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Grain Full Sun Low water

Sesame

Written by the GrowByCity Editorial Team · Updated April 2026
2 min read

Ancient oilseed crop producing tiny, flavorful seeds. A warmth-loving plant that does best between 22°C and 32°C, sesame adapts well to tropical and subtropical conditions but cannot tolerate frost. Requires full sun (6-8 hours of direct light daily) with minimal watering — it prefers dry conditions between drinks. Plan for about 90-120 days from planting to maturity. Well suited to home cultivation, it thrives with basic care and rewards consistent attention.

Harvest 90-120 days
Temp Range 15°C — 40°C

Quick Answer: How to Grow Sesame

Sesame takes 90-120 days to harvest. It grows best in 22–32°C with full sun and low watering. Sesame is not frost tolerant — wait until after the last frost to plant. It can be grown in 350 cities worldwide.

Find the best time to plant Sesame in your city →

Growing Requirements

☀️
Sun
Full Sun
💧
Water
Low
❄️
Frost
Sensitive
📅
Harvest
90-120 days

Temperature Range

22-32°C
-10°C 45°C
Optimal: 22–32°C Tolerates: 15–40°C
Tropical suitable: Yes
Cities growing: 350 of 350

Growing Tips

💡

Expert Tips

Needs long hot season. Harvest when lower pods start to open. Wait until soil warms to at least 22°C before transplanting outdoors — cold soil stunts growth and can invite root rot. Overwatering is the most common mistake. Let soil dry out between waterings and ensure drainage is excellent.

Quick Facts

  • Grows in 350 of 350 cities
  • Available in 7 regions worldwide
  • Temperature range: 15°C to 40°C
  • Optimal growing: 22°C to 32°C
  • Harvest in 90-120 days

Did You Know?

  • 🌱 Sesame loves the heat! It thrives in tropical and subtropical climates year-round.
  • 🌱 Sesame needs at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal growth.
  • 🌱 Sesame is drought-tolerant — perfect for gardeners who tend to forget watering!

Step-by-Step Growing Guide

Sesame (Sesamum indicum) is a tropical annual oilseed crop requiring a long, hot growing season of 90–120 frost-free days with temperatures consistently above 20°C. It thrives in light, well-drained sandy loam to clay-loam soil at pH 5.5–7.0 — heavy clay causes waterlogging and root rot. Direct sow after all frost risk and when soil has warmed to at least 20°C; germination is best at 25–30°C. Sow seeds 1–2 cm deep, 10 cm apart in rows 45–60 cm wide and thin to 20–30 cm when seedlings are 10 cm tall. Sesame is exceptionally drought-tolerant once established — it was one of the earliest crops cultivated precisely because it can produce an oilseed crop in semi-arid conditions where other crops fail. Avoid excessive irrigation; overwatering is the most common cause of failure. Apply a phosphorus-rich fertilizer at planting to encourage root development. The beautiful trumpet-shaped flowers (white, pink, or purple) are visited by bees — sesame is an important pollinator-support crop.

Common Pests & Problems

Phytophthora blight causes rapid stem collapse and root decay in waterlogged conditions — the most important preventive measure is perfect drainage and never overwatering. Sesame phyllody, caused by phytoplasma spread by leafhoppers, causes leaves and bracts to develop in place of flowers — there is no cure; remove and destroy affected plants and control leafhopper populations with row covers or kaolin clay during early growth. Sesame webworm (Antigastra catalaunalis) is a serious pest in tropical regions — larvae web together leaves and feed within, causing significant defoliation; apply Bt spray or neem oil at egg-hatch. Charcoal rot (Macrophomina phaseolina) causes premature wilting and gray streaking in the stem pith in hot, dry, stressed plants — rotate crops and avoid drought stress.

Harvest & Storage

Sesame must be harvested before pods shatter and spill seeds — timing is critical. Begin harvesting when the lower one-third of seed pods have turned yellow-tan and rattle when shaken, while upper pods are still green. Cut plants at the base in the morning (when dew reduces shattering risk) and bundle them upright in a bucket or burlap sack to continue ripening for 5–7 days. Thresh by inverting bundles over a clean tarp and shaking vigorously. Winnow to remove chaff. Dry seeds in the sun until moisture content is below 6%. Store in airtight containers away from moisture — sesame seeds store for 3–5 years. Toast lightly before use to release full nutty aroma.

