In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Manchester 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 18 – May 7 | Jun 13 – Jun 18 plant out | Sep 17 – Oct 7 |
| Pepper | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Summers are too cool for a reliable outdoor crop. Grow it in a greenhouse or polytunnel. | ||
| Cucumber | May 27 – Jun 17 | Jun 24 – Jul 8 sow | Sep 3 – Oct 7 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | May 16 – Jun 12 | Jun 13 – Jul 14 sow | Aug 17 – Oct 7 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Watermelon | Summers are too cool for a reliable outdoor crop. Grow it in a greenhouse or polytunnel. | ||
| Sweet corn | – | May 23 – Jun 4 sow | Sep 17 – Oct 7 |
| Green beans | – | Jun 13 – Jul 8 sow | Aug 23 – Oct 7 |
| Peas | – | Mar 2 – Aug 23 sow | Jun 17 – Nov 23 |
| Lettuce | Feb 1 – Mar 1 | Mar 8 – Sep 6 sow | Jun 3 – Nov 26 |
| Spinach | – | Feb 22 – Sep 15 sow | May 26 – Dec 16 |
| Kale | Jan 18 – Feb 22 | Mar 1 – Sep 1 sow | Jun 12 – Dec 31 |
| Cabbage | Jan 28 – Mar 4 | Mar 18 – Aug 17 plant out | Jun 30 – Dec 7 |
| Broccoli | Jan 28 – Mar 4 | Mar 18 – Aug 24 plant out | Jun 21 – Nov 30 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 18 – Aug 23 sow | Jun 25 – Dec 31 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Mar 18 – Aug 30 sow | Jun 16 – Dec 7 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 8 – Oct 2 sow | May 8 – Nov 30 |
| Onions | Dec 28 – Feb 1 | Mar 8 – Jul 23 plant out | Jul 18 – Nov 16 |
| Garlic | – | Sep 20 – Oct 24 sow | Jun 22 – Jul 12 |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 31 – Jul 27 sow | Jul 20 – Nov 16 |
| Swiss chard | – | Mar 31 – Sep 4 sow | Jun 16 – Dec 7 |
| Basil | May 28 – Jun 25 | Jul 9 – Aug 5 plant out | Aug 15 – Oct 7 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Mar 18 – Sep 17 sow | May 26 – Nov 30 |
| Parsley | Feb 3 – Mar 10 | Mar 31 – Aug 18 sow | Jul 3 – Dec 16 |
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 Manchester
- Average last spring frost
- April 5
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- April 21 approx.
- Average first autumn frost
- November 16
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- November 2 approx.
- Frost-free growing season
- 224 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°C22°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 21°C71°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows 2°C36°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 21 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°C46°F | 2°C36°F | 5°C41°F | 76 mm3.0 in |
| February | 8°C47°F | 2°C36°F | 5°C42°F | 60 mm2.4 in |
| March | 11°C52°F | 4°C39°F | 7°C45°F | 58 mm2.3 in |
| April | 14°C57°F | 6°C42°F | 10°C49°F | 50 mm2.0 in |
| May | 17°C63°F | 8°C47°F | 13°C55°F | 55 mm2.2 in |
| June | 20°C67°F | 11°C53°F | 16°C60°F | 77 mm3.0 in |
| July | 21°C71°F | 13°C56°F | 17°C63°F | 78 mm3.1 in |
| August | 21°C70°F | 13°C55°F | 17°C63°F | 83 mm3.3 in |
| September | 18°C65°F | 11°C51°F | 14°C58°F | 76 mm3.0 in |
| October | 14°C58°F | 8°C46°F | 11°C52°F | 94 mm3.7 in |
| November | 10°C51°F | 5°C41°F | 8°C46°F | 88 mm3.5 in |
| December | 8°C46°F | 3°C37°F | 5°C42°F | 91 mm3.6 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).