What to Plant in December Canada
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What to plant in December in Canada depends entirely on your zone — this page answers it for every band. December is entirely a planning month in Canada. Review the season, order seed before short-season cultivars sell out, and rebuild next year's rotation from your own records rather than from a catalogue.
December planting by region
| Band | Sow outdoors | Start indoors | Plant out | Harvest now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Long season Zones 7-9 |
Nothing outdoors. | Nothing yet. | Nothing. | Kale, leeks and winter salad under cover. |
|
Medium season Zones 4-6 |
Nothing. | Nothing. | Nothing. | Stored crops. |
|
Short season Zones 2-3 |
Nothing. | Nothing. | Nothing. | Stored crops. |
December garden jobs
- Plan next season's rotation before ordering any seed.
- Order early — Canadian short-season cultivars are routinely sold out by February.
- Check stored crops and remove anything spoiling.
- Service tools and equipment.
- Pick three specific things to change next season, based on your notes.
Common December mistakes
- Ordering seed before planning rotation.
- Choosing cultivars by photograph rather than by days to maturity.
- Leaving stored produce unchecked.
- Planning from catalogues instead of from what actually happened in your garden.
Turn December's jobs 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.
More Canada planting guides
- What to plant in November Canada
- What to plant in January Canada
- Vegetable Planting Calendar Canada
- Vegetable Growing Guides for Canada
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do in the garden in December in Canada?
Plan. Build next season's rotation, review what worked, and order seed before short-season cultivars sell out.
When should I order seed in Canada?
December or early January. The short-season and cold-tolerant cultivars Canadian gardens depend on are the first to sell out.
How do I choose the right cultivar for a short season?
Work out your frost-free days, then choose cultivars whose days to maturity are at least two to three weeks shorter than that number.
Plan your December beds
Turn this month's list into a layout: sketch your plot in the free Garden Layout Planner, then follow the whole season with the Canada Vegetable Garden Planner (printable PDF, 70 pages). For the full year, see the Canada vegetable planting calendar, browse every crop in the Canada growing guides, or use the Canada site directory.
Last updated 25 August 2026
Turn This Month's Jobs Into A Plan
Month-by-month advice works best when it becomes a written sowing list, bed plan, and follow-up task list.
Keep going
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.