In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Baltimore 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 | Mar 1 – Apr 5 | Apr 26 – Aug 18 plant out | Jun 25 – Oct 31 |
| Pepper | Feb 26 – Apr 2 | May 7 – Aug 14 plant out | Jul 4 – Oct 31 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Mar 3 – Apr 7 | May 12 – Aug 11 plant out | Jul 11 – Oct 31 |
| Cucumber | Apr 3 – Apr 30 | May 1 – Aug 28 sow | Jun 17 – Oct 31 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Mar 29 – Apr 25 | Apr 26 – Sep 1 sow | Jun 11 – Oct 31 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Mar 29 – Apr 25 | Apr 26 – Aug 1 sow | Jul 16 – Nov 14 |
| Watermelon | Apr 14 – May 11 | May 12 – Aug 10 sow | Jul 14 – Oct 31 |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 16 – Aug 13 sow | Jun 28 – Oct 31 |
| Green beans | – | Apr 26 – Aug 28 sow | Jun 15 – Oct 31 |
| Peas | – | Mar 11 – Apr 3, Sep 3 – Sep 15 sow | May 24 – Jun 27, Oct 27 – Nov 28 |
| Lettuce | Jan 29 – Feb 26 | Mar 5 – Apr 23, Aug 17 – Sep 26 sow | May 12 – Jun 29, Sep 23 – Dec 1 |
| Spinach | – | Feb 27 – Apr 20, Sep 17 – Oct 1 sow | May 8 – Jun 23, Oct 26 – Dec 21 |
| Kale | Jan 22 – Feb 26 | Mar 5 – May 22, Jul 8 – Jul 18, Jul 24 – Sep 20 sow | May 19 – Jan 5 |
| Cabbage | Jan 26 – Mar 2, Jun 5 – Jul 10 | Mar 16 – Apr 22, Jul 24 – Sep 9 plant out | Jun 1 – Jul 16, Sep 17 – Dec 12 |
| Broccoli | Jan 26 – Mar 2, Jun 27 – Aug 1 | Mar 16 – Apr 29, Aug 15 – Sep 16 plant out | May 25 – Jul 14, Oct 2 – Dec 5 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 16 – Jul 18, Jul 24 – Sep 13 sow | May 29 – Jan 5 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Mar 16 – Jul 18, Jul 24 – Sep 20 sow | May 21 – Dec 12 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 5 – May 10, Sep 3 – Oct 15 sow | Apr 23 – Jun 13, Sep 24 – Dec 5 |
| Onions | Dec 31 – Feb 4, May 15 – Jun 19 | Mar 11 – Jul 18, Jul 24 – Aug 19 plant out | Jun 19 – Nov 21 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 23 – Nov 26 sow | May 14 – Jun 3 |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 22 – Jun 18 sow | Jun 18 – Oct 7 |
| Swiss chard | – | Mar 22 – Sep 24 sow | May 19 – Dec 12 |
| Basil | Mar 26 – Apr 23 | May 7 – Sep 15 plant out | Jun 3 – Oct 31 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Mar 16 – May 1, Sep 3 – Oct 4 sow | May 6 – Jun 28, Oct 3 – Dec 5 |
| Parsley | Jan 25 – Mar 1 | Mar 22 – Jul 18, Jul 24 – Sep 9 sow | Jun 3 – Dec 21 |
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 Baltimore
- Average last spring frost
- March 24
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- April 4
- Average first autumn frost
- November 21
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- November 7
- Frost-free growing season
- 241 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, Maryland Sci Ctr (1 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 8a from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -11°C13°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 32°C89°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -2°C28°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 | 6°C43°F | -2°C28°F | 2°C35°F | 79 mm3.1 in |
| February | 8°C46°F | -2°C29°F | 3°C38°F | 73 mm2.9 in |
| March | 13°C55°F | 2°C36°F | 8°C46°F | 102 mm4.0 in |
| April | 20°C67°F | 8°C46°F | 14°C57°F | 85 mm3.3 in |
| May | 25°C77°F | 14°C56°F | 19°C67°F | 101 mm4.0 in |
| June | 30°C85°F | 19°C66°F | 24°C76°F | 101 mm4.0 in |
| July | 32°C89°F | 21°C70°F | 27°C80°F | 104 mm4.1 in |
| August | 31°C87°F | 20°C69°F | 26°C78°F | 112 mm4.4 in |
| September | 27°C81°F | 16°C61°F | 22°C71°F | 118 mm4.6 in |
| October | 21°C70°F | 10°C49°F | 15°C59°F | 88 mm3.5 in |
| November | 14°C57°F | 4°C39°F | 9°C48°F | 80 mm3.1 in |
| December | 8°C47°F | 0°C32°F | 4°C39°F | 102 mm4.0 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).