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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 beansLettuceKaleCarrotsBeetsRadishesSwiss chardBasilCilantro
Coming up in the next 4 weeks
Birmingham 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 4 – Mar 11 | Apr 1 – Aug 30 plant out | Jun 4 – Nov 10 |
| Pepper | Feb 5 – Mar 12 | Apr 16 – Aug 27 plant out | Jun 15 – Nov 10 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Feb 12 – Mar 19 | Apr 23 – Aug 23 plant out | Jun 23 – Nov 10 |
| Cucumber | Mar 11 – Apr 7 | Apr 8 – Sep 9 sow | May 28 – Nov 10 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Mar 4 – Mar 31 | Apr 1 – Sep 13 sow | May 21 – Nov 10 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Mar 4 – Mar 31 | Apr 1 – Aug 12 sow | Jun 25 – Nov 10 |
| Watermelon | Mar 26 – Apr 22 | Apr 23 – Aug 22 sow | Jun 26 – Nov 10 |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 28 – Aug 26 sow | Jun 9 – Nov 10 |
| Green beans | – | Apr 1 – Sep 9 sow | May 25 – Nov 10 |
| Peas | – | Feb 7 – Mar 3 sow | Apr 25 – May 31 |
| Lettuce | Jan 17 – Feb 14 | Feb 21 – Mar 28, Sep 14 – Oct 3 sow | Apr 18 – Jun 4, Oct 22 – Nov 21 |
| Spinach | – | Feb 7 – Mar 22, Oct 9 – Oct 14 sow | Apr 9 – May 27, Nov 25 – Dec 11 |
| Kale | Jan 3 – Feb 7 | Feb 14 – Apr 27, Sep 5 – Oct 7 sow | Apr 23 – Aug 18, Oct 20 – Dec 26 |
| Cabbage | Jan 3 – Feb 7, Jul 18 – Aug 16 | Feb 21 – Mar 26, Sep 5 – Sep 20 plant out | May 7 – Jun 21, Nov 3 – Dec 2 |
| Broccoli | Jan 10 – Feb 14, Jul 27 – Aug 20 | Feb 28 – Apr 4, Sep 14 – Sep 24 plant out | May 2 – Jun 20, Nov 5 – Nov 25 |
| Carrots | – | Feb 28 – May 17, Sep 5 – Sep 30 sow | May 6 – Sep 1, Oct 29 – Dec 26 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Feb 28 – May 24, Sep 5 – Oct 1 sow | Apr 29 – Aug 17, Oct 20 – Dec 2 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 14 – Apr 13, Sep 28 – Oct 22 sow | Mar 26 – May 18, Oct 19 – Nov 25 |
| Onions | Dec 13 – Jan 17 | Feb 21 – Jun 13 plant out | May 25 – Sep 22 |
| Garlic | – | Nov 5 – Nov 25 sow | Apr 27 – May 17 |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 7 – May 25 sow | May 28 – Sep 13 |
| Swiss chard | – | Mar 7 – May 27, Jul 17 – Oct 4 sow | Apr 28 – Dec 2 |
| Basil | Mar 5 – Apr 2 | Apr 16 – Sep 27 plant out | May 15 – Nov 10 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Feb 28 – Apr 4, Sep 28 – Oct 13 sow | Apr 13 – Jun 2, Oct 30 – Nov 25 |
| Parsley | Jan 3 – Feb 7 | Feb 28 – May 15, Sep 5 – Sep 22 sow | May 10 – Oct 28, Nov 3 – Dec 11 |
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 Birmingham
- Average last spring frost
- March 21
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- April 8
- Average first autumn frost
- November 11
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 30
- Frost-free growing season
- 234 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, Birmingham Ap (8 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 8a from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -10°C13°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 33°C92°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows 1°C33°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 | 13°C55°F | 1°C33°F | 7°C44°F | 136 mm5.4 in |
| February | 16°C60°F | 2°C36°F | 9°C48°F | 137 mm5.4 in |
| March | 20°C69°F | 6°C43°F | 13°C56°F | 167 mm6.6 in |
| April | 25°C77°F | 10°C50°F | 17°C63°F | 134 mm5.3 in |
| May | 29°C84°F | 15°C59°F | 22°C72°F | 112 mm4.4 in |
| June | 32°C90°F | 19°C67°F | 26°C78°F | 118 mm4.7 in |
| July | 33°C92°F | 21°C70°F | 27°C81°F | 137 mm5.4 in |
| August | 33°C92°F | 21°C69°F | 27°C81°F | 102 mm4.0 in |
| September | 31°C87°F | 17°C63°F | 24°C75°F | 94 mm3.7 in |
| October | 26°C78°F | 11°C52°F | 18°C65°F | 79 mm3.1 in |
| November | 19°C66°F | 5°C41°F | 12°C53°F | 115 mm4.5 in |
| December | 14°C58°F | 2°C35°F | 8°C46°F | 151 mm5.9 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).