In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Edinburgh 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 | Summers are too cool for a reliable outdoor crop. Grow it in a greenhouse or polytunnel. | ||
| Pepper | Summers are too cool for a reliable outdoor crop. Grow it in a greenhouse or polytunnel. | ||
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Summers are too cool for a reliable outdoor crop. Grow it in a greenhouse or polytunnel. | ||
| Cucumber | Summers are too cool for a reliable outdoor crop. Grow it in a greenhouse or polytunnel. | ||
| Zucchini (courgette) | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Summers are too cool for a reliable outdoor crop. Grow it in a greenhouse or polytunnel. | ||
| Watermelon | Summers are too cool for a reliable outdoor crop. Grow it in a greenhouse or polytunnel. | ||
| Sweet corn | Summers are too cool for a reliable outdoor crop. Grow it in a greenhouse or polytunnel. | ||
| Green beans | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Peas | – | Mar 21 – Aug 8 sow | Jul 8 – Nov 7 |
| Lettuce | Feb 23 – Mar 23 | Mar 30 – Aug 23 sow | Jun 25 – Nov 10 |
| Spinach | – | Mar 16 – Sep 2 sow | Jun 16 – Nov 30 |
| Kale | Feb 9 – Mar 16 | Mar 23 – Aug 18 sow | Jul 3 – Dec 15 |
| Cabbage | Feb 15 – Mar 22 | Apr 5 – Aug 1 plant out | Jul 21 – Nov 21 |
| Broccoli | Feb 16 – Mar 23 | Apr 6 – Aug 9 plant out | Jul 12 – Nov 14 |
| Carrots | – | Apr 6 – Aug 8 sow | Jul 16 – Dec 15 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Apr 6 – Aug 16 sow | Jul 7 – Nov 21 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 28 – Sep 19 sow | May 28 – Nov 14 |
| Onions | Jan 19 – Feb 23 | Mar 30 – Jul 3 plant out | Aug 12 – Oct 31 |
| Garlic | – | Sep 2 – Oct 6 sow | Jun 22 – Jul 12 |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 19 – Jul 8 sow | Aug 14 – Oct 31 |
| Swiss chard | – | Apr 19 – Aug 21 sow | Jul 6 – Nov 21 |
| Basil | Summers are too cool for a reliable outdoor crop. Grow it in a greenhouse or polytunnel. | ||
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Apr 6 – Sep 4 sow | Jun 16 – Nov 14 |
| Parsley | Feb 22 – Mar 29 | Apr 19 – Aug 2 sow | Jul 25 – Nov 30 |
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 Edinburgh
- Average last spring frost
- April 27
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- May 13 approx.
- Average first autumn frost
- October 31
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 17 approx.
- Frost-free growing season
- 186 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°C21°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 20°C67°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows 2°C35°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 15 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 | 4°C40°F | 60 mm2.4 in |
| February | 8°C46°F | 2°C35°F | 4°C40°F | 49 mm1.9 in |
| March | 9°C49°F | 3°C37°F | 6°C43°F | 49 mm1.9 in |
| April | 12°C53°F | 4°C39°F | 8°C46°F | 42 mm1.7 in |
| May | 15°C59°F | 6°C43°F | 11°C51°F | 48 mm1.9 in |
| June | 18°C64°F | 9°C49°F | 14°C56°F | 64 mm2.5 in |
| July | 20°C67°F | 11°C52°F | 15°C60°F | 66 mm2.6 in |
| August | 19°C66°F | 11°C52°F | 15°C59°F | 69 mm2.7 in |
| September | 17°C62°F | 9°C48°F | 13°C55°F | 54 mm2.1 in |
| October | 13°C55°F | 6°C43°F | 10°C49°F | 73 mm2.9 in |
| November | 10°C49°F | 4°C38°F | 7°C44°F | 60 mm2.4 in |
| December | 7°C45°F | 2°C35°F | 4°C40°F | 64 mm2.5 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).