PlantingWindowThe American Planting Almanac

When to plant garden cress in Birmingham, Alabama

March 21 – April 4

Direct-sow outdoors · typical Birmingham year

Climate basis: NOAA station Birmingham AP, AL (USW00013876), 5 mi (8 km) from downtown Birmingham (ZCTA 35203 centroid), elevation 615 ft, on the 1991–2020 climate normals. Direct-sow garden cress from approximately the dates above, anchored to the median last spring 32°F freeze (March 21). One year in ten still freezes after April 8.

Last spring freezeMarch 211-in-10 after Apr 8
First fall freezeNovember 111-in-10 before Oct 30
Frost-free season≈ 236 daysmedian at 32°F
Hard freeze, 28°Mar 7 – Nov 24kills even hardy greens
USDA zone8a10 to 15°F winter low — not frost timing

The Birmingham year

Direct-sow outdoorsMar 21 – Apr 4
  • indoors under lights
  • in the garden
  • frost-free season
  • 1-in-10 years still freeze to Apr 8
Garden Cress in Birmingham · freeze context from Birmingham AP, AL, 1991–2020 normals.

Every method, with its sources

Direct-sow outdoors

Mar 21 – Apr 4

Utah State University Extension says garden cress "does not tolerate frost so plant near the frost free date", and Arkansas Extension's culture line reads "seed shallow depth after danger of frost"; both open at the last spring frost, and this later interval supersedes Arkansas' looser "as soon as the ground can be worked" sentence, giving last spring frost to plus 14 days. Anchored to the median last spring freeze (Mar 21). Utah State University Extension · University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service

Start seeds indoors

Not calculated

The cited extension guides do not time an indoor seed-starting window for this crop.

Transplant outdoors

Not calculated

The cited extension guides do not time an outdoor transplanting window for this crop.

Fall planting

Not calculated

No source-backed fall planting rule exists for this crop in the registry, so no fall window is calculated.

Variety assumption: Offsets are for garden cress (Lepidium sativum), a 10–40 day cutting green; watercress and upland cress are different species with different requirements and are not covered by this entry.

These windows describe typical years (1991–2020 climate normals), not this year's forecast. Freezes happen outside them — especially in frost pockets, valleys, and urban edges. Watch the forecast before committing tender plants.

This week, not a typical year:
Crop rule sources (2)

Keep exploring

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Local overview