Garden Guide

Garden Guide for Stuttgart, Swabia & Neckar Valley

Stuttgart is nestled in a sheltered basin, which often leads to milder temperatures but can also encourage fog. The soils here are often loamy to clayey, allowing for good water retention but also requiring good drainage.

In Stuttgart, USDA Hardiness Zone 7b, you can start sowing after the last frost in early April. Popular crops like garden lettuce (pre-sow March-Sep, harvest May-Oct) and radishes (sow April-Sep, harvest June-Oct) thrive here. Tomatoes (pre-sow April-May, harvest Aug-Sep) and potatoes (pre-sow April, harvest July-Sep) are also great to grow.

Zone 7b Last frost: Early April First frost: Early November temperate

Also applies to: Ludwigsburg, Esslingen, Reutlingen, Tübingen, Heilbronn, Göppingen

Plan your Stuttgart garden in the Fryd app

Planting Calendar

When to start indoors, sow outdoors, and harvest in Stuttgart.

Light Water Nutrients

Start indoors Sowing Harvest

Planting calendar for Stuttgart, Zone 7b
Crop	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Carrots ●●● ●●○ ●○○
Lettuce (Lettuce) ●●○ ●●○ ●●○
Cucumber / Gherkin ●●● ●●○ ●●●
Courgette / Zucchini ●●● ●●● ●●●
Pepper / Paprika ●●● ●●○ ●●●
Potato ●●● ●●○ ●●●
Radishes ●●● ●●○ ●○○
Tomato (Bush tomato) ●●● ●●○ ●●●
Onion ●●● ●●○ ●●○
Tomato (Cocktail bush tomato) ●●● ●●○ ●●●
Bean (Dwarf bean) ●●● ●●○ ●○○
Pea ●●● ●●○ ●○○
Basil ●●● ●●○ ●●●
Beetroot ●●● ●●○ ●●○
Strawberry ●●● ●●○ ●●●
Kohlrabi / German turnip / Turnip cabbage ●●● ●●○ ●●○
Garlic ●●● ●●○ ●○○
Pumpkin / Squash ●●● ●●● ●●●
Broccoli ●●● ●●● ●●●
Common marigold ●●● ●○○

