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In the garden now (2 November 2026)
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 | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Pepper | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Summers are too cool for a reliable outdoor crop. Grow it in a greenhouse or polytunnel. | ||
| Cucumber | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Zucchini (courgette) | May 22 – Jun 17 | Jun 19 – Jul 8 sow | Aug 26 – Oct 3 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Watermelon | Summers are too cool for a reliable outdoor crop. Grow it in a greenhouse or polytunnel. | ||
| Sweet corn | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Green beans | – | Jun 19 – Jul 1 sow | Sep 4 – Oct 3 |
| Peas | – | Mar 12 – Aug 18 sow | Jun 25 – Nov 17 |
| Lettuce | Feb 15 – Mar 15 | Mar 22 – Sep 2 sow | Jun 13 – Nov 20 |
| Spinach | – | Mar 8 – Sep 10 sow | Jun 4 – Dec 10 |
| Kale | Feb 1 – Mar 8 | Mar 15 – Aug 28 sow | Jun 21 – Dec 25 |
| Cabbage | Feb 6 – Mar 13 | Mar 27 – Aug 12 plant out | Jul 7 – Dec 1 |
| Broccoli | Feb 8 – Mar 15 | Mar 29 – Aug 19 plant out | Jun 29 – Nov 24 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 29 – Aug 18 sow | Jul 4 – Dec 25 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Mar 29 – Aug 25 sow | Jun 24 – Dec 1 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 16 – Sep 27 sow | May 16 – Nov 24 |
| Onions | Jan 11 – Feb 15 | Mar 22 – Jul 17 plant out | Jul 27 – Nov 10 |
| Garlic | – | Sep 16 – Oct 20 sow | Jun 24 – Jul 14 |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 8 – Jul 22 sow | Jul 28 – Nov 10 |
| Swiss chard | – | Apr 8 – Aug 30 sow | Jun 23 – Dec 1 |
| Basil | Jun 7 – Jun 25 | Jul 19 – Jul 30 plant out | Aug 29 – Oct 3 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Mar 29 – Sep 13 sow | Jun 4 – Nov 24 |
| Parsley | Feb 11 – Mar 18 | Apr 8 – Aug 13 sow | Jul 11 – Dec 10 |
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
- April 19
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- May 5 approx.
- Average first autumn frost
- November 10
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 27 approx.
- Frost-free growing season
- 204 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: Estimated from TerraClimate 1991–2020 climate normals (typical error about a week; how).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 9a estimate
- Average coldest winter night
- -6°C22°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 22°C71°F
- Coldest month
- February, lows 2°C35°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 18 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. Estimated from monthly climate normals; about one city in ten we checked comes out a full half-zone off. 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 | 7°C45°F | 2°C35°F | 5°C40°F | 73 mm2.9 in |
| February | 8°C46°F | 2°C35°F | 5°C41°F | 62 mm2.4 in |
| March | 10°C51°F | 3°C37°F | 7°C44°F | 56 mm2.2 in |
| April | 13°C56°F | 4°C40°F | 9°C48°F | 54 mm2.1 in |
| May | 17°C62°F | 7°C45°F | 12°C54°F | 58 mm2.3 in |
| June | 20°C67°F | 10°C50°F | 15°C59°F | 74 mm2.9 in |
| July | 22°C71°F | 12°C54°F | 17°C62°F | 76 mm3.0 in |
| August | 21°C70°F | 12°C53°F | 16°C62°F | 77 mm3.0 in |
| September | 18°C65°F | 10°C49°F | 14°C57°F | 70 mm2.8 in |
| October | 14°C57°F | 7°C45°F | 10°C51°F | 87 mm3.4 in |
| November | 10°C50°F | 4°C40°F | 7°C45°F | 94 mm3.7 in |
| December | 8°C46°F | 2°C36°F | 5°C41°F | 87 mm3.4 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).