When to plant lavender in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

April 24 – May 8

Transplant outdoors · typical Pittsburgh year

Climate basis: NOAA station Emsworth L/d Ohio Rvr, PA (USC00362574), 6 mi (10 km) from downtown Pittsburgh (ZCTA 15222 centroid), elevation 717 ft, on the 1991–2020 climate normals. Transplant lavender outdoors from approximately the dates above, anchored to the median last spring 32°F freeze (April 24). One year in ten still freezes after May 11.

Last spring freezeApril 241-in-10 after May 11
First fall freezeOctober 271-in-10 before Oct 13
Frost-free season186 daysmedian at 32°F
Hard freeze, 28°Apr 12Nov 5kills even hardy greens
USDA zone7a0 to 5°F winter low not frost timing

The Pittsburgh year

Transplant outdoorsApr 24 – May 8
  • indoors under lights
  • in the garden
  • frost-free season
  • 1-in-10 years still freeze to May 11
Lavender in Pittsburgh · freeze context from Emsworth L/d Ohio Rvr, PA, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Transplant outdoors

Apr 24 – May 8

Utah State University Extension instructs transplanting after the last spring frost, a point rule encoded per policy as a 14-day span opening at the last-frost date; no reconciliation was needed because this is the entry's only source. Anchored to the median last spring freeze (Apr 24). Utah State University Extension

Start seeds indoors

Not calculated

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

Direct-sow outdoors

Not calculated

Utah State University Extension advises against direct seeding, stating that the germination rate is low and that seeding to transplanting takes between 100 and 200 days.

Fall planting

Not calculated

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

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 (1)

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