In the garden now (2 November 2026)
London 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 10 – May 15 | Jun 5 – Jul 9 plant out | Aug 22 – Oct 15 |
| Pepper | Apr 14 – May 9 | Jun 23 – Jul 4 plant out | Sep 14 – Oct 15 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Cucumber | May 17 – Jun 13 | Jun 14 – Jul 24 sow | Aug 12 – Oct 15 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | May 8 – Jun 4 | Jun 5 – Jul 29 sow | Aug 1 – Oct 15 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | May 8 – May 20 | Jun 5 – Jun 10 sow | Oct 9 – Nov 9 |
| Watermelon | Summers are too cool for a reliable outdoor crop. Grow it in a greenhouse or polytunnel. | ||
| Sweet corn | – | May 16 – Jul 1 sow | Aug 22 – Oct 15 |
| Green beans | – | Jun 5 – Jul 24 sow | Aug 6 – Oct 15 |
| Peas | – | Feb 21 – Aug 31 sow | Jun 10 – Nov 28 |
| Lettuce | Jan 31 – Feb 28 | Mar 7 – Sep 14 sow | May 29 – Dec 1 |
| Spinach | – | Feb 21 – Sep 23 sow | May 20 – Dec 21 |
| Kale | Jan 17 – Feb 21 | Feb 28 – Sep 10 sow | Jun 6 – Jan 5 |
| Cabbage | Jan 20 – Feb 24 | Mar 10 – Aug 25 plant out | Jun 22 – Dec 12 |
| Broccoli | Jan 24 – Feb 28 | Mar 14 – Sep 1 plant out | Jun 14 – Dec 5 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 14 – Sep 2 sow | Jun 19 – Jan 5 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Mar 14 – Sep 7 sow | Jun 10 – Dec 12 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 1 – Oct 8 sow | May 1 – Dec 5 |
| Onions | Dec 27 – Jan 31 | Mar 7 – Aug 2 plant out | Jul 11 – Nov 21 |
| Garlic | – | Sep 30 – Nov 3 sow | Jun 27 – Jul 17 |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 24 – Aug 6 sow | Jul 11 – Nov 21 |
| Swiss chard | – | Mar 24 – Sep 11 sow | Jun 9 – Dec 12 |
| Basil | May 12 – Jun 9 | Jun 23 – Aug 18 plant out | Jul 25 – Oct 15 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Mar 14 – Sep 25 sow | May 21 – Dec 5 |
| Parsley | Jan 27 – Mar 3 | Mar 24 – Aug 27 sow | Jun 26 – Dec 21 |
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 London
- Average last spring frost
- April 4
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- April 20 approx.
- Average first autumn frost
- November 21
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- November 7 approx.
- Frost-free growing season
- 230 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
- -5°C23°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 24°C75°F
- Coldest month
- February, lows 3°C37°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 23 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 | 8°C47°F | 3°C37°F | 6°C42°F | 62 mm2.4 in |
| February | 9°C48°F | 3°C37°F | 6°C43°F | 45 mm1.8 in |
| March | 12°C53°F | 4°C39°F | 8°C46°F | 42 mm1.6 in |
| April | 15°C59°F | 6°C42°F | 10°C50°F | 44 mm1.7 in |
| May | 18°C65°F | 8°C47°F | 13°C56°F | 47 mm1.8 in |
| June | 22°C71°F | 11°C52°F | 16°C62°F | 56 mm2.2 in |
| July | 24°C75°F | 14°C56°F | 19°C66°F | 54 mm2.1 in |
| August | 23°C74°F | 14°C56°F | 18°C65°F | 60 mm2.4 in |
| September | 20°C68°F | 11°C52°F | 16°C60°F | 55 mm2.2 in |
| October | 16°C60°F | 8°C47°F | 12°C54°F | 71 mm2.8 in |
| November | 11°C53°F | 5°C42°F | 8°C47°F | 70 mm2.8 in |
| December | 9°C48°F | 3°C38°F | 6°C43°F | 64 mm2.5 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).