Canadian Garden Calendar 2026 — Month-by-Month Planting Guide for Every Zone

Canada's growing season is one of the shortest in the world — and one of the most varied. A gardener in Victoria, BC can be sowing peas outdoors in February while a gardener in Winnipeg is still waiting for their last frost in late May. This 2026 Canadian garden calendar cuts through the confusion with zone-by-zone guidance so you know exactly what to do each month, no matter where you live.

Use this as a seasonal framework, then plug your specific location into the MyGardenPlanner.ca calculator for crop-by-crop dates tailored to your zone and last frost date.

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How to Use This Calendar

Canadian hardiness zones run from Zone 0 (the subarctic) to Zone 9 (the mildest parts of coastal BC). Most Canadian food gardeners fall into Zones 3 through 7:

• Zone 3: Northern Alberta, Saskatchewan prairies, parts of Manitoba — last frost late May/early June
• Zone 4: Central Alberta, Northern Ontario, parts of Quebec — last frost mid to late May
• Zone 5: Southern Ontario (Ottawa, Kingston), parts of BC interior — last frost early to mid May
• Zone 6: Toronto, Niagara, Vancouver Island — last frost late April to early May
• Zone 7: Lower Mainland BC, Victoria — last frost late March to mid April

All dates in this calendar reference weeks before or after your last frost date (LFD). Find yours at mygardenplanner.ca/planting-dates.

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January — Plan and Order

All zones: January is planning season. Seed catalogues arrive and the best varieties sell out fast.

• Browse seed catalogues (West Coast Seeds, Richters, OSC Seeds, Veseys)
• Map out your beds on paper or in a garden planner
• Order seeds — heirloom tomatoes, unusual peppers, and specialty crops go first
• Inventory leftover seeds; test germination on anything more than 2 years old

Zone 7 (BC coast): Sow overwintering onions and shallots if not already done. Hardy greens (spinach, arugula, mâche) can be harvested from cold frames.

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February — First Seeds Indoors

All zones: February marks the start of indoor seed starting for the slowest-maturing crops.

• 6–8 weeks before last frost: Start onions, leeks, and celery indoors (these need the longest lead time)
• Zone 7: Start tomatoes and peppers indoors mid-February. Sow peas and spinach outdoors in a cold frame.
• Zone 6: Start onions and leeks indoors by mid-February. Begin hardening off any overwintered seedlings.
• Zone 3–5: Order and organize seeds. Prep grow lights. Start onions indoors in the last week of February.

Key task: Set up your seed-starting area with a heat mat (65–75°F soil temp for most seeds) and supplemental lighting (14–16 hours/day).

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March — Peak Indoor Seed Starting

March is the busiest indoor month for most Canadian gardeners.

Zone 3–4 (last frost: late May–early June)

• Start onions and leeks (8–10 weeks before LFD)
• Start peppers (10–12 weeks before LFD — they're slow)
• Hold off on tomatoes until late March

Zone 5 (last frost: May 10–20)

• Start peppers early March (10 weeks before LFD)
• Start tomatoes mid-March (6–8 weeks before LFD)
• Start eggplant, celery, and celeriac
• Direct sow spinach, arugula, and mâche under a cold frame outdoors

Zone 6 (last frost: April 20–May 5)

• Tomatoes and peppers already started; begin brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage) indoors
• Cold-hardy greens can be direct sown outdoors in protected beds
• Start cucumbers and squash late March (3–4 weeks before LFD)

Zone 7 (last frost: March 15–April 1)

• Transplant brassica starts outdoors after last frost
• Direct sow peas, carrots, beets, and lettuce outdoors
• Begin hardening off tomato starts

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April — Transplants and Cold-Hardy Direct Seeding

April splits Canadian gardeners into two camps: those who are already planting outdoors (Zones 6–7) and those still waiting (Zones 3–5).

Zone 3–4

• Continue indoor seed starting: tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers
• Harden off brassica starts in cold frames
• Direct sow cold-hardy crops (spinach, peas, radishes) as soon as soil is workable — even with frost risk

Zone 5

• Transplant broccoli and cabbage outdoors after April 20 (they tolerate light frost)
• Direct sow peas, spinach, lettuce, and radishes outdoors
• Continue hardening off tomato and pepper starts

Zone 6 (Toronto/Niagara)

• Last frost typically April 20–May 5. Direct sow beets, carrots, kale, and chard
• Transplant brassicas, onion starts, and lettuce
• Warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) still indoors — don't rush

Zone 7 (Lower Mainland BC)

• Last frost has passed or is imminent. Transplant tomatoes into greenhouse or polytunnel
• Direct sow beans, corn, and squash outdoors by late April
• Plant potatoes once soil reaches 10°C

Key task for all zones: Prep beds now. Add 2–4 inches of compost, test soil pH (aim for 6.0–7.0 for most vegetables), and install any irrigation before the planting rush.

