Dublin in December: what to plant
Over the last 5 years, December in Dublin has run 5.5–9.5°C with about 89 mm of rain across the month. Here is what weather like that will carry to harvest.
Everything above is a five-year average. In the game it is this — the weather Dublin is actually having, today.
Grow one in Dublin's weather right now →❄️ In 2 of the last 5 years, Dublin saw at least one night at or below 0°C in December (record low -2.3°C). Cold-sensitive crops need cover.
🗓️ This month still falls inside the frost season. Average last spring frost around Feb 10, first autumn frost around Nov 30 — roughly 294 frost-free days. Sow tender crops after the last frost date and make sure they finish before the first.
☀️ About 3.4 h of sunshine a day this month. Within the month it warms by about 1.4°C from the first ten days to the last.
Sow this month — when would you harvest?
Assuming you sow in mid-December, then adding up the warmth Dublin usually gets, one day at a time — which is why some of these run past the end of the month.
| Crop | Days | Harvest around |
|---|---|---|
| 🌿 Rocket | 110 | Apr 3 |
| 🌱 Microgreens | 8 | Dec 22 |
| 🌿 Spinach | 121 | Apr 14 |
| 🍒 Cherry Radish | 118 | Apr 11 |
| 🧄 Garlic | 144 | May 7 |
| 🌿 Coriander | 137 | Apr 30 |
| 🫘 Broad bean | 167 | May 30 |
| 🫛 Peas | 159 | May 22 |
| 🟣 Beetroot | 159 | May 22 |
| ⚪ Turnip | 150 | May 13 |
| 🍃 Mint | 30 | Jan 13 |
| 🧅 Chives | 32 | Jan 15 |
🌡️ Cucumber, Tomato, Chili Pepper, Sweet Corn, Pumpkin, Edamame, Yardlong bean, Bitter melon, Luffa, Winter melon, Aubergine, Okra never accumulate enough heat outdoors in Dublin — not in any month. Locally these need a greenhouse or a warm windowsill.
Best crops to sow now
- 🌿 Rocket Ideal about 106 days to harvest Recent mean 7.5°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌱 Microgreens Ideal about 8 days to harvest 🪴 Windowsill pot — sheltered from outdoor weather
- 🌿 Spinach Ideal about 123 days to harvest Recent mean 7.5°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🍒 Cherry Radish Ideal about 121 days to harvest Recent mean 7.5°C is too cold (ideal 8–25°C)
- 🧄 Garlic Good about 154 days to harvest Recent mean 7.5°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌿 Coriander Good about 149 days to harvest Recent mean 7.5°C is too cold (ideal 8–24°C)
- 🫘 Broad bean Marginal about 212 days to harvest Recent mean 7.5°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🫛 Peas Marginal about 201 days to harvest Recent mean 7.5°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🟣 Beetroot Marginal about 201 days to harvest Recent mean 7.5°C — right in the sweet spot
- ⚪ Turnip Marginal about 193 days to harvest Recent mean 7.5°C is too cold (ideal 8–24°C)
- 🍃 Mint Ideal about 30 days to harvest 🪴 Windowsill pot — sheltered from outdoor weather
- 🧅 Chives Ideal about 32 days to harvest 🪴 Windowsill pot — sheltered from outdoor weather
Leave these for another month
- 🌶️ Okra — Recent mean 7.5°C is too cold (ideal 20–33°C)
- 🍆 Aubergine — Recent mean 7.5°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
- 🍈 Winter melon — Recent mean 7.5°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
Other months in Dublin
📍 Somewhere else? Look up your own city →
Temperature and rainfall come from Open-Meteo's historical observations for Dublin, averaged day by day over the last 5 years. Whether a crop finishes in time is worked out from its own starting temperature and heat requirement — those numbers are listed on each crop page if you want to check them.