Popular Varieties

"Benne" is a historic open-pollinated variety brought to North America by West African enslaved people, producing brown seeds with a rich, deep, nutty flavor — an important heirloom with cultural significance. "S-1" is a high-yielding, white-seeded Indian commercial variety with good disease resistance and uniform maturity — the most widely grown type in South Asia. "Margo" is a shatter-resistant variety bred with closed capsules that don't open at maturity, dramatically simplifying harvest — a major improvement for small-scale growers. "Black sesame" varieties (such as "Kouro") produce black seeds with higher antioxidant and mineral content than white varieties, widely used in East Asian cooking and traditional medicine.

Where to Grow Sesame

Sesame can be grown in 350 cities across 7 regions worldwide

🌍

Europe

80 cities
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Asia

79 cities
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North America

78 cities
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Africa

39 cities
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South America

39 cities
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Oceania

19 cities
🕌

Middle East

16 cities

🌍 Europe (80 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Aarhus, DK medium
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Amsterdam, NL medium
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Ankara, TR medium
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Antalya, TR medium
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Athens, GR medium
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Barcelona, ES medium
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Bari, IT medium
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Belgrade, RS medium
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Bergen, NO medium
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Berlin, DE medium
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Bilbao, ES medium
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Bologna, IT medium
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Bordeaux, FR medium
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Bratislava, SK medium
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Brussels, BE medium
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Bucharest, RO medium
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Budapest, HU medium
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Catania, IT medium
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Cologne, DE medium
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Copenhagen, DK medium
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Corfu, GR medium
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Cork, IE medium
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Dublin, IE medium
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Dubrovnik, HR medium
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Edinburgh, GB medium
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Florence, IT medium
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Frankfurt, DE medium
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Gdansk, PL medium
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Genoa, IT medium
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Glasgow, GB medium
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Gothenburg, SE medium
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Hamburg, DE medium
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Helsinki, FI medium
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Heraklion, GR medium
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Istanbul, TR medium
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Izmir, TR medium
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Krakow, PL medium
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Kyiv, UA medium
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Limassol, CY medium
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Lisbon, PT medium
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Ljubljana, SI medium
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London, GB medium
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Lyon, FR medium
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Madrid, ES medium
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Malaga, ES medium
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Marseille, FR medium
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Milan, IT medium
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Munich, DE medium
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Naples, IT medium
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Nice, FR medium
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Nicosia, CY medium
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Oslo, NO medium
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Palermo, IT medium
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Paris, FR medium
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Porto, PT medium
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Poznan, PL medium
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Prague, CZ medium
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Reykjavik, IS medium
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Riga, LV medium
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Rome, IT medium
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Seville, ES medium
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Sofia, BG medium
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Split, HR medium
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Stockholm, SE medium
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Strasbourg, FR medium
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Stuttgart, DE medium
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Tallinn, EE medium
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Thessaloniki, GR medium
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Tirana, AL medium
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Toulouse, FR medium
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Turin, IT medium
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Turku, FI medium
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Valencia, ES medium
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Valletta, MT medium
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Verona, IT medium
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Vienna, AT medium
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Vilnius, LT medium
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Warsaw, PL medium
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Zagreb, HR medium
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Zurich, CH medium
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🌏 Asia (79 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Ahmedabad, IN medium
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Almaty, KZ medium
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Bali, ID medium
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Bandung, ID medium
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Bangalore, IN medium
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Bangkok, TH medium
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Beijing, CN medium
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Busan, KR medium
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Cebu, PH medium
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Chandigarh, IN medium
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Chengdu, CN medium
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Chennai, IN medium
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Chiang Mai, TH medium
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Chittagong, BD medium
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Chongqing, CN medium
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Coimbatore, IN medium
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Colombo, LK medium
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Da Nang, VN medium
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Dalian, CN medium
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Davao, PH medium
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Delhi, IN medium
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Dhaka, BD medium
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Dharan, NP medium
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Fukuoka, JP medium
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Galle, LK medium
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Guangzhou, CN medium
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Hangzhou, CN medium
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Hanoi, VN medium
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Harbin, CN medium
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Ho Chi Minh City, VN medium
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Hong Kong, HK medium
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Hyderabad, IN medium
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Incheon, KR medium
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Indore, IN medium
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Islamabad, PK medium
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Jaipur, IN medium
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Jakarta, ID medium
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Jeju, KR medium
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Johor Bahru, MY medium
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Karachi, PK medium
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Kathmandu, NP medium
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Kochi, IN medium
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Kolkata, IN medium
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Kuala Lumpur, MY medium
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Kunming, CN medium
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Kyoto, JP medium
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Lahore, PK medium
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Lucknow, IN medium
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Manila, PH medium
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Mumbai, IN medium
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Nagoya, JP medium
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Nanjing, CN medium
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Nha Trang, VN medium
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Okinawa, JP medium
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Osaka, JP medium
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Pattaya, TH medium
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Penang, MY medium
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Phnom Penh, KH medium
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Pune, IN medium
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Sapporo, JP medium
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Seoul, KR medium
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Shanghai, CN medium
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Shenzhen, CN medium
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Siem Reap, KH medium
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Singapore, SG medium
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Surabaya, ID medium
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Surat, IN medium
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Taipei, TW medium
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Tashkent, UZ medium
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Tbilisi, GE medium
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Tokyo, JP medium
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Ulaanbaatar, MN medium
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Varanasi, IN medium
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Vientiane, LA medium
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Visakhapatnam, IN medium
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Wuhan, CN medium
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Xi'an, CN medium
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Xiamen, CN medium
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Yangon, MM medium
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🌎 North America (78 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Albuquerque, US medium