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May — Main Planting Month

May is the most important month in the Canadian vegetable garden.

Zone 3–4 (last frost: late May)

• Direct sow cold-hardy crops early May: peas, spinach, kale, radishes, lettuce
• Transplant brassica starts after May 15 if frost risk is low
• Hold all tender crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers, beans) until after last frost
• Plant potatoes after last frost

Zone 5 (last frost: May 10–20)

• After May 15: Transplant tomatoes, peppers, eggplant outdoors
• Direct sow beans, squash, cucumbers, corn, and basil after last frost
• Plant potatoes early May

Zone 6 (last frost: May 1–5)

• After May 5: Transplant tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash
• Direct sow beans, corn, squash, basil, and melons
• Plant potatoes by May 1

Zone 7

• Full summer planting in progress. Succession-sow lettuce and greens every 2–3 weeks to avoid bolting
• Direct sow second round of beans, corn, and summer squash

Don't rush tomatoes: Soil temperature matters more than air temperature. Tomato roots stall below 15°C. A tomato planted in warm soil on May 20 will outperform one planted in cold soil on May 5.

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June — Establishment and Early Harvests

June is about establishment, not planting. Your warm-season crops are in the ground; now focus on support and early harvests.

• Stake tomatoes, erect bean trellises, and train cucumbers up supports
• Begin succession sowing lettuce, radishes, spinach, and green onions every 2–3 weeks
• Harvest overwintered garlic scapes (if growing hardneck varieties)
• Side-dress heavy feeders (tomatoes, squash, corn) with compost or balanced fertilizer
• Watch for first pest pressure: aphids on brassicas, flea beetles on eggplant, cucumber beetles

Zone 3–4: Last frost may arrive late May/early June. Hold tender transplants until danger passes, then move fast — your window is short.

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July — Peak Season

• Harvest early crops: peas, lettuce, spinach, radishes, green onions
• Keep up with succession sowings for fall: direct sow beets, carrots, and beans in early July for fall harvest
• Monitor for tomato blight and cucumber mosaic virus
• Water consistently — inconsistent watering causes blossom end rot in tomatoes and bitter cucumbers
• Begin fall planting calculations: count back from first fall frost to determine last safe planting date

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August — Fall Planting Begins

August is the underestimated month. Many Canadian gardeners plant nothing new after July — and miss out on a full second season.

• Brassicas for fall: Start broccoli, kale, and cabbage transplants indoors in early August (Zone 5+) for transplanting in late August
• Direct sow: Spinach, arugula, mâche, Asian greens, radishes, and turnips in mid-August
• Garlic: Order seed garlic now — it ships in September and plants in October
• Harvest: First tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, and zucchini peak

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September — Fall Harvest and Garlic

• Harvest summer crops continuously — don't let zucchini go to marrow size or cucumbers turn yellow
• Garlic planting window opens: Zones 5–7 plant garlic in mid-to-late September (soil should be 10°C or below at 4-inch depth)
• Direct sow spinach, mâche, and winter lettuce for cold frame harvest
• Begin curing storage crops: onions, garlic, winter squash

Zone 3–4: First frost may arrive September 15–30. Cover tender crops at night or harvest green tomatoes to ripen indoors.

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October — Final Harvests and Garden Close

• Garlic planting: Zones 3–5 plant garlic in October (before ground freezes)
• Harvest remaining tomatoes, peppers, squash, and root vegetables before hard frost
• Cut back perennial herbs; mulch perennial beds
• Add compost to empty beds and cover with mulch to protect soil structure over winter
• Clean and dry tools; store seeds in a cool, dry location

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November–December — Rest and Reflect

• Review what worked and what didn't — notes now will save time next spring
• Browse seed catalogues arriving in late November
• Zone 7: Plant garlic in November if not done; harvest hardy greens from cold frames through December

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Your Personalized 2026 Planting Calendar

This guide gives you the seasonal framework — but every garden is different. Your exact last frost date, microclimate, and crop choices all affect your timing.

Get your personalized 2026 planting calendar at mygardenplanner.ca/calculator. Enter your zone or postal code and get crop-specific dates for everything from tomatoes to garlic, with seed-starting countdowns built in.