What should you plant and when

Gardening in Ontario is a race against the calendar. We have a short, intense growing season. If you start too late, you get no tomatoes. If you start too early, the frost kills your hard work and you have to start over.

Ignore the generic advice you see on Instagram from gardeners in California, unless you have a greenhouse you can't do what they can. Follow these steps instead.

April 15: The False Spring

The air feels warm, and the winter-cramped eager beavers race to the garden store to buy tomato seedlings. But the soil is still cold. The ground is not ready for warm weather plants.

They will die.

However, your raised garden bed is ready to work. Because it is raised, the soil is warmer than the ground. You can plant the "Cold Warriors"—crops that actually taste better after a light frost.

• Plant Now: Peas, Spinach, Kale, Radishes, Arugula.

• The Strategy: Direct sow these seeds right into the soil. They will be ready to harvest just as the summer crops need the space.

May 24: The Real Start (The Victoria Day Rule)

In Southern Ontario, the "May Two-Four" weekend is the legendary safe date. The risk of frost drops to near zero. Near, remember. Frost still happens.

This is when the real work begins.

• Plant Now: Tomatoes, Peppers, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Beans.

• The Strategy: This is your "Main Event." If you are planting into a raised metal bed, your soil will be nice and hot. Plant your tomatoes deep—bury them up to the first set of leaves to build a massive root system.

  
  

July 1: Last Call (Canada Day)

If you haven't planted your garden by Canada Day, you have missed the boat for big-ticket items like pumpkins or large tomatoes. They simply won't have enough days to ripen before October.

But the season isn't over. You can still plant "Fast Crops" that mature in 50–60 days.

• Plant Now: Bush Beans, Summer Lettuce, Basil, more Radishes.

• The Strategy: This is the time to fill in the gaps. If a lettuce plant from April has bolted (gone to seed), rip it out and put a bean seed in its place. Keep the factory running.

  
  

October 15: The Shutdown (Infrastructure Care)

The growing season is done. Now you must protect your infrastructure so it survives the winter--but the garden isn't done working.

1. Plant Garlic

• The Crop: Garlic is the only crop you plant in the fall to harvest next July.

• The Method: Plant individual cloves 2 inches deep in your garden bed. Cover them with straw or mulch or fallen leaves. They will sleep through the winter and sprout in March.

  
  

2. Drain Water Systems

• The Risk: Water expands when it freezes. If your rain barrel is full of water in January, it will split the plastic or crack the brass valves.

• The Task: Open the valve and drain the barrel completely. Leave the valve OPEN all winter so any condensation can drip out. Disconnect the diverter from your downspout and cap it (or reinstall the winter plug).