London in October: what to plant
Over the last 5 years, October in London has run 9.5–16.2°C with about 87 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 London is actually having, today.
Grow one in London's weather right now →❄️ No sub-zero nights in October in the last 5 years — frost is not the limiting factor here.
🗓️ This month sits inside the frost-free window. Average last spring frost around Mar 9, first autumn frost around Nov 21 — roughly 257 frost-free days. Sow tender crops after the last frost date and make sure they finish before the first.
☀️ About 6.3 h of sunshine a day this month. Within the month it cools by about 2.0°C from the first ten days to the last — the window for autumn sowings is opening.
Sow this month — when would you harvest?
Assuming you sow in mid-October, then adding up the warmth London usually gets, one day at a time — which is why some of these run past the end of the month.
| Crop | Days | Harvest around |
|---|---|---|
| 🌿 Garlic chives | 222 | May 24 |
| 🥬 Napa cabbage | 215 | May 17 |
| 🫘 Broad bean | 190 | Apr 22 |
| ⚪ Turnip | 172 | Apr 4 |
⏳ Too late this month: Marigold, Cauliflower, Strawberry, Dill, Carrot, Peas, Daikon radish, Beetroot would still be in the ground when the first frost arrives (around Nov 21). Sow them earlier in the year, or grow them under cover.
🌡️ Cucumber, Tomato, Chili Pepper, Yardlong bean, Bitter melon, Luffa, Winter melon, Aubergine, Okra never accumulate enough heat outdoors in London — not in any month. Locally these need a greenhouse or a warm windowsill.
Best crops to sow now
They are all ideal for this month — the only real difference is how long each one takes, so pick whatever you want to eat.
- 🏵️ Marigold about 103 days to harvest Recent mean 12.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌿 Garlic chives about 109 days to harvest Recent mean 12.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥬 Cauliflower about 108 days to harvest Recent mean 12.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥬 Napa cabbage about 100 days to harvest Recent mean 12.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🍓 Strawberry about 85 days to harvest Recent mean 12.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌿 Dill about 70 days to harvest Recent mean 12.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥕 Carrot about 108 days to harvest Recent mean 12.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🫘 Broad bean about 97 days to harvest Recent mean 12.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🫛 Peas about 79 days to harvest Recent mean 12.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- ⚪ Daikon radish about 82 days to harvest Recent mean 12.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- ⚪ Turnip about 62 days to harvest Recent mean 12.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🟣 Beetroot about 79 days to harvest Recent mean 12.9°C — right in the sweet spot
Leave these for another month
- 🌶️ Okra — Recent mean 12.9°C is too cold (ideal 20–33°C)
- 🍆 Aubergine — Recent mean 12.9°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
- 🍈 Winter melon — Recent mean 12.9°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
Other months in London
📍 Somewhere else? Look up your own city →
Temperature and rainfall come from Open-Meteo's historical observations for London, 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.