In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Sow or plant outside
Nothing goes in outdoors this week.
Start indoors
No indoor sowing due this week.
Ready to pick
TomatoesPeppersEggplantCucumbersZucchiniPumpkinsWatermelonsSweet cornGreen beansLettuceKaleCabbageBroccoliCarrotsBeetsRadishesOnionsSwiss chardBasilCilantroParsley
Coming up in the next 4 weeks
Atlanta planting calendar
Bars show when each crop can go in and when a planting from that window is ready. The blue band is the frost season, from the average first autumn frost to the average last spring frost. Hover or tap a crop for details.
Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday
Swipe sideways to see the whole year →
Dates by crop
| Crop | Sow indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 7 – Mar 14 | Apr 4 – Aug 27 plant out | Jun 7 – Nov 7 |
| Pepper | Feb 7 – Mar 14 | Apr 18 – Aug 23 plant out | Jun 17 – Nov 7 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Feb 14 – Mar 21 | Apr 25 – Aug 20 plant out | Jun 25 – Nov 7 |
| Cucumber | Mar 14 – Apr 10 | Apr 11 – Sep 6 sow | May 31 – Nov 7 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Mar 7 – Apr 3 | Apr 4 – Sep 9 sow | May 24 – Nov 7 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Mar 7 – Apr 3 | Apr 4 – Aug 8 sow | Jun 27 – Nov 7 |
| Watermelon | Mar 28 – Apr 24 | Apr 25 – Aug 19 sow | Jun 28 – Nov 7 |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 31 – Aug 22 sow | Jun 12 – Nov 7 |
| Green beans | – | Apr 4 – Sep 6 sow | May 27 – Nov 7 |
| Peas | – | Feb 10 – Mar 16, Sep 12 – Sep 18 sow | Apr 27 – Jun 8, Nov 4 – Nov 15 |
| Lettuce | Jan 20 – Feb 17 | Feb 24 – Apr 8, Aug 26 – Oct 1 sow | Apr 21 – Jun 13, Oct 2 – Nov 18 |
| Spinach | – | Feb 10 – Apr 2, Sep 26 – Oct 12 sow | Apr 11 – Jun 5, Nov 3 – Dec 8 |
| Kale | Jan 6 – Feb 10 | Feb 17 – May 13, Aug 4 – Oct 5 sow | Apr 26 – Sep 3, Sep 17 – Dec 23 |
| Cabbage | Jan 6 – Feb 10, Jun 16 – Jul 21 | Feb 24 – Apr 10, Aug 4 – Sep 17 plant out | May 9 – Jul 3, Sep 28 – Nov 29 |
| Broccoli | Jan 13 – Feb 17, Jul 5 – Aug 9 | Mar 3 – Apr 16, Aug 23 – Sep 22 plant out | May 5 – Jul 1, Oct 10 – Nov 22 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 3 – Jul 9, Aug 4 – Sep 27 sow | May 9 – Dec 23 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Mar 3 – Jul 9, Aug 4 – Sep 28 sow | May 1 – Nov 29 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 17 – Apr 23, Sep 12 – Oct 20 sow | Mar 29 – May 27, Oct 3 – Nov 22 |
| Onions | Dec 16 – Jan 20, May 26 – Jun 25 | Feb 24 – Jul 9, Aug 4 – Aug 20 plant out | May 28 – Nov 8 |
| Garlic | – | Nov 3 – Nov 22 sow | Apr 29 – May 19 |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 10 – Jun 7 sow | May 31 – Sep 26 |
| Swiss chard | – | Mar 10 – Oct 2 sow | May 1 – Nov 29 |
| Basil | Mar 7 – Apr 4 | Apr 18 – Sep 24 plant out | May 17 – Nov 7 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Mar 3 – Apr 15, Sep 12 – Oct 10 sow | Apr 16 – Jun 12, Oct 12 – Nov 22 |
| Parsley | Jan 6 – Feb 10 | Mar 3 – Jul 9, Aug 4 – Sep 20 sow | May 12 – Dec 8 |
Dates are for a typical year and the middle of the window is the safest. Sow a little at a time across a window rather than all at once. Cold snaps, heat waves, frost pockets and city warmth all shift the real dates; watch the forecast.
Frost dates in Atlanta
- Average last spring frost
- March 24
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- April 10
- Average first autumn frost
- November 8
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 27
- Frost-free growing season
- 228 days
“Average” is the date with an even chance of a later (spring) or earlier (autumn) frost: a night at or below 0 °C (32 °F) at screen height. Tender crops go out a week or two after the spring date, which brings the risk down to about one year in ten.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Atlanta Fulton Co Ap (13 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 8b from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -9°C15°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 32°C90°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows 1°C34°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 25 of 25
The zone follows the USDA scheme: bands of the average lowest temperature of the year, 10 °F wide, split into a and b halves. Worked out from the coldest night of each year 1991–2020 at the NOAA station. It tells you which perennials survive winter, not when to sow.
Temperature and rain by month
Average highAverage lowRainFreezing point
| Month | High | Low | Mean | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 12°C53°F | 1°C34°F | 6°C44°F | 122 mm4.8 in |
| February | 14°C58°F | 3°C37°F | 9°C48°F | 133 mm5.2 in |
| March | 19°C66°F | 7°C44°F | 13°C55°F | 136 mm5.4 in |
| April | 24°C74°F | 11°C51°F | 17°C63°F | 103 mm4.1 in |
| May | 28°C82°F | 16°C60°F | 22°C71°F | 87 mm3.4 in |
| June | 31°C87°F | 20°C68°F | 25°C77°F | 110 mm4.3 in |
| July | 32°C90°F | 21°C71°F | 27°C80°F | 120 mm4.7 in |
| August | 31°C88°F | 21°C70°F | 26°C79°F | 103 mm4.0 in |
| September | 28°C83°F | 18°C64°F | 23°C74°F | 100 mm3.9 in |
| October | 23°C74°F | 12°C53°F | 18°C64°F | 81 mm3.2 in |
| November | 18°C64°F | 6°C42°F | 12°C53°F | 101 mm4.0 in |
| December | 13°C55°F | 2°C36°F | 8°C46°F | 123 mm4.9 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).