Vegetable Planting Calendar Canada
Canadian planting dates vary by two months between Vancouver and Calgary, so this calendar is organised by season length rather than by province. Find your band from your frost-free days, then read across.
Step one: find your band
| Band | Where | Last spring frost | First fall frost | Frost-free days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Long season Zones 7-9 |
Pacific Coastal Mild (Vancouver Island, Lower Mainland); Inland Valleys & Southern Lakes (Okanagan, Golden Horseshoe, Niagara) | late March on the coast (Vancouver ~28 March); early-to-mid May inland | early November on the coast; mid-to-late October inland | 150-222 frost-free days |
|
Medium season Zones 4-6 |
Central Continental (Ottawa Valley, Montreal, Quebec City); Atlantic Maritime (Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland coasts) | Toronto ~20 April to 10 May; Montreal ~3 May; mid-to-late May inland | late September to mid-October | 130-170 frost-free days |
|
Short season Zones 2-3 |
Prairies (Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg); Far North & Alpine | Edmonton ~7 May; Calgary ~23 May; Winnipeg ~25 May, later at elevation | early-to-mid September | 90-130 frost-free days |
Step two: read your year
| Month | Long season | Medium season | Short season |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Nothing outdoors. | Nothing. | Nothing. |
| February | Nothing outdoors. | Nothing. | Nothing. |
| March | Peas, spinach, radish and broad beans as soil becomes workable. | Nothing — soil is frozen or waterlogged. | Nothing. |
| April | Carrots, beets, peas, brassicas, lettuce, chard, potatoes. | Peas, spinach, radish, carrots as soil becomes workable. | Nothing outdoors until very late month in the mildest spots. |
| May | Beans, corn, cucurbits; succession lettuce and radish. | Beans and corn after mid-month; carrots, beets, chard. | Peas, carrots, radish, spinach early month; beans and corn very late month under cover. |
| June | Cucurbits, succession beans, carrots, lettuce. | Cucurbits once soil is warm; succession beans and salad. | Cucurbits under black plastic; succession radish and lettuce. |
| July | Fall carrots, beets and greens; succession beans. | Fall greens and radish; succession beans. | Fast greens and radish only. |
| August | Fall spinach, lettuce, radish, turnips and Asian greens. | Fast greens, radish, spinach early month. | Radish and fast greens in the first week only. |
| September | Overwintering greens, spinach, radish; garlic from mid-October. | Fast greens under cover. | Nothing. |
| October | Cover crops; garlic mid-month. | Cover crops early month. | Nothing. |
| November | Broad beans and hardy peas in the mildest coastal spots. | Nothing. | Nothing. |
| December | Nothing outdoors. | Nothing. | Nothing. |
Starting seed indoors
| Crop group | Start indoors before last frost | Transplant out |
|---|---|---|
| Onions, leeks, shallots | 10-12 weeks | 2-4 weeks before last frost |
| Peppers and eggplant | 8-10 weeks | 2 weeks after last frost, nights above 10C |
| Tomatoes | 6-8 weeks | 1-2 weeks after last frost |
| Brassicas | 4-6 weeks | 2-4 weeks before last frost |
| Cucurbits | 3-4 weeks | After last frost, soil above 15-16C |
Soil temperature minimums
| Crop group | Minimum soil temperature | Ideal germination range |
|---|---|---|
| Peas, spinach, lettuce | 4-5C | 7-21C |
| Carrots, beets, radish | 7C | 7-29C |
| Beans, corn | 10C | 21-29C |
| Tomatoes, peppers | 15C | 21-29C |
| Squash, cucumbers, melons | 15-16C | 21-35C |
Soil temperature is the number that actually governs germination, and it lags air temperature by weeks in spring. Measure at seed depth, at the same time each morning, before sowing anything.
Month-by-month detail
- What to plant in January Canada — January is a planning month everywhere in Canada.
- What to plant in February Canada — February is when Prairie and Central gardeners start the slowest crops indoors — onions, leeks and celery — and coastal gardeners begin peppers.
- What to plant in March Canada — March is the main indoor sowing month across Canada — tomatoes, peppers and brassicas.
- What to plant in April Canada — April opens outdoor sowing across most of southern Canada.
- What to plant in May Canada — May is the biggest month in the Canadian garden.
- What to plant in June Canada — June is peak planting and peak growth across Canada.
- What to plant in July Canada — July is peak growth and maintenance across Canada.
- What to plant in August Canada — August is harvest month and the last realistic planting month in Canada.
- What to plant in September Canada — September is the month the Canadian season ends in most of the country.
- What to plant in October Canada — October is garlic planting and bed closing across Canada.
- What to plant in November Canada — November is closing-down month across Canada.
- What to plant in December Canada — December is entirely a planning month in Canada.
Turn this calendar into a written plan. The Canada Vegetable Garden Planner (printable PDF) has frost-date planning pages, bed layouts, crop rotation, a sowing log and a harvest tracker — 70 printable pages.
Keep reading
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find my frost dates in Canada?
Check Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's plant hardiness data for your location. As a guide, last spring frost is around 28 March in Vancouver, 20 April to 10 May in Toronto, 3 May in Montreal, 7 May in Edmonton and 23 May in Calgary.
How many frost-free days does Canada have?
It ranges from about 90 days in the far North and at elevation to 222 days on Vancouver Island. Most of Central Canada and the Maritimes fall between 130 and 170 days.
What soil temperature do I need before sowing in Canada?
About 4-5C for peas and spinach, 7C for carrots and beets, 10C for beans, and 15-16C for squash, cucumbers and corn. Cold spring soil is the most common cause of failed Canadian sowings.
How do I extend a short Canadian season?
Black plastic mulch to warm soil before planting, floating row cover for two to four extra weeks at each end, low tunnels and cold frames for hardy crops, and short-season cultivars, which cost nothing extra.
Last updated 25 August 2026
Helpful Next Steps
Use these practical links to turn the guide into a clear garden plan and the right next action.
Plan the next step
Use the printable SoilCommander planner for your region to turn this guide into sowing dates, bed layouts and weekly garden tasks.