What to Plant in November Canada
On this page
- November planting by region
- November by region: Ontario, the Prairies, Atlantic C...
- Mulching and protecting what stays in the ground
- Fall seeding on the Prairies: late October to early N...
- November garden jobs
- Common November mistakes
- More Canada planting guides
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Plan your November beds
What to plant in November in Canada depends entirely on your zone — this page answers it for every band. November is closing-down month across Canada. Finish mulching, protect overwintering crops on the coast, store tools, and turn this season's notes into next season's plan.
Updated 29 September 2026 for November.
November planting by region
| Band | Sow outdoors | Start indoors | Plant out | Harvest now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Long season Zones 7-9 |
Broad beans and hardy peas in the mildest coastal spots. | Nothing. | Garlic if somehow not yet planted. | Kale, leeks, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, winter salad. |
|
Medium season Zones 4-6 |
Nothing. | Nothing. | Nothing. | Parsnips and leeks under mulch; stored crops. |
|
Short season Zones 2-3 |
Nothing. | Nothing. | Nothing. | Stored crops only. |
November by region: Ontario, the Prairies, Atlantic Canada and BC
Canadian sources agree on the principle but not on one date: garlic needs a lead time before the ground freezes, and that moment arrives at very different times from the coast to the Prairies. These are the published recommendations for each region:
| Region | What Canadian sources say |
|---|---|
| Ontario | Garlic: if planted too late, cloves may not develop adequate roots and will not be winter hardy; the most common mulch is straw, 10-15 cm deep over the planted rows (Government of Ontario, OMAFRA, OMAFRA). For the Greater Toronto Area the Toronto Master Gardeners (a volunteer programme, not a university) give late October, 4-6 weeks before the soil freezes (Toronto Master Gardeners). |
| Prairies (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) | Garlic: the University of Saskatchewan says cloves can go in between late August and early October, up to three weeks before the ground freezes (Univ. of Saskatchewan); Manitoba Agriculture gives September to late October, with October 15 ideal most years (Manitoba Agriculture); Alberta Agriculture bases the date on your average first fall frost and says to cover with straw if snow cover is thin or winter thaws occur (Alberta Agriculture). Raised beds are not recommended for fall-planted garlic in most of the Prairies because of the risk of cold damage (Univ. of Saskatchewan). |
| Atlantic Canada (Nova Scotia) | Dalhousie's Faculty of Agriculture lists kale, spinach, evergreen bunching onion, lettuce, parsley, parsnip, carrots and salsify as crops that may survive into winter, mulched with 20 cm (8") of mulch to prevent heaving of the soil (Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture). |
| British Columbia | We could not reach a provincial or university source with fall-planting dates for BC that we were able to verify, so this page gives no BC-specific dates. For the coast, the Long season row above (zones 7-9) is the closest guide. |
Mulching and protecting what stays in the ground
Parsnips: the University of Saskatchewan says to apply a thick layer of mulch, at least 15 cm, on top of the plants in late fall just before the ground freezes (Univ. of Saskatchewan); Dalhousie notes many gardeners heavily mulch parsnip late in autumn and leave them until winter for best flavour (Dalhousie). Garlic: cover fall-planted cloves with a good insulating layer of snow or 10-15 cm of straw mulch (Univ. of Saskatchewan). Perennial vegetables: a top-dressing of manure or compost and a layer of mulch reduces damage from freezing and thawing of the soil (Dalhousie).
Fall seeding on the Prairies: late October to early November
The University of Saskatchewan's advice is to watch the forecast and sow hardy seed just before the ground freezes; on the Prairies that means late October or early November (Univ. of Saskatchewan). The seed sits dormant over winter and germinates as soon as the soil warms in spring, so this suits crops such as onions, radishes, lettuce and greens, spinach, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas and carrots.
November garden jobs
- Mulch garlic thoroughly — Canadian freeze-thaw cycles heave unmulched cloves out of the ground.
- Protect overwintering crops with mulch, cold frames or low tunnels.
- Clean, sharpen and oil tools before storage.
- Check stored produce and remove anything spoiling.
- Write up the season while the detail is still fresh.
Common November mistakes
- Leaving garlic unmulched, which loses cloves to frost heave.
- Storing tools damp and dirty.
- Leaving records until spring, by which point the useful detail is gone.
- Assuming nothing overwinters — parsnips and leeks hold in the ground under mulch across much of the country.
Turn November'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 October Canada
- What to plant in December Canada
- Vegetable Planting Calendar Canada
- Vegetable Growing Guides for Canada
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I plant in November in Canada?
Almost nothing new goes in the ground in most of Canada in November. The exceptions are hardy seed sown on the Prairies just before the ground freezes, late October to early November (Univ. of Saskatchewan), and cool-season crops under cover on the milder coast.
Should I mulch parsnips and carrots left in the ground?
Yes — the University of Saskatchewan says to apply a thick layer of mulch, at least 15 cm, in late fall just before the ground freezes (Univ. of Saskatchewan).
How do I protect garlic over a Canadian winter?
Cover fall-planted cloves with a good insulating layer of snow or 10-15 cm of straw mulch (Univ. of Saskatchewan); Ontario's guidance is straw 10-15 cm deep over the rows (OMAFRA).
Are low tunnels a good idea in late fall?
Dalhousie notes low tunnels are less convenient for late-fall crops because of the balance between ventilation and frost protection, and suggests cold frames insulated in very cold weather instead (Dalhousie).
Is it too late to plant garlic in November in Canada?
Every Canadian source ties garlic timing to a lead time before the ground freezes — up to three weeks on the Prairies (Univ. of Saskatchewan), 4-6 weeks near Toronto (Toronto Master Gardeners). Once the ground is frozen it is too late for this year.
Sources checked for this page (Canadian provincial and university sources)
- University of Saskatchewan — gardening.usask.ca/articles-and-lists/articles-how-to/fall-seeding.php
- Government of Ontario — ontario.ca/page/garlic-production
- Toronto Master Gardeners — torontomastergardeners.ca/gardeningguides/growing-garlic-from-cloves-a
- University of Saskatchewan — gardening.usask.ca/gardening-advice/gardenline-nested-pages/food-plant
- Manitoba Agriculture — gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/crop-management/pubs/bmz00s10p.pdf
- Alberta Agriculture — www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/faq7458
- Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture — dal.ca/content/dam/www/about/campus-locations/garden-box/vegetable-gar
- University of Saskatchewan — gardening.usask.ca/gardening-advice/gardenline-nested-pages/food-plant
- Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture — dal.ca/content/dam/www/about/campus-locations/garden-box/season-extens
Plan your November 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 29 September 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.