Regional guide

York County Pennsylvania Frost-Window Garden

A York County Pennsylvania frost-window guide for gardeners using Penn State's May 1 last-frost and October 1 first-frost transplanting frame.

Climate signals

• Penn State's York County Transplanting Guide labels Last frost in Spring as May 1 and First frost in Fall as October 1.
• The Transplanting Guide distinguishes a cold weather plant that can be planted before the last frost or withstand a light fall frost from a warm weather plant.
• The table columns include Preferred pH range, Flat temperature in degrees F for Germinating and Growing, and Needs Light or Dark for germination.
• The table connects Date to start indoors, Early date to transplant, Latest date to transplant, spacing, Days to maturity, Date of maturity, and Date of last productive harvest.
• The guide keeps late planting dates tied to the first fall frost while allowing enough harvest time for repeatedly bearing crops.

Planning notes

• Column 6 includes a seven day period in a cold frame to harden the seedlings before setting them in the garden.
• Column 7 says season extenders such as heavy row covers and walls-o-water can move early transplant dates a little earlier.
• The Latest Date uses the first frost in the Fall and is calculated for a more complete harvest, not just one picking.
• The guide says gardeners using an intensive bed method can disregard row-spacing column 10 and use plant spacing for both plant and row spacing.
• Broccoli uses Feb 9 indoor start, Apr 6 early transplant, Jun 23 latest transplant, 90 days to maturity, and Jul 5 first maturity.
• Brussel Sprouts use Feb 9 indoor start, Apr 6 early transplant, Jun 3 latest transplant, 110 days to maturity, and Jul 25 maturity.
• Cabbage, Regular uses Feb 9 indoor start, Apr 6 early transplant, Jul 8 latest transplant, 75 days to maturity, and Jun 20 maturity.
• Cauliflower uses Feb 9 indoor start, Apr 6 early transplant, Jul 8 latest transplant, 75 days to maturity, and Jun 20 maturity.
• Eggplant uses Mar 12 indoor start, May 21 early transplant, May 29 latest transplant, 90 days to maturity, Aug 19 maturity, and Sep 23 last productive harvest.
• Lettuce, Leaf uses Mar 20 indoor start, Apr 24 early transplant, Aug 22 latest transplant, 30 days to maturity, May 24 maturity, and Jul 21 last productive harvest.
• Pepper uses Mar 20 indoor start, May 15 early transplant, Jun 13 latest transplant, 75 days to maturity, Jul 29 maturity, and Sep 23 last productive harvest.
• Tomato uses Mar 16 indoor start, May 11 early transplant, Jun 13 latest transplant, 75 days to maturity, Jul 25 maturity, and Sep 19 last productive harvest.
• Rows marked (1) are best direct-sown or need special transplant precautions, so celery, cucumber, endive and escarole, kale, melons, pumpkin, squash, and Swiss chard stay without priority links.
• Asparagus, potatoes, Chinese cabbage, and head lettuce are source rows without priority links because catalog links should be exact crop-row examples.
• Use these priority catalog links as crop-row examples, not Penn State cultivar recommendations.

Catalog crop examples

These catalog entries match crops covered by the regional timing source; variety-specific details remain tied to each seed entry's own source.

• Waltham 29 Broccoli Vegetable · Cool · 74 days
• Long Island Improved Brussels Sprouts Vegetable · Cool · 100 days
• Golden Acre Cabbage Vegetable · Cool · 64 days
• Snowball Y Cauliflower Vegetable · Cool · 70 days
• Black Beauty Eggplant Vegetable · Warm · 80 days
• Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce Vegetable · Cool · 45 days
• California Wonder Pepper Vegetable · Warm · 72 days
• Roma Tomato Vegetable · Warm · 76 days

Related regional guides

• York County Pennsylvania Seed Planting Guide Penn State York County seed guide for May 1 and October 1 frost windows, sowing depth, spacing, germination, and maturity timing.
• Philadelphia Area Vegetable Planting Guide A Penn State Philadelphia-area vegetable guide for April 20 central-city frost timing, later outlying sites, crop windows, and two-week successions.

Source: Penn State York County vegetable transplanting guide