In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Madison 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 | Mar 28 – May 2 | May 23 – Jul 23 plant out | Jul 25 – Oct 9 |
| Pepper | Mar 24 – Apr 28 | Jun 2 – Jul 20 plant out | Aug 3 – Oct 9 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Mar 30 – May 4 | Jun 8 – Jul 16 plant out | Aug 11 – Oct 9 |
| Cucumber | Apr 30 – May 27 | May 28 – Aug 4 sow | Jul 16 – Oct 9 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Apr 25 – May 22 | May 23 – Aug 7 sow | Jul 10 – Oct 9 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Apr 25 – May 22 | May 23 – Jul 3 sow | Aug 17 – Oct 9 |
| Watermelon | May 11 – Jun 7 | Jun 8 – Jul 13 sow | Aug 15 – Oct 9 |
| Sweet corn | – | May 14 – Jul 18 sow | Jul 29 – Oct 9 |
| Green beans | – | May 23 – Aug 4 sow | Jul 14 – Oct 9 |
| Peas | – | Apr 12 – Apr 25, Aug 2 – Aug 18 sow | Jun 22 – Jul 23, Sep 20 – Oct 17 |
| Lettuce | Mar 3 – Mar 31 | Apr 7 – May 21, Jul 21 – Aug 31 sow | Jun 10 – Jul 26, Aug 27 – Oct 20 |
| Spinach | – | Apr 2 – May 13, Aug 21 – Sep 7 sow | Jun 6 – Jul 17, Sep 26 – Nov 9 |
| Kale | Feb 24 – Mar 31 | Apr 7 – Aug 27 sow | Jun 17 – Nov 24 |
| Cabbage | Feb 26 – Apr 2 | Apr 16 – Aug 15 plant out | Jun 30 – Oct 31 |
| Broccoli | Feb 26 – Apr 2 | Apr 16 – Aug 21 plant out | Jun 23 – Oct 24 |
| Carrots | – | Apr 16 – Aug 20 sow | Jun 26 – Nov 24 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Apr 16 – Aug 26 sow | Jun 19 – Oct 31 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 7 – Jun 5, Aug 4 – Sep 18 sow | May 23 – Jul 9, Aug 25 – Oct 24 |
| Onions | Feb 1 – Mar 8 | Apr 12 – Jul 20 plant out | Jul 18 – Oct 10 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 2 – Oct 24 sow | Jun 11 – Jul 1 |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 21 – Jul 24 sow | Jul 16 – Oct 10 |
| Swiss chard | – | Apr 21 – Aug 30 sow | Jun 17 – Oct 31 |
| Basil | Apr 21 – May 19 | Jun 2 – Aug 23 plant out | Jun 30 – Oct 9 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Apr 16 – May 28, Jul 27 – Sep 8 sow | Jun 4 – Jul 25, Aug 26 – Oct 24 |
| Parsley | Feb 24 – Mar 31 | Apr 21 – Aug 16 sow | Jul 2 – Nov 9 |
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 Madison
- Average last spring frost
- May 1
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- May 16
- Average first autumn frost
- October 10
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- September 26
- Frost-free growing season
- 161 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, Madison Dane Co Rgnl Ap (9 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 5b from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -25°C-14°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 28°C83°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -12°C11°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 | -2°C28°F | -12°C11°F | -7°C19°F | 31 mm1.2 in |
| February | 0°C32°F | -10°C13°F | -5°C23°F | 34 mm1.4 in |
| March | 6°C44°F | -4°C24°F | 1°C34°F | 53 mm2.1 in |
| April | 13°C56°F | 2°C35°F | 8°C46°F | 91 mm3.6 in |
| May | 21°C69°F | 8°C46°F | 14°C58°F | 92 mm3.6 in |
| June | 26°C79°F | 13°C56°F | 20°C67°F | 120 mm4.7 in |
| July | 28°C83°F | 16°C60°F | 22°C72°F | 86 mm3.4 in |
| August | 27°C81°F | 15°C59°F | 21°C70°F | 99 mm3.9 in |
| September | 24°C74°F | 11°C52°F | 17°C63°F | 87 mm3.4 in |
| October | 16°C61°F | 5°C40°F | 10°C51°F | 66 mm2.6 in |
| November | 8°C47°F | -1°C29°F | 3°C38°F | 49 mm1.9 in |
| December | 1°C34°F | -8°C18°F | -3°C26°F | 45 mm1.8 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).