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Anchorage, US medium
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Atlanta, US medium
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Austin, US medium
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Baltimore, US medium
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Baton Rouge, US medium
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Boise, US medium
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Boston, US medium
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Bridgetown, BB medium
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Buffalo, US medium
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Calgary, CA medium
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Cancun, MX medium
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Charleston, US medium
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Charlotte, US medium
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Chattanooga, US medium
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Chicago, US medium
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Denver, US medium
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Des Moines, US medium
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Detroit, US medium
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Edmonton, CA medium
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El Paso, US medium
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Fargo, US medium
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Fresno, US medium
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Guadalajara, MX medium
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Halifax, CA medium
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Hartford, US medium
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Havana, CU medium
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Honolulu, US medium
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Houston, US medium
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Jacksonville, US medium
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Kansas City, US medium
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Kingston, JM medium
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Knoxville, US medium
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Las Vegas, US medium
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Little Rock, US medium
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Los Angeles, US medium
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Louisville, US medium
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Lubbock, US medium
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Madison, US medium
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Memphis, US medium
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Mexico City, MX medium
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Miami, US medium
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Milwaukee, US medium
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Minneapolis, US medium
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Monterrey, MX medium
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Montreal, CA medium
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Nashville, US medium
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New Orleans, US medium
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New York, US medium
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Oaxaca, MX medium
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Oklahoma City, US medium
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Omaha, US medium
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Ottawa, CA medium
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Panama City, PA medium
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Phoenix, US medium
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Pittsburgh, US medium
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Portland, US medium
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Puebla, MX medium
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Quebec City, CA medium
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Raleigh, US medium
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Richmond, US medium
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Sacramento, US medium
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Salt Lake City, US medium
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San Diego, US medium
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San Francisco, US medium
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San Jose, CR medium
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Santo Domingo, DO medium
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Saskatoon, CA medium
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Savannah, US medium
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Seattle, US medium
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Spokane, US medium
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St. Louis, US medium
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Tampa, US medium
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Toronto, CA medium
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Tucson, US medium
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Vancouver, CA medium
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Victoria, CA medium
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Winnipeg, CA medium
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🌍 Africa (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abidjan, CI medium
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Accra, GH medium
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Addis Ababa, ET medium
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Algiers, DZ medium
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Antananarivo, MG medium
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Arusha, TZ medium
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Bamako, ML medium
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Bloemfontein, ZA medium
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Cairo, EG medium
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Cape Town, ZA medium
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Casablanca, MA medium
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Dakar, SN medium
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Dar es Salaam, TZ medium
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Douala, CM medium
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Durban, ZA medium
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Entebbe, UG medium
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Fez, MA medium
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Freetown, SL medium
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Harare, ZW medium
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Johannesburg, ZA medium
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Kampala, UG medium
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Kigali, RW medium
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Kinshasa, CD medium
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Lagos, NG medium
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Libreville, GA medium
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Lilongwe, MW medium
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Lome, TG medium
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Luanda, AO medium
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Lusaka, ZM medium
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Maputo, MZ medium
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Marrakech, MA medium
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Mombasa, KE medium
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Nairobi, KE medium
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Ouagadougou, BF medium
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Port Louis, MU medium
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Pretoria, ZA medium
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Tunis, TN medium
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Windhoek, NA medium
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Zanzibar, TZ medium
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🌎 South America (39 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Arequipa, PE medium
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Asuncion, PY medium
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Barranquilla, CO medium
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Belem, BR medium
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Bogota, CO medium
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Brasilia, BR medium
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Buenos Aires, AR medium
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Cali, CO medium
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Campinas, BR medium
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Caracas, VE medium
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Cartagena, CO medium
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Concepcion, CL medium
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Cordoba, AR medium
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Curitiba, BR medium
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Cusco, PE medium
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Fortaleza, BR medium
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Georgetown, GY medium
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Goiania, BR medium
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Guayaquil, EC medium
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La Paz, BO medium
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Lima, PE medium
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Manaus, BR medium
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Medellin, CO medium
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Mendoza, AR medium
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Montevideo, UY medium
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Paramaribo, SR medium
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Port of Spain, TT medium
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Porto Alegre, BR medium
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Quito, EC medium
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Recife, BR medium
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Rio de Janeiro, BR medium
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Rosario, AR medium
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Salvador, BR medium
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Santa Cruz, BO medium
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Santiago, CL medium
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Sao Paulo, BR medium
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Sucre, BO medium
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Trujillo, PE medium
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Valparaiso, CL medium
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🌊 Oceania (19 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Adelaide, AU medium
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Alice Springs, AU medium
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Auckland, NZ medium
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Brisbane, AU medium
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Cairns, AU medium
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Canberra, AU medium
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Christchurch, NZ medium
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Darwin, AU medium
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Dunedin, NZ medium
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Gold Coast, AU medium
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Hamilton, NZ medium
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Hobart, AU medium
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Melbourne, AU medium
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Noumea, NC medium
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Perth, AU medium
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Suva, FJ medium
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Sydney, AU medium
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Townsville, AU medium
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Wellington, NZ medium
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🕌 Middle East (16 cities)