Carrots ●●● ●●○ ●○○

Lettuce (Lettuce) ●●○ ●●○ ●●○

Cucumber / Gherkin ●●● ●●○ ●●●

Courgette / Zucchini ●●● ●●● ●●●

Pepper / Paprika ●●● ●●○ ●●●

Potato ●●● ●●○ ●●●

Radishes ●●● ●●○ ●○○

Tomato (Bush tomato) ●●● ●●○ ●●●

Onion ●●● ●●○ ●●○

Tomato (Cocktail bush tomato) ●●● ●●○ ●●●

Bean (Dwarf bean) ●●● ●●○ ●○○

Pea ●●● ●●○ ●○○

Basil ●●● ●●○ ●●●

Beetroot ●●● ●●○ ●●○

Strawberry ●●● ●●○ ●●●

Kohlrabi / German turnip / Turnip cabbage ●●● ●●○ ●●○

Garlic ●●● ●●○ ●○○

Pumpkin / Squash ●●● ●●● ●●●

Broccoli ●●● ●●● ●●●

Common marigold ●●● ●○○

Planting Calendar Stuttgart

Carrots: Sowing Apr - Jun, Harvest Aug - Oct (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: low)
Lettuce (Lettuce): Start indoors Mar - Sep, Sowing Apr - Sep, Harvest May - Oct (Light: medium, Water: medium, Nutrients: medium)
Cucumber / Gherkin: Start indoors May - Jun, Sowing Jun - Jul, Harvest Jul - Sep (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: high)
Courgette / Zucchini: Start indoors May - Jun, Sowing Jun - Jul, Harvest Aug - Sep (Light: high, Water: high, Nutrients: high)
Pepper / Paprika: Start indoors Mar, Sowing Jun - Jul, Harvest Aug - Sep (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: high)
Potato: Start indoors Apr, Sowing May - Jun, Harvest Jul - Sep (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: high)
Radishes: Sowing Apr - Sep, Harvest Jun - Oct (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: low)
Tomato (Bush tomato): Start indoors Apr - May, Sowing Jun - Jul, Harvest Aug - Sep (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: high)
Onion: Start indoors Feb - Mar, Sowing Apr - May, Harvest Aug - Sep (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: medium)
Tomato (Cocktail bush tomato): Start indoors Apr - May, Sowing Jun - Jul, Harvest Aug - Sep (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: high)
Bean (Dwarf bean): Start indoors May, Sowing Jun - Jul, Harvest Aug - Sep (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: low)
Pea: Sowing Apr - Jul, Harvest Jun - Sep (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: low)
Basil: Start indoors Apr - Jul, Sowing Jun - Aug, Harvest Jun - Sep (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: high)
Beetroot: Start indoors Mar, Sowing May - Jun, Harvest Aug - Oct (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: medium)
Strawberry: Start indoors Mar - May, Sowing Apr - Jun, Harvest Jun - Sep (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: high)
Kohlrabi / German turnip / Turnip cabbage: Start indoors Apr - May, Sowing May - Jun, Harvest Jul - Sep (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: medium)
Garlic: Sowing Oct - Nov, Harvest Jul - Aug (Light: high, Water: medium, Nutrients: low)
Pumpkin / Squash: Start indoors May - Jun, Sowing Jun - Jul, Harvest Sep - Oct (Light: high, Water: high, Nutrients: high)
Broccoli: Start indoors Mar - May, Sowing Jun - Jul, Harvest Aug - Sep (Light: high, Water: high, Nutrients: high)
Common marigold: Start indoors Apr, Sowing May - Aug, Harvest Jul - Oct (Light: high, Nutrients: low)

Based on Fryd planting data for Zone 7b, 2026.

Companion Planting for Stuttgart

Plants that thrive together in Swabia & Neckar Valley.

Lettuce (Lettuce) + Carrots

Radishes + Carrots

Lettuce (Lettuce) + Radishes

Onion + Cucumber / Gherkin

Garlic + Cucumber / Gherkin

Plan companions visually

Drag and drop crops in the Fryd bed planner to see companion matches.

Try Fryd →

Growing Tips for Stuttgart

Soil Prep is Key

Many plants, like radishes and carrots, prefer loose, humus-rich soil. Prepare your soil well by loosening it deeply and enriching it with compost to create optimal growing conditions.

Ensure Consistent Moisture

Most of your veggies, including radishes, carrots, and onions, need consistent moisture. Especially for fast-growing crops, make sure to avoid drought stress to prevent woody roots/bulbs or poor harvests.

Protect Frost-Sensitive Crops

Plants like pumpkins, zucchini, and beans are very sensitive to frost and should only be moved outdoors after the 'Ice Saints' (mid-May). Starting them indoors protects young plants from the cold and gives them a head start.

Harness the Benefits of Pre-Sowing

Take advantage of pre-sowing for many crops like garden lettuce, onions, or tomatoes to get an earlier or longer harvest. Start them in sheltered indoor spaces before moving the seedlings outdoors.

Common Pests & Diseases

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Combat Aphids

Aphids suck sap from young shoots and leaves, weakening plants. Spray affected plants with a mix of water and soft soap, or introduce beneficial insects like ladybug larvae.

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Keep Snails and Slugs in Check

Snails and slugs love to munch on young lettuce plants and other tender veggies. Protect your beds with slug fences, hand-pick the pests, or scatter organic slug pellets.

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Prevent Cabbage White Butterflies

Cabbage white caterpillars chew holes in cabbage leaves. Cover your brassicas with a fine-mesh insect netting to prevent egg-laying, or regularly pick off the caterpillars.

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Late Blight in Tomatoes/Potatoes

Late blight shows up as brown spots on leaves and stems, especially in humid weather. Ensure good spacing between plants and immediately remove affected plant parts to prevent spread.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I plant tomatoes in Stuttgart?

You should start tomato seeds indoors in Stuttgart from April to May. After the last frosts, typically in late May to early June, you can then transplant the young plants outdoors or into a greenhouse to harvest in August and September.

What hardiness zone is Stuttgart in?

Stuttgart is in Hardiness Zone 7b. This means the average annual lowest temperature ranges between -15°C and -12.2°C, allowing for the cultivation of a wide variety of plants.

What grows best in Stuttgart?

Many vegetables thrive in Stuttgart, especially those that appreciate warmth and consistent moisture. These include garden lettuce, radishes, carrots, onions, potatoes, and various brassicas like kohlrabi and broccoli.

When is the last frost in Stuttgart?

The last frost in Stuttgart is typically expected in early April. However, for frost-sensitive plants like pumpkins or tomatoes, you should wait until after the 'Ice Saints' in mid-May to be on the safe side.