Growing Conditions · England
Dorset Growing Conditions
Soil, hardiness and a planting calendar for Dorset — across 24 postcode districts.
Soil
A heavier, clay-rich soil that holds water through winter and can stay cold and wet into spring. It is fertile and moisture-retentive — good for hungry, thirsty plants and strong summer growth — but rewards raised beds, grit and plenty of organic matter to open it up, and planting is best held back until it dries out. Its winter wetness makes drainage and grading the first question on any lawn, patio or retaining-wall project here.
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
Moderate rainfall (897mm a year) — enough for most gardens without heavy irrigation, though pots and new plantings need watering in summer. A long growing season (~342 frost-free days) — you can sow earlier and harvest later than most of the country, and squeeze in a second late sowing.
Planting Calendar for Dorset
The long season allows a second sowing of quick crops in July.
Timings are guided by this area's ~342 frost-free days and RHS H4 hardiness; adjust for a cold or sheltered garden.
Conditions by Postcode
| Postcode | Soil | Hardiness | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| BA21 | alkaline clay loam with impeded drainage | RHS H4 | 876mm |
| BA22 | heavy, base-rich clay loam that sits wet in winter | RHS H4 | 876mm |
| BA8 | thin, alkaline soil over chalk | RHS H4 | 876mm |
| BH19 | heavy, base-rich clay loam that sits wet in winter | RHS H3 | 951mm |
| BH20 | very acid, free-draining sandy loam | RHS H4 | 876mm |
| BH22 | peaty-surfaced loam with a high water table | RHS H4 | 864mm |
| BH31 | very acid, free-draining sandy loam | RHS H4 | 864mm |
| DT1 | free-draining acid loam — the classic 'good garden soil' | RHS H4 | 876mm |
| DT10 | heavy, base-rich clay loam that sits wet in winter | RHS H4 | 876mm |
| DT11 | thin, alkaline soil over chalk | RHS H4 | 876mm |
| DT2 | thin, alkaline soil over chalk | RHS H4 | 876mm |
| DT3 | heavy, base-rich clay loam that sits wet in winter | RHS H4 | 876mm |
| DT4 | alkaline clay loam with impeded drainage | RHS H3 | 1015mm |
| DT5 | thin, alkaline soil over chalk | RHS H3 | 1015mm |
| DT6 | free-draining acid loam — the classic 'good garden soil' | RHS H4 | 876mm |
| DT8 | heavy, base-rich clay loam that sits wet in winter | RHS H4 | 876mm |
| DT9 | fertile floodplain soil with a high water table | RHS H4 | 876mm |
| EX13 | fertile floodplain soil with a high water table | RHS H4 | 980mm |
| SP5 | thin, alkaline soil over chalk | RHS H4 | 864mm |
| SP6 | free-draining acid loam — the classic 'good garden soil' | RHS H4 | 864mm |
| SP7 | free-draining acid loam — the classic 'good garden soil' | RHS H4 | 876mm |
| SP8 | heavy, base-rich clay loam that sits wet in winter | RHS H4 | 876mm |
| TA18 | alkaline clay loam with impeded drainage | RHS H4 | 876mm |
| TA20 | loamy-clay with impeded drainage | RHS H4 | 980mm |
Planning work in Dorset?
Browse Companies House-registered landscaping businesses in the area.
