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.
Memphis 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 11 – Mar 18 | Apr 8 – Aug 29 plant out | Jun 8 – Nov 11 |
| Pepper | Feb 8 – Mar 15 | Apr 19 – Aug 25 plant out | Jun 17 – Nov 11 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Feb 14 – Mar 21 | Apr 25 – Aug 22 plant out | Jun 24 – Nov 11 |
| Cucumber | Mar 16 – Apr 12 | Apr 13 – Sep 8 sow | May 31 – Nov 11 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Mar 11 – Apr 7 | Apr 8 – Sep 12 sow | May 25 – Nov 11 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Mar 11 – Apr 7 | Apr 8 – Aug 11 sow | Jun 29 – Nov 15 |
| Watermelon | Mar 28 – Apr 24 | Apr 25 – Aug 21 sow | Jun 28 – Nov 11 |
| Sweet corn | – | Mar 27 – Aug 24 sow | Jun 10 – Nov 11 |
| Green beans | – | Apr 8 – Sep 8 sow | May 29 – Nov 11 |
| Peas | – | Feb 10 – Mar 19 sow | May 2 – Jun 11 |
| Lettuce | Jan 12 – Feb 9 | Feb 16 – Apr 8, Sep 8 – Oct 4 sow | Apr 22 – Jun 13, Oct 15 – Nov 26 |
| Spinach | – | Feb 2 – Apr 4, Oct 4 – Oct 12 sow | Apr 15 – Jun 7, Nov 17 – Dec 16 |
| Kale | Dec 29 – Feb 2 | Feb 9 – May 4, Aug 28 – Oct 3 sow | Apr 28 – Aug 25, Oct 12 – Dec 31 |
| Cabbage | Dec 31 – Feb 4, Jul 10 – Aug 14 | Feb 18 – Apr 6, Aug 28 – Sep 18 plant out | May 11 – Jun 30, Oct 24 – Dec 7 |
| Broccoli | Jan 5 – Feb 9, Jul 21 – Aug 20 | Feb 23 – Apr 13, Sep 8 – Sep 24 plant out | May 5 – Jun 28, Oct 29 – Nov 30 |
| Carrots | – | Feb 23 – May 25, Aug 28 – Sep 25 sow | May 8 – Sep 9, Oct 19 – Dec 31 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Feb 23 – Jun 1, Aug 28 – Sep 29 sow | May 1 – Aug 25, Oct 12 – Dec 7 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 9 – Apr 24, Sep 23 – Oct 22 sow | Mar 31 – May 28, Oct 14 – Nov 30 |
| Onions | Dec 8 – Jan 12 | Feb 16 – Jun 20 plant out | May 29 – Sep 29 |
| Garlic | – | Nov 2 – Nov 30 sow | Apr 28 – May 18 |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 2 – Jun 1 sow | May 29 – Sep 20 |
| Swiss chard | – | Mar 2 – Jun 3, Jul 4 – Oct 3 sow | Apr 30 – Dec 7 |
| Basil | Mar 8 – Apr 5 | Apr 19 – Sep 26 plant out | May 17 – Nov 11 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Feb 23 – Apr 15, Sep 23 – Oct 12 sow | Apr 16 – Jun 12, Oct 24 – Nov 30 |
| Parsley | Dec 31 – Feb 4 | Feb 25 – May 22, Aug 28 – Sep 20 sow | May 13 – 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 Memphis
- Average last spring frost
- March 16
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- April 4
- Average first autumn frost
- November 16
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- November 2
- Frost-free growing season
- 244 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, Memphis Intl Ap (12 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 8a from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -10°C14°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 | 10°C49°F | 0°C32°F | 5°C41°F | 106 mm4.2 in |
| February | 12°C54°F | 2°C35°F | 7°C45°F | 109 mm4.3 in |
| March | 17°C63°F | 6°C43°F | 12°C53°F | 132 mm5.2 in |
| April | 23°C73°F | 11°C52°F | 17°C63°F | 134 mm5.3 in |
| May | 28°C82°F | 16°C62°F | 22°C72°F | 132 mm5.2 in |
| June | 32°C89°F | 21°C69°F | 26°C79°F | 105 mm4.1 in |
| July | 33°C91°F | 23°C73°F | 28°C82°F | 118 mm4.7 in |
| August | 33°C91°F | 22°C71°F | 27°C81°F | 74 mm2.9 in |
| September | 30°C86°F | 18°C64°F | 24°C75°F | 85 mm3.3 in |
| October | 24°C75°F | 11°C52°F | 18°C64°F | 94 mm3.7 in |
| November | 17°C62°F | 6°C42°F | 11°C52°F | 124 mm4.9 in |
| December | 11°C52°F | 2°C35°F | 6°C44°F | 141 mm5.5 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).