In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Montreal 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 | Mar 30 – May 4 | May 25 – Jul 21 plant out | Jul 28 – Oct 5 |
| Pepper | Mar 27 – May 1 | Jun 5 – Jul 17 plant out | Aug 7 – Oct 5 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Apr 2 – May 7 | Jun 11 – Jul 13 plant out | Aug 15 – Oct 5 |
| Cucumber | May 2 – May 29 | May 30 – Aug 1 sow | Jul 19 – Oct 5 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Apr 27 – May 24 | May 25 – Aug 5 sow | Jul 13 – Oct 5 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Apr 27 – May 24 | May 25 – Jul 1 sow | Aug 20 – Oct 8 |
| Watermelon | May 14 – Jun 10 | Jun 11 – Jul 10 sow | Aug 19 – Oct 5 |
| Sweet corn | – | May 16 – Jul 16 sow | Aug 1 – Oct 5 |
| Green beans | – | May 25 – Aug 1 sow | Jul 17 – Oct 5 |
| Peas | – | Apr 18 – May 7, Jul 27 – Aug 16 sow | Jun 25 – Jul 29, Sep 14 – Oct 16 |
| Lettuce | Mar 11 – Apr 8 | Apr 15 – Jun 10, Jul 15 – Aug 28 sow | Jun 14 – Aug 13, Aug 21 – Oct 19 |
| Spinach | – | Apr 11 – May 27, Aug 15 – Sep 4 sow | Jun 10 – Jul 28, Sep 19 – Nov 8 |
| Kale | Mar 4 – Apr 8 | Apr 15 – Aug 24 sow | Jun 21 – Nov 23 |
| Cabbage | Mar 4 – Apr 8 | Apr 22 – Aug 12 plant out | Jul 4 – Oct 30 |
| Broccoli | Mar 4 – Apr 8 | Apr 22 – Aug 18 plant out | Jun 26 – Oct 23 |
| Carrots | – | Apr 22 – Aug 17 sow | Jun 30 – Nov 23 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Apr 22 – Aug 23 sow | Jun 23 – Oct 30 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 15 – Jun 23, Jul 29 – Sep 15 sow | May 27 – Jul 27, Aug 19 – Oct 23 |
| Onions | Feb 7 – Mar 14 | Apr 18 – Jul 18 plant out | Jul 21 – Oct 9 |
| Garlic | – | Sep 28 – Oct 23 sow | Jun 14 – Jul 4 |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 26 – Jul 22 sow | Jul 20 – Oct 9 |
| Swiss chard | – | Apr 26 – Aug 27 sow | Jun 20 – Oct 30 |
| Basil | Apr 24 – May 22 | Jun 5 – Aug 20 plant out | Jul 4 – Oct 5 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Apr 22 – Jun 15, Jul 21 – Sep 5 sow | Jun 8 – Aug 11, Aug 20 – Oct 23 |
| Parsley | Mar 1 – Apr 5 | Apr 26 – Aug 13 sow | Jul 5 – Nov 8 |
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 Montreal
- Average last spring frost
- April 29
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- May 15 approx.
- Average first autumn frost
- October 9
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- September 25 approx.
- Frost-free growing season
- 162 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, Montreal / Pierre Elliott Trudeau Int'l A.
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 5a estimate
- Average coldest winter night
- -28°C-18°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 27°C81°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -14°C8°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 25 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 | -5°C23°F | -14°C8°F | -9°C16°F | 74 mm2.9 in |
| February | -3°C26°F | -12°C10°F | -8°C18°F | 60 mm2.4 in |
| March | 3°C37°F | -6°C20°F | -2°C29°F | 73 mm2.9 in |
| April | 11°C52°F | 1°C34°F | 6°C43°F | 91 mm3.6 in |
| May | 19°C67°F | 8°C46°F | 14°C57°F | 91 mm3.6 in |
| June | 25°C76°F | 13°C56°F | 19°C66°F | 101 mm4.0 in |
| July | 27°C81°F | 16°C61°F | 22°C71°F | 94 mm3.7 in |
| August | 26°C80°F | 16°C60°F | 21°C70°F | 97 mm3.8 in |
| September | 22°C72°F | 11°C52°F | 17°C62°F | 87 mm3.4 in |
| October | 14°C57°F | 5°C41°F | 10°C49°F | 101 mm4.0 in |
| November | 6°C44°F | -1°C30°F | 3°C37°F | 88 mm3.5 in |
| December | -1°C31°F | -8°C18°F | -4°C24°F | 88 mm3.5 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).