Witloof chicory · Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
When to plant witloof chicory in Shenzhen
Main outdoor window
1 Nov - 2 Dec
A climate estimate. Check your soil, forecast and cultivar.
Timed from temperature
November to April
No frost on record in Shenzhen, so the months this crop fits in our temperature model set the timing. This does not confirm local suitability.
First autumn frost
no autumn frost
The far end of the outdoor season.
Temperature-based estimate. Shenzhen has no dependable frost season.
These dates do not account for rain, humidity or waterlogging. Check the local growing season,
especially in monsoon climates, before treating this window as a planting recommendation.
Rainfall check: the wettest month is June (about 282 mm), and the driest is
December (about 25 mm).
Compare all months and check the limitations before choosing the season.
Step by step in Shenzhen
Download these planting dates (.ics)
Import into Apple Calendar, Google Calendar or Outlook. Dates use the selected risk level and are planning estimates, not frost alerts.
Each window is a planning range. Check the forecast, soil and cultivar before planting; a later date is not automatically safer in hot or wet conditions.
Sow direct
1 Nov - 2 Dec
The opening weeks of the stretch when the average temperature suits this crop, which here runs from November to April. There is no frost to work around, so heat is what sets the timing.
Witloof chicory through the year
Against the monthly temperature record in Shenzhen
Seasonal context
Rainfall and the growing season in Shenzhen
June has the highest average precipitation (282 mm); December has the lowest (25 mm). Compare this pattern with the planting windows and your water supply.
During wetter months, check that beds and containers drain after heavy rain. During drier months, plan how you will keep seeds and new transplants watered. Monthly averages can hide long dry spells and intense storms; they do not show soil moisture, humidity or this week's weather.
Frost-free does not mean every month is suitable. In tropical and monsoon climates, rainfall, heat, drainage and the cultivar can set the practical growing season. Match the temperature window to these conditions and check advice from a local grower before buying planting material.
Source: NASA POWER, corrected MERRA-2 precipitation, 2001–2020. Values are approximate monthly totals, including the water equivalent of snow, from the nearest 0.5° × 0.625° grid cell. This reference period differs from the temperature record. Rainfall provides context and does not change the calculated planting dates. Method and limitations.
Monthly growing conditions in Shenzhen
Compare the planting window with the local temperature pattern. These are historical monthly averages, not this year's forecast or measured soil temperatures. Average frost days do not tell you whether a particular night will freeze.
| Month | Average low | Average high | Frost days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 12.8°C (55°F)55°F (12.8°C) | 20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C) | 0.0 |
| February | 14.5°C (58.1°F)58.1°F (14.5°C) | 21.2°C (70.1°F)70.1°F (21.2°C) | 0.0 |
| March | 17.5°C (63.5°F)63.5°F (17.5°C) | 23.7°C (74.6°F)74.6°F (23.7°C) | 0.0 |
| April | 20.9°C (69.6°F)69.6°F (20.9°C) | 26.3°C (79.4°F)79.4°F (26.3°C) | 0.0 |
| May | 24.1°C (75.3°F)75.3°F (24.1°C) | 28.6°C (83.4°F)83.4°F (28.6°C) | 0.0 |
| June | 26.4°C (79.6°F)79.6°F (26.4°C) | 29.6°C (85.4°F)85.4°F (29.6°C) | 0.0 |
| July | 27°C (80.6°F)80.6°F (27°C) | 30.3°C (86.5°F)86.5°F (30.3°C) | 0.0 |
| August | 26.8°C (80.2°F)80.2°F (26.8°C) | 30.2°C (86.3°F)86.3°F (30.2°C) | 0.0 |
| September | 25.6°C (78°F)78°F (25.6°C) | 29.8°C (85.7°F)85.7°F (29.8°C) | 0.0 |
| October | 22.4°C (72.4°F)72.4°F (22.4°C) | 28.1°C (82.5°F)82.5°F (28.1°C) | 0.0 |
| November | 18.5°C (65.3°F)65.3°F (18.5°C) | 25.2°C (77.4°F)77.4°F (25.2°C) | 0.0 |
| December | 13.6°C (56.5°F)56.5°F (13.6°C) | 21.1°C (70°F)70°F (21.1°C) | 0.0 |
For witloof chicory, also check drainage, sunlight and cultivar requirements. See the rainfall context above; humidity, irrigation and local pest pressure are not calculated.
The catalog flowering or harvest months are not verified for this frost-free climate. Ask a local grower about the cultivar’s seasonal cycle.
Local growing check
Before choosing witloof chicory for Shenzhen
- June is the wettest month in the rainfall grid, averaging about 282 mm. Check how your own bed drains and plan watering around actual soil moisture; monthly rain totals are not an irrigation schedule.
The temperature and rainfall tables on this page show the underlying climate estimates. How these suitability checks work · Record what happens in your garden.
Before you plant witloof chicory
Use the calendar to plan ahead, then check the conditions in your own garden.
- Measure the soil at sowing depth. Aim for at least 10°C (50°F); the calendar estimates soil warmth from air temperatures and cannot measure your bed.
- In a frost-free climate, check seasonal rainfall, humidity and heat before planting. A month with suitable average temperatures can still be too wet, dry or hot for this crop.
- Use the maturity range on your seed packet when choosing a variety. Cold, short days and transplant stress can make harvest later than the calendar estimate.
Plan a root-growing stage followed by dark forcing
First grow sound roots outdoors in suitable drained soil. At the appropriate stage, lift and prepare roots using the variety's instructions, then place them in a suitable moist medium for forcing without light.
Keep the forcing area dark and inspect for decay while the compact pale shoots develop. Harvest chicons when firm and usable, and keep them from prolonged light exposure afterwards. Record the root-growing period separately from the shorter forcing period.
What to record this season
Which root size and forcing conditions produced firm chicons without rot? Add the cultivar, sowing date and conditions to your growing record so you can compare next season.
Further reading: RHS chicory growing guide . General crop guidance; local dates on this site are calculated separately. Source checked 19 September 2026 by Safe to Plant; this is not an expert review.
The RHS reference is written for UK growing conditions. Use its cultivation advice with local seasonal guidance; UK sowing months are not worldwide planting dates.
How the dates are calculated and their limits · Keep a growing record · Report a local discrepancy
Why these dates
Frost-relative timing needs a dependable seasonal frost date. Shenzhen has no such date in this record, so this page compares monthly temperatures with the crop's model range instead. Local wet and dry seasons, day length and cultivar requirements still need a separate check.
The model uses a growing-temperature band for witloof chicory between 10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C) and 25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C) — and in Shenzhen that is November to April, 6 months of the year, taken from this location's own monthly averages. The planting window begins near the start of this period.
Nearby
Witloof chicory in places close by
Also in Shenzhen
Other vegetables to time
Growing witloof chicory in Shenzhen
Can I grow witloof chicory in Shenzhen?
The calendar estimates a planting window, not a guarantee of success. June is the wettest month in the rainfall grid, averaging about 282 mm. Check how your own bed drains and plan watering around actual soil moisture; monthly rain totals are not an irrigation schedule.
When should I plant witloof chicory in Shenzhen?
The temperature-based window is 1 Nov - 2 Dec. Shenzhen has no dependable frost season: November to April have monthly averages inside the model range for witloof chicory. Check seasonal rainfall, heat and cultivar requirements before planting.
How much frost will witloof chicory tolerate?
Check the named variety and local forecast before exposing young growth. The catalog cold-damage figure is a reference, not a guarantee: plant age, acclimatisation, wind and the duration of a freeze affect damage.