Growing Conditions · England
Cambridge Growing Conditions
Soil, hardiness and a planting calendar for Cambridge — across 9 postcode districts.
Soil
A free-draining, lime-rich loam — fertile and easy to work, but alkaline, so iron-hungry acid-lovers (rhododendrons, camellias, blueberries) struggle without ericaceous raised beds. It suits most vegetables, herbs and chalk-tolerant ornamentals. Free-draining and firm underfoot, it makes straightforward foundations.
Winter hardiness
Rated RHS H4 — the UK mainstream, with winter lows near -5°C. The vast majority of garden plants, perennials, shrubs and trees come through a normal winter unprotected; only genuinely tender exotics need a warm corner or cover.
Rain & growing season
One of the drier parts of the country (692mm a year), so established beds still need summer watering and drought-tolerant planting pays off. A typical UK growing season (~331 frost-free days), with the last frosts clearing through spring and first frosts returning in autumn.
Planting Calendar for Cambridge
Timings are guided by this area's ~331 frost-free days and RHS H4 hardiness; adjust for a cold or sheltered garden.
Conditions by Postcode
| Postcode | Soil | Hardiness | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| CB1 | thin, alkaline soil over chalk | RHS H4 | 692mm |
| CB2 | free-draining alkaline loam | RHS H4 | 692mm |
| CB21 | free-draining alkaline loam | RHS H4 | 692mm |
| CB22 | free-draining alkaline loam | RHS H4 | 692mm |
| CB23 | alkaline clay loam with impeded drainage | RHS H4 | 692mm |
| CB24 | heavy, base-rich clay loam that sits wet in winter | RHS H4 | 692mm |
| CB3 | alkaline clay loam with impeded drainage | RHS H4 | 692mm |
| CB4 | free-draining alkaline loam | RHS H4 | 692mm |
| CB5 | free-draining alkaline loam | RHS H4 | 692mm |
Planning work in Cambridge?
Browse Companies House-registered landscaping businesses in the area.
