Local planting guide · Mid-Atlantic
zip 19106
Philadelphia is in USDA hardiness zone 7b, with average winter lows of 5°F to 10°F. The local growing season runs roughly 04/02 through 11/10 (~224 days). This zip falls within the Mid-Atlantic growing region.
- USDA zone
- 7b 5°F to 10°F
- Last spring frost
- 04/02
- First fall frost
- 11/10
- Growing season
- 224 days
- Compatible crops
- 83
- Growing region
- Mid-Atlantic
Right now in Philadelphia
Week 18 priorities
On the docket: transplant out after last frost · direct sow after last frost. See the full calendar →
Gardening in Philadelphia
Philadelphia sits at a transition point for many tree fruits. Zone 7b winters rarely drop below 5°F, which is reliable enough for apples, pears, peaches, and cherries. The 224-day growing season (April 2 to November 10) is standard for the region and adequate for most temperate fruits to reach full ripeness. The real constraint is not winter cold but spring variability. Mid-March warm weather triggers early bloom, then a hard freeze in late March or early April damages flowers or tender growth on early bloomers. This makes variety selection the primary tool for frost avoidance. Summer brings warm, humid conditions with frequent thunderstorms that favor fungal diseases like apple scab and peach leaf curl. Philadelphia's urban heat island can push late-season temperatures higher than surrounding rural areas, extending the harvest window slightly. However, this same effect creates microclimates where diseases and pests establish more readily, and dense urban plantings leave little room for spray management.
Regional context · Mid-Atlantic
What the Mid-Atlantic brings to Philadelphia
Transition zone between North and South. Apples, peaches, grapes, and blueberries do well; long enough warm season for tomatoes and peppers, cool enough winter for stone-fruit chill.
Common challenges
Issues that most often defeat home gardeners in zone 7b, drawn from the broader USDA zone profile.
- ▸ Cedar-apple rust pressure heavy in piedmont
- ▸ Japanese beetles
- ▸ Brown marmorated stink bug
- ▸ Late summer disease pressure
What defeats new gardeners in Philadelphia
Late spring freezes are the defining challenge. Mid-March warm weather triggers early bloom, but April freezes (after April 2, and sometimes into late April) kill flowers and emerging fruit. Peaches and cherries are most vulnerable; a single hard freeze at bloom time can eliminate the year's crop. Summer humidity favors fungal diseases that persist from year to year. Apple scab is nearly universal on unsprayed trees; the disease establishes in cool, wet springs and intensifies through humid summers. Peach leaf curl similarly causes leaves to curl and drop prematurely, reducing vigor. Pear leaf blotch and fire blight emerge in particularly wet springs. Urban and suburban microclimates intensify pest and disease pressure compared to open countryside. Dense plantings offer limited options for spray management without creating conflicts with neighbors.
Crops that grow in Philadelphia
83 crops from our catalog match zone 7b, grouped by type.
