PlantingWindowThe American Planting Almanac

When to plant garden cress in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

March 30 – April 13

Direct-sow outdoors · typical Philadelphia year

Climate basis: NOAA station Phila Franklin Inst, PA (USC00366886), 1 mi (1 km) from downtown Philadelphia (ZCTA 19107 centroid), elevation 60 ft, on the 1991–2020 climate normals. Direct-sow garden cress from approximately the dates above, anchored to the median last spring 32°F freeze (March 30). One year in ten still freezes after April 12.

Last spring freezeMarch 301-in-10 after Apr 12
First fall freezeNovember 171-in-10 before Nov 4
Frost-free season≈ 232 daysmedian at 32°F
Hard freeze, 28°Mar 17 – Nov 29kills even hardy greens
USDA zone7b5 to 10°F winter low — not frost timing

The Philadelphia year

Direct-sow outdoorsMar 30 – Apr 13
  • indoors under lights
  • in the garden
  • frost-free season
  • 1-in-10 years still freeze to Apr 12
Garden Cress in Philadelphia · freeze context from Phila Franklin Inst, PA, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Direct-sow outdoors

Mar 30 – Apr 13

Utah State University Extension says garden cress "does not tolerate frost so plant near the frost free date", and Arkansas Extension's culture line reads "seed shallow depth after danger of frost"; both open at the last spring frost, and this later interval supersedes Arkansas' looser "as soon as the ground can be worked" sentence, giving last spring frost to plus 14 days. Anchored to the median last spring freeze (Mar 30). Utah State University Extension · University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service

Start seeds indoors

Not calculated

The cited extension guides do not time an indoor seed-starting window for this crop.

Transplant outdoors

Not calculated

The cited extension guides do not time an outdoor transplanting window for this crop.

Fall planting

Not calculated

No source-backed fall planting rule exists for this crop in the registry, so no fall window is calculated.

Variety assumption: Offsets are for garden cress (Lepidium sativum), a 10–40 day cutting green; watercress and upland cress are different species with different requirements and are not covered by this entry.

These windows describe typical years (1991–2020 climate normals), not this year's forecast. Freezes happen outside them — especially in frost pockets, valleys, and urban edges. Watch the forecast before committing tender plants.

This week, not a typical year:
Crop rule sources (2)

Keep exploring

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Local overview