GreenlyGardening in Estonia: climate, frost dates and crops by region
We worked out the season of 6 cities of Estonia from ten years of weather: the frost-free season lasts from 166 days in Viljandi to 184 days in Tallinn. The last spring frost comes first in Tallinn (around 1 May) and last in Narva (around 6 May).
Climate zones of Estonia
By the days between the last spring frost and the first autumn frost.
How the regions of Estonia differ
In all 6 cities at least one month averages below 0 °C at night; the longest such winter is in Tallinn (December–March).
Which crops suit which part of Estonia
Season long enough: the days from planting to the first autumn frost cover the days to the first harvest on the plant card. Each window starts on the Greenly calendar date and ends on the last day that still leaves the crop’s days to harvest (from its card) before the average first autumn frost, plus six weeks of picking for crops harvested over weeks (tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, cucumbers, courgettes, pumpkins, watermelons, beans) — our rule; earlier in the window is safer.
| Crop | Planting out or sowing | Season long enough | Tight or too short |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | 1 June (Tartu) – 12 July (Tallinn) | all 6 | — |
| Cucumber | 11 June (Tartu) – 17 August (Tallinn) | all 6 | — |
| Bell Pepper, Eggplant | 11 June (Tartu) – 12 July (Tallinn) | all 6 | — |
| Zucchini | 11 June (Tartu) – 15 August (Tallinn) | all 6 | — |
| Pumpkin | 11 June (Tartu) – 7 July (Tallinn) | all 6 | — |
| Watermelon | 11 June (Tartu) – 23 July (Tallinn) | all 6 | — |
| Peas | 10 April (Tallinn) – 19 August (Tallinn) | all 6 | — |
| Garlic, Tulip, Daffodil, Crocus, Hyacinth | Autumn planting: 18 September (Viljandi) – ~27 November (Pärnu) | — | — |
Cities of Estonia: weather in numbers
| City | Frost-free days | Warmest month, day | Coldest month, night | Rain a year | Driest month | Places to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tallinn | 184 | July, 21.5 °C | January, -4.7 °C | 763 mm | March | 23 |
| Kohtla-Järve | 176 | July, 21.3 °C | January, -5.4 °C | 751 mm | March | — |
| Narva | 169 | July, 22.2 °C | January, -6.4 °C | 791 mm | March | — |
| Pärnu | 168 | July, 22 °C | January, -5 °C | 792 mm | March | — |
| Tartu | 171 | July, 21.9 °C | January, -6.1 °C | 709 mm | March | — |
| Viljandi | 166 | July, 21.6 °C | January, -5.9 °C | 792 mm | March | — |
ERA5 2016–2025 via Open-Meteo, 25 km grid cell of each city; dates by the Greenly calendar and the plant cards.