Tree fruit
15 crops
zone 7b Apple
Malus domestica
zones 3a–9a
zone 7b Pear
Pyrus communis
zones 4a–8b
zone 7b Peach
Prunus persica
zones 5a–9a
zone 7b European Plum
Prunus domestica
zones 4a–8a
zone 7b Japanese Plum
Prunus salicina
zones 5b–9a
zone 7b Sweet Cherry
Prunus avium
zones 5a–8a
zone 7b Sour Cherry
Prunus cerasus
zones 4a–7b
zone 7b Fig
Ficus carica
zones 7a–10b
Berries
12 crops
zone 7b Highbush Blueberry
Vaccinium corymbosum
zones 4a–7b
zone 7b Rabbiteye Blueberry
Vaccinium virgatum
zones 7a–9a
zone 7b Red Raspberry
Rubus idaeus
zones 3b–8a
zone 7b Black Raspberry
Rubus occidentalis
zones 4a–8a
zone 7b Yellow Raspberry
Rubus idaeus
zones 3b–8a
zone 7b Blackberry
Rubus subgenus Rubus
zones 5a–9a
zone 7b June-Bearing Strawberry
Fragaria x ananassa
zones 3a–8b
zone 7b Everbearing Strawberry
Fragaria x ananassa
zones 3b–9a
Nuts
6 crops
Vegetables
40 crops
zone 7b Tomato
Solanum lycopersicum
zones 3a–10b
zone 7b Sweet Pepper
Capsicum annuum
zones 4a–10b
zone 7b Hot Pepper
Capsicum species
zones 4a–10b
zone 7b Eggplant
Solanum melongena
zones 5a–10b
zone 7b Potato
Solanum tuberosum
zones 3a–9a
zone 7b Cabbage
Brassica oleracea var. capitata
zones 3a–9b
zone 7b Broccoli
Brassica oleracea var. italica
zones 3a–9a
zone 7b Cauliflower
Brassica oleracea var. botrytis
zones 3b–9a
Herbs
10 crops
zone 7b Basil
Ocimum basilicum
zones 4a–10b
zone 7b Parsley
Petroselinum crispum
zones 3b–9b
zone 7b Cilantro / Coriander
Coriandrum sativum
zones 3b–9b
zone 7b Dill
Anethum graveolens
zones 3b–9a
zone 7b Oregano
Origanum vulgare
zones 4a–9b
zone 7b Thyme
Thymus vulgaris
zones 4a–9a
zone 7b Rosemary
Salvia rosmarinus
zones 7a–10b
zone 7b Sage
Salvia officinalis
zones 4a–9a
Plan the year
Planting calendar for Philadelphia
Year-view of seed starting, transplanting, planting, pruning, fertilizing, harvest, and pest-watch windows tuned to Philadelphia's local frost dates.
Week ? · loading
This week in Philadelphia, PA (zone 7b)
Quiet week in Philadelphia, PA (zone 7b). this week is a good time to step back and plan ahead.
Nothing critical on the calendar this week.
418 bars · 83 crops
Calendar logic combines NOAA frost normals with crop-specific timing data. Local microclimate and weather always overrules the calendar; use this as a starting point.
Top pests for zone 7b
Ranked by how many crops in your zone they affect. Click through for IPM controls and signs to watch for.
Multiple species (Aphididae)
Small soft-bodied sap-sucking insects that reproduce explosively in spring. Excrete honeydew that supports sooty mold and attracts ants. Transmit viral diseases.
Odocoileus species
Whitetail and mule deer browse can devastate orchards and gardens, particularly in winter when food is scarce. Antler rub on young trunks kills saplings outright.
Sylvilagus and Lepus species
Cottontails and jackrabbits strip bark from young fruit trees in winter and graze tender garden vegetables year-round, especially seedlings.
Popillia japonica
Defoliating beetle introduced to North America in 1916. Skeletonizes leaves of many fruit trees, berry canes, and pecan.
Multiple species (Chrysomelidae)
Tiny black or bronze jumping beetles that put hundreds of small holes in seedling leaves. Most damaging on direct-seeded brassicas and young eggplant.
Microtus species
Field voles and meadow voles girdle young fruit-tree trunks under snow cover during winter and chew root crops. The leading cause of mysterious orchard losses.
Meloidogyne species
Microscopic soil-dwelling worm that forms galls on roots, reducing vigor and yield.
Tetranychus urticae
Tiny mite that feeds on leaf undersides, causing stippling and webbing during hot dry weather.
Top diseases for zone 7b
Ranked by how many crops in your zone they affect. Click through for symptoms, controls, and resistant varieties.
Pseudoperonospora cubensis (cucurbits) and others
Water mold (oomycete, not a true fungus) that thrives in cool damp conditions. Spreads rapidly through cucurbit and brassica plantings on wind-borne spores.
Pythium and Rhizoctonia species
Soil-borne complex of water molds and fungi that kill seedlings before or shortly after emergence. The single most common cause of seed-starting failures.
Cucumber mosaic virus, Tobacco mosaic virus, and others
Family of plant viruses producing mottled yellow-and-green leaf patterns. Vectored primarily by aphids; some are seed-transmitted or spread by handling tools and tobacco products.
Botrytis cinerea
Ubiquitous fungal disease that causes fruit rot during cool wet weather, often the dominant berry disease in humid regions.
