In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Edmonton 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) | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Cucumber | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Zucchini (courgette) | May 19 – Jun 12 | Jun 16 – Jul 3 sow | Aug 14 – Sep 13 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Watermelon | Summers are too cool for a reliable outdoor crop. Grow it in a greenhouse or polytunnel. | ||
| Sweet corn | No outdoor window passes all the checks here; grow it under cover or try a specialist variety. | ||
| Green beans | – | Jun 16 – Jun 26 sow | Aug 20 – Sep 13 |
| Peas | – | Apr 28 – Jul 23 sow | Jul 12 – Sep 26 |
| Lettuce | Mar 20 – Apr 17 | Apr 24 – Aug 5 sow | Jun 30 – Sep 29 |
| Spinach | – | Apr 20 – Aug 12 sow | Jun 25 – Oct 19 |
| Kale | Mar 13 – Apr 17 | Apr 24 – Jul 31 sow | Jul 8 – Nov 3 |
| Cabbage | Mar 14 – Apr 18 | May 2 – Jul 19 plant out | Jul 21 – Oct 10 |
| Broccoli | Mar 14 – Apr 18 | May 2 – Jul 25 plant out | Jul 13 – Oct 3 |
| Carrots | – | May 2 – Jul 23 sow | Jul 17 – Nov 3 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | May 2 – Jul 31 sow | Jul 10 – Oct 10 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 24 – Aug 24 sow | Jun 9 – Oct 3 |
| Onions | Feb 17 – Mar 24 | Apr 28 – Jun 23 plant out | Aug 8 – Sep 19 |
| Garlic | – | Sep 5 – Oct 3 sow | Jul 2 – Jul 22 |
| Potatoes | – | May 6 – Jun 27 sow | Aug 6 – Sep 19 |
| Swiss chard | – | May 6 – Aug 3 sow | Jul 7 – Oct 10 |
| Basil | May 22 – Jun 19 | Jul 3 – Jul 25 plant out | Aug 5 – Sep 13 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | May 2 – Aug 14 sow | Jun 23 – Oct 3 |
| Parsley | Mar 11 – Apr 15 | May 6 – Jul 20 sow | Jul 22 – Oct 19 |
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 Edmonton
- Average last spring frost
- May 10
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- May 26 approx.
- Average first autumn frost
- September 19
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- September 5 approx.
- Frost-free growing season
- 131 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, Edmonton Blatchford.
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 4b estimate
- Average coldest winter night
- -30°C-21°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 24°C76°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -16°C3°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 18 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 | -7°C19°F | -16°C3°F | -12°C11°F | 22 mm0.9 in |
| February | -4°C25°F | -14°C8°F | -9°C16°F | 13 mm0.5 in |
| March | 0°C33°F | -9°C16°F | -4°C24°F | 17 mm0.7 in |
| April | 9°C49°F | -2°C29°F | 4°C39°F | 29 mm1.1 in |
| May | 17°C62°F | 4°C40°F | 11°C51°F | 46 mm1.8 in |
| June | 21°C70°F | 10°C49°F | 15°C59°F | 85 mm3.3 in |
| July | 24°C76°F | 12°C54°F | 18°C65°F | 96 mm3.8 in |
| August | 23°C74°F | 11°C51°F | 17°C63°F | 57 mm2.2 in |
| September | 18°C64°F | 5°C42°F | 12°C53°F | 33 mm1.3 in |
| October | 10°C50°F | -1°C31°F | 5°C40°F | 20 mm0.8 in |
| November | 1°C33°F | -8°C18°F | -3°C26°F | 22 mm0.9 in |
| December | -5°C23°F | -14°C7°F | -9°C15°F | 16 mm0.6 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).