When to plant strawberries in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

March 27 – April 10

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. Plant dormant strawberry crowns 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 season≈ 186 daysmedian at 32°F

Hard freeze, 28°Apr 12 – Nov 5kills even hardy greens

USDA zone7a0 to 5°F winter low — not frost timing

The Pittsburgh year

Transplant outdoorsMar 27 – Apr 10

indoors under lights
in the garden
frost-free season
1-in-10 years still freeze to May 11

Strawberries in Pittsburgh · freeze context from Emsworth L/d Ohio Rvr, PA, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Transplant outdoors

Mar 27 – Apr 10

NC State: plant 1-year-old dormant plants about three or four weeks before the average last frost. Utah State: dormant bare-root plants need not wait for frost danger to pass. Span extended to 14 days. Anchored to the median last spring freeze (Apr 24). N.C. Cooperative Extension (NC State Extension, Macon County) · 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

Garden strawberries are planted as crowns/plants, not seed.

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: June-bearing beds fruit the year AFTER planting (blossoms are usually removed the first season).

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)

N.C. Cooperative Extension (NC State Extension, Macon County): Starting Your Strawberry Patch (accessed 2026-07-24)
"Plant 1-year old dormant plants about three or four weeks (mid-April) before the average date of the last frost."
Utah State University Extension: How to Grow Strawberries in Your Garden (accessed 2026-07-24)
"Bare root dormant plants are transplanted in early spring. Since the plants are dormant, there is no need to wait until after the risk of spring frost has passed."

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