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In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Burlington 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 | Apr 4 – May 9 | May 30 – Jul 21 plant out | Aug 3 – Oct 8 |
| Pepper | Apr 1 – May 6 | Jun 10 – Jul 18 plant out | Aug 13 – Oct 8 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Apr 8 – May 13 | Jun 17 – Jul 14 plant out | Aug 22 – Oct 8 |
| Cucumber | May 8 – Jun 4 | Jun 5 – Aug 2 sow | Jul 25 – Oct 8 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | May 2 – May 29 | May 30 – Aug 6 sow | Jul 18 – Oct 8 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | May 2 – May 29 | May 30 – Jul 1 sow | Aug 27 – Oct 14 |
| Watermelon | May 20 – Jun 16 | Jun 17 – Jul 9 sow | Aug 26 – Oct 8 |
| Sweet corn | – | May 20 – Jul 16 sow | Aug 6 – Oct 8 |
| Green beans | – | May 30 – Aug 2 sow | Jul 22 – Oct 8 |
| Peas | – | Apr 19 – May 15, Jul 26 – Aug 19 sow | Jun 29 – Aug 5, Sep 13 – Oct 22 |
| Lettuce | Mar 11 – Apr 8 | Apr 15 – Jun 17, Jul 12 – Aug 31 sow | Jun 17 – Oct 25 |
| Spinach | – | Apr 10 – Jun 3, Aug 12 – Sep 7 sow | Jun 13 – Aug 4, Sep 15 – Nov 14 |
| Kale | Mar 4 – Apr 8 | Apr 15 – Aug 27 sow | Jun 25 – Nov 29 |
| Cabbage | Mar 5 – Apr 9 | Apr 23 – Aug 15 plant out | Jul 7 – Nov 5 |
| Broccoli | Mar 5 – Apr 9 | Apr 23 – Aug 21 plant out | Jun 30 – Oct 29 |
| Carrots | – | Apr 23 – Aug 20 sow | Jul 4 – Nov 29 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Apr 23 – Aug 26 sow | Jun 26 – Nov 5 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 15 – Jun 30, Jul 26 – Sep 19 sow | May 30 – Aug 3, Aug 16 – Oct 29 |
| Onions | Feb 8 – Mar 15 | Apr 19 – Jul 22 plant out | Jul 25 – Oct 15 |
| Garlic | – | Sep 30 – Oct 29 sow | Jun 21 – Jul 11 |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 28 – Jul 25 sow | Jul 23 – Oct 15 |
| Swiss chard | – | Apr 28 – Aug 30 sow | Jun 24 – Nov 5 |
| Basil | Apr 29 – May 27 | Jun 10 – Aug 22 plant out | Jul 9 – Oct 8 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Apr 23 – Jun 23, Jul 18 – Sep 9 sow | Jun 11 – Oct 29 |
| Parsley | Mar 3 – Apr 7 | Apr 28 – Aug 16 sow | Jul 9 – Nov 14 |
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 Burlington
- Average last spring frost
- April 29
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- May 11
- Average first autumn frost
- October 15
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 2
- Frost-free growing season
- 168 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, Burlington Intl Ap (5 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 5a from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -26°C-15°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 27°C81°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -10°C13°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 | -1°C31°F | -10°C13°F | -6°C22°F | 50 mm2.0 in |
| February | 0°C32°F | -10°C13°F | -5°C23°F | 40 mm1.6 in |
| March | 4°C39°F | -6°C22°F | -1°C31°F | 52 mm2.0 in |
| April | 11°C52°F | 1°C34°F | 6°C43°F | 70 mm2.8 in |
| May | 19°C65°F | 7°C45°F | 13°C55°F | 76 mm3.0 in |
| June | 24°C75°F | 12°C54°F | 18°C65°F | 93 mm3.7 in |
| July | 27°C81°F | 16°C61°F | 21°C71°F | 92 mm3.6 in |
| August | 26°C79°F | 16°C60°F | 21°C70°F | 84 mm3.3 in |
| September | 22°C72°F | 12°C53°F | 17°C62°F | 74 mm2.9 in |
| October | 15°C59°F | 6°C42°F | 10°C51°F | 90 mm3.5 in |
| November | 9°C48°F | 0°C33°F | 5°C40°F | 64 mm2.5 in |
| December | 3°C38°F | -5°C23°F | -1°C30°F | 56 mm2.2 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).