In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Sow or plant outside
Nothing goes in outdoors this week.
Start indoors
No indoor sowing due this week.
Ready to pick
Nothing in season from a typical planting.
Coming up in the next 4 weeks
No new outdoor sowings start in the next four weeks.
Calgary planting calendar
Bars show when each crop can go in and when a planting from that window is ready. The blue band is the frost season, from the average first autumn frost to the average last spring frost. Hover or tap a crop for details.
Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday
Swipe sideways to see the whole year →
Dates by crop
| Crop | Sow indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Pepper | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Eggplant (aubergine) | The frost-free season is too short outdoors (it needs about 108 days). Grow under cover, or choose early varieties. | ||
| Cucumber | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Zucchini (courgette) | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Pumpkin and winter squash | The frost-free season is too short outdoors (it needs about 124 days). Grow under cover, or choose early varieties. | ||
| Watermelon | The frost-free season is too short outdoors (it needs about 113 days). Grow under cover, or choose early varieties. | ||
| Sweet corn | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Green beans | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Peas | – | Apr 27 – Jun 8, Jul 1 – Jul 18 sow | Jul 18 – Sep 17 |
| Lettuce | Mar 24 – Apr 21 | Apr 28 – Aug 1 sow | Jul 5 – Sep 20 |
| Spinach | – | Apr 18 – Aug 11 sow | Jun 29 – Oct 10 |
| Kale | Mar 11 – Apr 15 | Apr 22 – Jul 31 sow | Jul 13 – Oct 25 |
| Cabbage | Mar 14 – Apr 18 | May 2 – Jul 16 plant out | Jul 27 – Oct 1 |
| Broccoli | Mar 17 – Apr 21 | May 5 – Jul 22 plant out | Jul 20 – Sep 24 |
| Carrots | – | May 5 – Jul 23 sow | Jul 24 – Oct 25 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | May 5 – Jul 28 sow | Jul 16 – Oct 1 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 22 – Aug 21 sow | Jun 12 – Sep 24 |
| Onions | Feb 17 – Mar 24 | Apr 28 – Jun 11 plant out | Aug 15 – Sep 10 |
| Garlic | – | Sep 4 – Sep 24 sow | Jul 5 – Jul 25 |
| Potatoes | – | May 12 – Jun 17 sow | Aug 15 – Sep 10 |
| Swiss chard | – | May 12 – Aug 1 sow | Jul 14 – Oct 1 |
| Basil | Jun 1 – Jun 15 | Jul 13 – Jul 20 plant out | Aug 18 – Sep 9 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | May 5 – Aug 11 sow | Jun 28 – Sep 24 |
| Parsley | Mar 13 – Apr 17 | May 8 – Jul 19 sow | Jul 29 – Oct 10 |
Dates are for a typical year and the middle of the window is the safest. Sow a little at a time across a window rather than all at once. Cold snaps, heat waves, frost pockets and city warmth all shift the real dates; watch the forecast.
Frost dates in Calgary
- Average last spring frost
- May 26
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- June 11 approx.
- Average first autumn frost
- September 10
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- August 27 approx.
- Frost-free growing season
- 106 days
“Average” is the date with an even chance of a later (spring) or earlier (autumn) frost: a night at or below 0 °C (32 °F) at screen height. Tender crops go out a week or two after the spring date, which brings the risk down to about one year in ten.
Source: ECCC 1981–2010 normals, Calgary Int'l A.
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 5b estimate
- Average coldest winter night
- -24°C-12°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 25°C77°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -13°C8°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 16 of 25
The zone follows the USDA scheme: bands of the average lowest temperature of the year, 10 °F wide, split into a and b halves. Estimated from monthly climate normals; about one city in ten we checked comes out a full half-zone off. It tells you which perennials survive winter, not when to sow.
Temperature and rain by month
Average highAverage lowRainFreezing point
| Month | High | Low | Mean | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -2°C29°F | -13°C8°F | -7°C19°F | 10 mm0.4 in |
| February | 0°C32°F | -12°C11°F | -6°C22°F | 10 mm0.4 in |
| March | 4°C39°F | -8°C17°F | -2°C28°F | 17 mm0.7 in |
| April | 11°C51°F | -2°C28°F | 4°C39°F | 26 mm1.0 in |
| May | 17°C62°F | 3°C38°F | 10°C50°F | 54 mm2.1 in |
| June | 20°C69°F | 8°C46°F | 14°C57°F | 103 mm4.1 in |
| July | 25°C77°F | 10°C50°F | 17°C63°F | 56 mm2.2 in |
| August | 24°C76°F | 9°C48°F | 17°C62°F | 60 mm2.4 in |
| September | 19°C66°F | 4°C40°F | 12°C53°F | 42 mm1.6 in |
| October | 12°C54°F | -2°C29°F | 5°C41°F | 16 mm0.6 in |
| November | 4°C39°F | -8°C18°F | -2°C29°F | 14 mm0.5 in |
| December | -1°C31°F | -12°C10°F | -6°C20°F | 11 mm0.4 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).