In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Sow or plant outside
Start indoors
No indoor sowing due this week.
Ready to pick
TomatoesPeppersEggplantCucumbersZucchiniPumpkinsWatermelonsSweet cornGreen beansLettuceKaleCabbageBroccoliCarrotsBeetsRadishesSwiss chardBasilCilantroParsley
Coming up in the next 4 weeks
No new outdoor sowings start in the next four weeks.
Charlotte 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 12 – Mar 19 | Apr 9 – Aug 23 plant out | Jun 10 – Nov 2 |
| Pepper | Feb 11 – Mar 18 | Apr 22 – Aug 19 plant out | Jun 21 – Nov 2 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Feb 17 – Mar 24 | Apr 28 – Aug 16 plant out | Jun 28 – Nov 2 |
| Cucumber | Mar 18 – Apr 14 | Apr 15 – Sep 2 sow | Jun 3 – Nov 2 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Mar 11 – Apr 7 | Apr 8 – Sep 6 sow | May 27 – Nov 2 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Mar 12 – Apr 8 | Apr 9 – Aug 5 sow | Jul 1 – Nov 2 |
| Watermelon | Mar 31 – Apr 27 | Apr 28 – Aug 15 sow | Jul 1 – Nov 2 |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 6 – Aug 19 sow | Jun 16 – Nov 2 |
| Green beans | – | Apr 8 – Sep 2 sow | May 31 – Nov 2 |
| Peas | – | Feb 16 – Mar 13 sow | May 3 – Jun 8 |
| Lettuce | Jan 26 – Feb 23 | Mar 2 – Apr 5, Aug 27 – Sep 27 sow | Apr 26 – Jun 12, Oct 3 – Nov 13 |
| Spinach | – | Feb 16 – Mar 31, Sep 27 – Oct 8 sow | Apr 17 – Jun 4, Nov 6 – Dec 3 |
| Kale | Jan 12 – Feb 16 | Feb 23 – May 6, Aug 14 – Oct 1 sow | May 1 – Aug 27, Sep 27 – Dec 18 |
| Cabbage | Jan 12 – Feb 16, Jun 26 – Jul 31 | Mar 2 – Apr 5, Aug 14 – Sep 13 plant out | May 14 – Jun 30, Oct 9 – Nov 24 |
| Broccoli | Jan 19 – Feb 23, Jul 8 – Aug 12 | Mar 9 – Apr 12, Aug 26 – Sep 18 plant out | May 10 – Jun 28, Oct 14 – Nov 17 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 9 – Jun 23, Aug 14 – Sep 23 sow | May 14 – Dec 18 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Mar 9 – Jun 23, Aug 14 – Sep 24 sow | May 6 – Sep 16, Sep 27 – Nov 24 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 23 – Apr 22, Sep 13 – Oct 16 sow | Apr 4 – May 26, Oct 4 – Nov 17 |
| Onions | Dec 22 – Jan 26 | Mar 2 – Jun 23 plant out | Jun 2 – Oct 2 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 31 – Nov 17 sow | May 2 – May 22 |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 16 – Jun 2 sow | Jun 5 – Sep 21 |
| Swiss chard | – | Mar 16 – Sep 28 sow | May 6 – Nov 24 |
| Basil | Mar 11 – Apr 8 | Apr 22 – Sep 20 plant out | May 20 – Nov 2 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Mar 9 – Apr 13, Sep 13 – Oct 6 sow | Apr 21 – Jun 10, Oct 13 – Nov 17 |
| Parsley | Jan 12 – Feb 16 | Mar 9 – Jun 23, Aug 14 – Sep 16 sow | May 17 – Dec 3 |
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 Charlotte
- Average last spring frost
- March 30
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- April 14
- Average first autumn frost
- November 3
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 22
- Frost-free growing season
- 217 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, Charlotte Douglas Ap (10 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 33°C91°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows 0°C32°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 | 11°C53°F | 0°C32°F | 6°C42°F | 100 mm3.9 in |
| February | 14°C58°F | 2°C35°F | 8°C46°F | 87 mm3.4 in |
| March | 18°C65°F | 5°C42°F | 12°C54°F | 114 mm4.5 in |
| April | 24°C74°F | 10°C49°F | 17°C62°F | 88 mm3.5 in |
| May | 28°C82°F | 15°C59°F | 21°C70°F | 80 mm3.2 in |
| June | 31°C88°F | 19°C67°F | 25°C77°F | 98 mm3.9 in |
| July | 33°C91°F | 21°C70°F | 27°C81°F | 94 mm3.7 in |
| August | 32°C89°F | 20°C69°F | 26°C79°F | 92 mm3.6 in |
| September | 29°C83°F | 17°C63°F | 23°C73°F | 98 mm3.8 in |
| October | 24°C74°F | 10°C51°F | 17°C63°F | 88 mm3.5 in |
| November | 18°C64°F | 4°C40°F | 11°C52°F | 82 mm3.2 in |
| December | 13°C55°F | 1°C34°F | 7°C45°F | 96 mm3.8 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).