In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Toronto 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 | Apr 1 – May 6 | May 27 – Jul 23 plant out | Jul 29 – Oct 8 |
| Pepper | Mar 28 – May 2 | Jun 6 – Jul 20 plant out | Aug 7 – Oct 8 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Apr 3 – May 8 | Jun 12 – Jul 16 plant out | Aug 16 – Oct 8 |
| Cucumber | May 4 – May 31 | Jun 1 – Aug 4 sow | Jul 20 – Oct 8 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Apr 29 – May 26 | May 27 – Aug 7 sow | Jul 14 – Oct 8 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Apr 29 – May 26 | May 27 – Jul 3 sow | Aug 21 – Oct 8 |
| Watermelon | May 15 – Jun 11 | Jun 12 – Jul 13 sow | Aug 19 – Oct 8 |
| Sweet corn | – | May 17 – Jul 19 sow | Aug 1 – Oct 8 |
| Green beans | – | May 27 – Aug 4 sow | Jul 18 – Oct 8 |
| Peas | – | Apr 14 – May 17, Jul 22 – Aug 18 sow | Jun 25 – Aug 5, Sep 8 – Oct 16 |
| Lettuce | Mar 5 – Apr 2 | Apr 9 – Aug 31 sow | Jun 13 – Oct 19 |
| Spinach | – | Apr 4 – Jun 4, Jul 19 – Sep 9 sow | Jun 9 – Aug 4, Aug 21 – Nov 8 |
| Kale | Feb 26 – Apr 2 | Apr 9 – Aug 29 sow | Jun 21 – Nov 23 |
| Cabbage | Mar 1 – Apr 5 | Apr 19 – Aug 16 plant out | Jul 3 – Oct 30 |
| Broccoli | Mar 1 – Apr 5 | Apr 19 – Aug 21 plant out | Jun 26 – Oct 23 |
| Carrots | – | Apr 19 – Aug 22 sow | Jun 30 – Nov 23 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Apr 19 – Aug 27 sow | Jun 22 – Oct 30 |
| Radishes | – | Apr 9 – Sep 18 sow | May 26 – Oct 23 |
| Onions | Feb 3 – Mar 10 | Apr 14 – Jul 20 plant out | Jul 21 – Oct 9 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 2 – Oct 23 sow | Jun 15 – Jul 5 |
| Potatoes | – | Apr 24 – Jul 24 sow | Jul 20 – Oct 9 |
| Swiss chard | – | Apr 24 – Aug 31 sow | Jun 20 – Oct 30 |
| Basil | Apr 25 – May 23 | Jun 6 – Aug 23 plant out | Jul 4 – Oct 8 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Apr 19 – Sep 9 sow | Jun 7 – Oct 23 |
| Parsley | Feb 27 – Apr 3 | Apr 24 – Aug 18 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 Toronto
- Average last spring frost
- May 4
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- May 20 approx.
- Average first autumn frost
- October 9
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- September 25 approx.
- Frost-free growing season
- 157 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, Toronto Lester B. Pearson Int'l A.
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 6b estimate
- Average coldest winter night
- -20°C-4°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 27°C80°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -7°C19°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 | 0°C31°F | -7°C19°F | -4°C25°F | 60 mm2.3 in |
| February | 0°C33°F | -7°C20°F | -3°C26°F | 52 mm2.1 in |
| March | 5°C41°F | -2°C28°F | 1°C34°F | 50 mm2.0 in |
| April | 11°C52°F | 3°C37°F | 7°C45°F | 83 mm3.3 in |
| May | 18°C65°F | 9°C48°F | 14°C56°F | 79 mm3.1 in |
| June | 24°C75°F | 14°C57°F | 19°C66°F | 75 mm3.0 in |
| July | 27°C80°F | 17°C63°F | 22°C71°F | 74 mm2.9 in |
| August | 26°C78°F | 17°C62°F | 21°C70°F | 75 mm3.0 in |
| September | 22°C71°F | 13°C55°F | 17°C63°F | 71 mm2.8 in |
| October | 15°C58°F | 7°C44°F | 11°C51°F | 69 mm2.7 in |
| November | 8°C46°F | 2°C35°F | 5°C41°F | 70 mm2.7 in |
| December | 2°C36°F | -3°C26°F | 0°C31°F | 61 mm2.4 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).