City Level JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Abu Dhabi, AE medium
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Amman, JO medium
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Baghdad, IQ medium
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Beirut, LB medium
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Doha, QA medium
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Dubai, AE medium
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Erbil, IQ medium
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Jeddah, SA medium
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Kuwait City, KW medium
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Manama, BH medium
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Muscat, OM medium
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Riyadh, SA medium
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Sana'a, YE medium
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Tabriz, IR medium
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Tehran, IR medium
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Tel Aviv, IL medium
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When should I plant sesame in my city?

The best time to plant sesame depends on your local climate zone. It thrives in temperatures between 22°C and 32°C. Wait until after the last frost in your area. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact dates.

Can I grow sesame in winter?

Sesame is not frost tolerant and cannot survive winter outdoors in most temperate climates. In tropical areas (USDA Zones 10+), it may grow year-round.

Get Sesame Seeds & Plants

Ready to start growing? Find Sesame seeds and starter plants online.

Shop on Burpee Search on Amazon

People Also Search For

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Frequently Asked Questions about Sesame

When should I plant sesame?

The best time to plant sesame depends on your local climate. Sesame grows best in temperatures between 22°C and 32°C (can tolerate 15°C to 40°C). Sesame is not frost tolerant, so wait until after the last frost in your area. Check your city's planting calendar on GrowByCity for exact planting months.

Can sesame grow in tropical climates?

Yes! Sesame can grow in tropical climates. It's successfully grown in tropical cities like Abidjan, Abu Dhabi, Accra. Sesame requires full sun and low watering.

How long does sesame take to grow?

Sesame typically takes 90-120 days from planting to harvest. It requires full sun and low watering. Needs long hot season. Harvest when lower pods start to open. Wait until soil warms to at least 22°C before transplanting outdoors — cold soil stunts growth and can invite root rot. Overwatering is the most common mistake. Let soil dry out between waterings and ensure drainage is excellent.

Find the Best Time to Plant Sesame

See the planting calendar for Sesame in these popular cities:

London, GBMumbai, INNew York, USParis, FRSingapore, SGSydney, AUTokyo, JPToronto, CA

Last updated: March 2026 · Climate data from NOAA, FAO, USDA

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