In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Sow or plant outside
PeasLettuceSpinachKaleCabbageBroccoliCarrotsBeetsRadishesSwiss chardCilantroParsley
Start indoors
Ready to pick
TomatoesPeppersEggplantCucumbersZucchiniPumpkinsWatermelonsSweet cornGreen beansLettuceKaleCabbageBroccoliCarrotsBeetsRadishesOnionsSwiss chardBasilCilantroParsley
Coming up in the next 4 weeks
No new outdoor sowings start in the next four weeks.
Charleston 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 | Jan 25 – Mar 1, May 19 – Jun 23 | Mar 22 – Jun 1, Jul 14 – Sep 15 plant out | May 27 – Dec 6 |
| Pepper | Jan 27 – Mar 3 | Apr 7 – Sep 11 plant out | Jun 7 – Dec 6 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Feb 4 – Mar 11 | Apr 15 – Sep 8 plant out | Jun 16 – Dec 6 |
| Cucumber | Mar 2 – Mar 29 | Mar 30 – Sep 25 sow | May 20 – Dec 6 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Feb 22 – Mar 21 | Mar 22 – Sep 28 sow | May 13 – Dec 6 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Feb 22 – Mar 21 | Mar 22 – Aug 28 sow | Jun 17 – Dec 29 |
| Watermelon | Mar 18 – Apr 14 | Apr 15 – Sep 5 sow | Jun 19 – Dec 6 |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 7 – Sep 9 sow | May 29 – Dec 6 |
| Green beans | – | Mar 22 – Jun 8, Jul 22 – Sep 25 sow | May 17 – Aug 20, Aug 30 – Dec 6 |
| Peas | – | Sep 19 – Mar 13 sow | Nov 8 – Jun 2 |
| Lettuce | Jul 31 – Aug 28 | Sep 4 – Apr 6 sow | Oct 11 – Jun 10 |
| Spinach | – | Oct 5 – Mar 31 sow | Nov 10 – Jun 1 |
| Kale | Jun 27 – Aug 1 | Aug 8 – May 12 sow | Sep 21 – Sep 2 |
| Cabbage | Jun 20 – Jul 25 | Aug 8 – Apr 9 plant out | Oct 2 – Jul 1 |
| Broccoli | Jul 10 – Aug 14 | Aug 28 – Apr 16 plant out | Oct 15 – Jun 30 |
| Carrots | – | Aug 8 – Jul 6 sow | Jan 1 – Dec 31 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Aug 8 – Jul 6 sow | Jan 1 – Dec 31 |
| Radishes | – | Sep 19 – Apr 21 sow | Oct 10 – May 25 |
| Onions | May 30 – Jul 4, Oct 29 – Dec 3 | Jan 7 – Jul 6, Aug 8 – Sep 23 plant out | May 1 – Oct 15, Oct 21 – Dec 30 |
| Garlic | Garlic needs about six weeks below 10 °C to form bulbs; winters here are too mild for most varieties. | ||
| Potatoes | – | Jan 21 – Jun 6, Sep 9 – Sep 26 sow | May 2 – Sep 25, Nov 25 – Dec 30 |
| Swiss chard | – | Jan 1 – Dec 31 sow | Jan 1 – Dec 31 |
| Basil | Feb 24 – Mar 24 | Apr 7 – Oct 14 plant out | May 6 – Dec 6 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Sep 19 – Apr 13 sow | Oct 19 – Jun 9 |
| Parsley | Jul 7 – Jul 18 | Aug 8 – Jul 6 sow | Jan 1 – Dec 31 |
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 Charleston
- Average last spring frost
- February 4
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- March 4
- Average first autumn frost
- December 30
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- December 2
- Frost-free growing season
- 328 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, Dwtn Charleston (1 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 9b from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -3°C27°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 32°C90°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows 4°C40°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 24 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 | 15°C59°F | 4°C40°F | 10°C49°F | 83 mm3.3 in |
| February | 17°C62°F | 6°C42°F | 11°C52°F | 75 mm2.9 in |
| March | 20°C69°F | 9°C48°F | 15°C58°F | 91 mm3.6 in |
| April | 24°C76°F | 13°C55°F | 18°C65°F | 83 mm3.3 in |
| May | 28°C82°F | 18°C64°F | 23°C73°F | 81 mm3.2 in |
| June | 31°C87°F | 22°C71°F | 26°C79°F | 151 mm5.9 in |
| July | 32°C90°F | 23°C74°F | 28°C82°F | 165 mm6.5 in |
| August | 32°C89°F | 23°C73°F | 27°C81°F | 190 mm7.5 in |
| September | 29°C85°F | 21°C69°F | 25°C77°F | 148 mm5.8 in |
| October | 25°C78°F | 15°C59°F | 20°C68°F | 86 mm3.4 in |
| November | 20°C69°F | 9°C48°F | 15°C59°F | 64 mm2.5 in |
| December | 17°C62°F | 6°C42°F | 11°C52°F | 87 mm3.4 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).