When to plant Watermelon and cantaloupe in Pennsylvania
In spring, from Apr 10 – May 15 in Chester to June 1 – 15 in St. Marys.
For a fall crop, from May 15 – June 1 in Hermitage to July 15 – 30 in Yeadon.
Cantaloupe (muskmelon) dates are the same as watermelon except where the table notes them.
USDA's earliest safe spring and latest safe fall planting dates, matched to each place's average frost dates.
| Place | Spring | Fall |
|---|---|---|
| Allentown | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Altoona | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Baldwin | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Berwick | May 15 – June 15 | June 1 – 15 |
| Bethel Park | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Bethlehem | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Bloomsburg | May 15 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Butler | June 1 – 15 | June 1 – 15 |
| Carlisle | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Chambersburg | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Chester | Apr 10 – May 15 | Not listed |
| Coatesville | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Columbia | May 15 – June 15 | June 1 – 15 |
| Darby | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Dunmore | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Easton | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Elizabethtown | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Emmaus | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Ephrata | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Erie | May 15 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Franklin Park | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Greensburg | May 15 – June 15 | June 1 – 15 |
| Hanover | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Harrisburg | Apr 20 – June 1 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Hazleton | May 15 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Hermitage | June 1 – 15 | May 15 – June 1 |
| Indiana | June 1 – 15 | June 1 – 15 |
| Jefferson Hills | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Johnstown | May 15 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Kingston | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Lancaster | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Lansdale | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Lansdowne | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| Lebanon | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Lower Burrell | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| McKeesport | May 15 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Meadville | May 15 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Mechanicsburg | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Monroeville | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Munhall | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Murrysville | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Nanticoke | June 1 – 15 | June 1 – 15 |
| New Castle | May 15 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| New Kensington | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Norristown | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Northampton | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Philadelphia | Apr 10 – May 15 | Not listed |
| Phoenixville | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Pittsburgh | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Plum | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Pottstown | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Pottsville | May 15 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Reading | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Scranton | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Sharon | May 15 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| St. Marys | June 1 – 15 | June 1 – 15 |
| State College | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Washington | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Waynesboro | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| West Chester | May 15 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| West Mifflin | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Whitehall | May 1 – June 15 | July 1 – 15 |
| Wilkes-Barre | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Wilkinsburg | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 15 – 30 |
| Williamsport | May 1 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
| Wyomissing | Apr 20 – June 1 | July 1 – 15 |
| Yeadon | Apr 10 – May 15 | July 15 – 30 |
| York | May 15 – June 15 | June 15 – July 20 |
Planting dates: USDA Home and Garden Bulletin No. 9 (1967), tables 4 and 5. Frost dates: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. The full USDA table for watermelon.
Updated