Agrobacterium tumefaciens
Soil-borne bacterium that enters plants through wounds and induces tumor-like galls on roots, crown, and lower stems. Galls reduce vigor and shorten plant lifespan; on Rubus the disease is often fatal.
Fusarium oxysporum
Soil-borne fungal disease that plugs vascular tissue and kills affected plants. Persists in soil for many years; impossible to eliminate once established.
Sclerotium rolfsii
Soil-borne fungal disease most damaging in warm humid Southern conditions. White mycelial fans and small mustard-seed-sized sclerotia at the soil line are diagnostic.
Plasmodiophora brassicae
Soil-borne disease causing characteristic distorted club-shaped roots on brassicas. Persists in soil for 10-20 years; the dominant brassica pathogen in acidic poorly-drained soils.
Companion planting suggestions
Beneficial pairings drawn from companion data, filtered to crops that grow in zone 7b.
- Peach + Garlic
Garlic planted around peach trees suppresses peach borer and provides general fungal-pressure reduction.
- European Plum + Garlic
Garlic discourages plum curculio and provides general antifungal benefit beneath stone fruit.
- Fig + Rosemary
Rosemary tolerates the dry sites figs prefer and provides aromatic pest deterrence.
- American Persimmon + Pawpaw
Both natives thrive in similar soils and contribute to a polyculture that supports native pollinators and fauna.
- Jujube + Thyme
Thyme groundcover suits jujube's low-water profile and deters cabbage moth and aphid populations.
- Apricot + Basil
Basil's volatile oils discourage stone-fruit pests and support pollinator visits.
Soil types reference
Soil texture and pH decide what grows easily on your specific lot. Find the closest match below for crop recommendations and amendment guidance.
Practical tips for Philadelphia
Select late-blooming apple and cherry cultivars to delay flower emergence past the April 2 frost date, reducing frost damage risk. Heirloom varieties often bloom later than modern cultivars. Install row covers or frost cloth to protect small trees on nights when frost threatens after bloom. Preventive dormant-oil applications in early spring before bud break suppress fungal disease spores overwintering on branches. Pruning for air circulation in summer reduces humidity around fruit and foliage, limiting apple scab, peach leaf curl, and similar fungal diseases that intensify in Philadelphia's humid summers. Take advantage of the extended growing season by selecting late-ripening peach and pear varieties that reach full quality in late September and October, extending the harvest well before the November 10 first frost date.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best apple varieties for Philadelphia?
Choose cultivars with tolerance to apple scab (common in humid mid-Atlantic summers) and late-bloom timing to avoid April frosts. Liberty, Enterprise, and Gala are reliable. Old Pennsylvania heirlooms like Rambo and York Imperial remain well-suited to the region.
- When should I plant fruit trees in Philadelphia?
Spring (after April 2, the last frost date) or fall (September through October). Fall planting is preferred if bareroot stock is available; trees establish root systems over winter and are ready to leaf out in spring.
- Can I grow figs in Philadelphia?
Yes, but they are marginal. Zone 7b winters (minimum 5 to 10°F) are at the edge of fig cold-hardiness. Select cold-hardy cultivars like Chicago Hardy, and provide winter protection (thick mulch, burlap wrap) in harsh years. Container figs can be moved to shelter.
- How do I protect my trees from late spring frosts?
Site selection is the strongest defense: plant on high ground where cold air drains away, not in low pockets. Row covers or frost cloth offer short-term protection. However, variety selection (late-bloom cultivars) is the most practical defense against April freezes.
- What is the biggest disease threat in Philadelphia?
Apple scab, caused by humidity and cool-wet springs, is nearly universal. Peach leaf curl is common on unsprayed peaches. Preventive dormant-oil spray before bud break, combined with pruning for air circulation, addresses both.
- When do peaches and pears ripen in Philadelphia?
Peaches typically ripen in August and September. Late varieties extend into October before the November 10 first frost. Pears follow a similar pattern, with late cultivars (Comice, Bosc) maturing in late September and October, making full use of the 224-day growing season.
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Frost data: NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USW00013739. Local microclimates can shift these dates by a week or more.
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