C |
| 1973 | 19.1 °C |
| 1974 | 18.5 °C |
| 1975 | 19.0 °C |
| 1976 | 18.2 °C |
| 1977 | 19.9 °C |
| 1978 | 19.2 °C |
| 1979 | 18.4 °C |
| 1980 | 19.2 °C |
| 1984 | 18.6 °C |
| 1985 | 19.6 °C |
| 1986 | 20.1 °C |
| 1987 | 20.1 °C |
| 1988 | 19.4 °C |
| 1989 | 18.4 °C |
| 1990 | 18.5 °C |
| 1991 | 20.8 °C |
| 1992 | 18.3 °C |
| 1994 | 18.5 °C |
| 1995 | 19.1 °C |
| 1996 | 18.5 °C |
| 1997 | 17.4 °C |
| 1998 | 19.5 °C |
| 1999 | 19.6 °C |
| 2000 | 18.5 °C |
| 2001 | 18.9 °C |
| 2002 | 19.6 °C |
| 2003 | 18.8 °C |
| 2004 | 19.0 °C |
| 2005 | 19.4 °C |
| 2006 | 19.0 °C |
| 2007 | 19.2 °C |
| 2008 | 18.7 °C |
| 2009 | 18.4 °C |
| 2010 | 19.7 °C |
| 2011 | 19.4 °C |
| 2012 | 19.4 °C |
| 2013 | 18.5 °C |
| 2015 | 19.4 °C |
| 2016 | 19.3 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1927, West Newton's last spring frost has stayed at about the same time of year. The frost-free season has shrunk by about 1 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Donora 1 Sw (NOAA GHCN-Daily). Years with too many missing days are left out.