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In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Sow or plant outside
Start indoors
No indoor sowing due this week.
Ready to pick
TomatoesPeppersEggplantCucumbersZucchiniPumpkinsWatermelonsSweet cornGreen beansLettuceKaleCabbageBroccoliCarrotsBeetsRadishesOnionsSwiss chardBasilCilantroParsley
Coming up in the next 4 weeks
No new outdoor sowings start in the next four weeks.
Raleigh 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 16 – Mar 23 | Apr 13 – Aug 23 plant out | Jun 15 – Nov 3 |
| Pepper | Feb 15 – Mar 22 | Apr 26 – Aug 19 plant out | Jun 25 – Nov 3 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Feb 22 – Mar 29 | May 3 – Aug 16 plant out | Jul 3 – Nov 3 |
| Cucumber | Mar 23 – Apr 19 | Apr 20 – Sep 2 sow | Jun 8 – Nov 3 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Mar 16 – Apr 12 | Apr 13 – Sep 5 sow | Jun 1 – Nov 3 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Mar 16 – Apr 12 | Apr 13 – Aug 4 sow | Jul 5 – Nov 3 |
| Watermelon | Apr 5 – May 2 | May 3 – Aug 15 sow | Jul 6 – Nov 3 |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 7 – Aug 18 sow | Jun 19 – Nov 3 |
| Green beans | – | Apr 13 – Sep 2 sow | Jun 4 – Nov 3 |
| Peas | – | Feb 17 – Mar 17 sow | May 7 – Jun 12 |
| Lettuce | Jan 27 – Feb 24 | Mar 3 – Apr 10, Aug 25 – Sep 27 sow | Apr 29 – Jun 16, Oct 1 – Nov 14 |
| Spinach | – | Feb 17 – Apr 4, Sep 25 – Oct 8 sow | Apr 21 – Jun 8, Nov 3 – Dec 4 |
| Kale | Jan 13 – Feb 17 | Feb 24 – May 10, Aug 12 – Sep 30 sow | May 5 – Aug 31, Sep 25 – Dec 19 |
| Cabbage | Jan 13 – Feb 17, Jun 24 – Jul 29 | Mar 3 – Apr 9, Aug 12 – Sep 13 plant out | May 18 – Jul 4, Oct 7 – Nov 25 |
| Broccoli | Jan 20 – Feb 24, Jul 6 – Aug 10 | Mar 10 – Apr 17, Aug 24 – Sep 18 plant out | May 13 – Jul 3, Oct 11 – Nov 18 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 10 – Jun 28, Aug 12 – Sep 23 sow | May 17 – Dec 19 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Mar 10 – Jun 28, Aug 12 – Sep 24 sow | May 10 – Sep 21, Sep 25 – Nov 25 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 24 – Apr 26, Sep 11 – Oct 16 sow | Apr 7 – May 30, Oct 2 – Nov 18 |
| Onions | Dec 23 – Jan 27, Jun 3 – Jun 21 | Mar 3 – Jun 28, Aug 12 – Aug 16 plant out | Jun 5 – Oct 7, Oct 29 – Nov 4 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 30 – Nov 18 sow | May 6 – May 26 |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 17 – Jun 6 sow | Jun 7 – Sep 25 |
| Swiss chard | – | Mar 17 – Sep 28 sow | May 9 – Nov 25 |
| Basil | Mar 15 – Apr 12 | Apr 26 – Sep 20 plant out | May 24 – Nov 3 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Mar 10 – Apr 18, Sep 11 – Oct 6 sow | Apr 24 – Jun 15, Oct 11 – Nov 18 |
| Parsley | Jan 13 – Feb 17 | Mar 10 – Jun 28, Aug 12 – Sep 16 sow | May 21 – Dec 4 |
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 Raleigh
- Average last spring frost
- March 31
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- April 16
- Average first autumn frost
- November 4
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 23
- Frost-free growing season
- 217 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, Raleigh Ap (18 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 8a from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -11°C12°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 33°C91°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows 0°C31°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 | 11°C52°F | 0°C31°F | 5°C41°F | 97 mm3.8 in |
| February | 14°C56°F | 1°C33°F | 7°C45°F | 81 mm3.2 in |
| March | 18°C64°F | 4°C40°F | 11°C52°F | 100 mm4.0 in |
| April | 23°C74°F | 9°C48°F | 16°C61°F | 87 mm3.4 in |
| May | 27°C81°F | 14°C57°F | 20°C69°F | 100 mm3.9 in |
| June | 31°C88°F | 19°C66°F | 25°C77°F | 107 mm4.2 in |
| July | 33°C91°F | 21°C69°F | 27°C80°F | 107 mm4.2 in |
| August | 32°C89°F | 20°C68°F | 26°C79°F | 112 mm4.4 in |
| September | 28°C83°F | 17°C62°F | 23°C73°F | 122 mm4.8 in |
| October | 23°C74°F | 10°C50°F | 17°C62°F | 77 mm3.0 in |
| November | 18°C64°F | 4°C40°F | 11°C52°F | 87 mm3.4 in |
| December | 13°C55°F | 1°C34°F | 7°C44°F | 84 mm3.3 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).