A planting calendar is one of the most useful tools for successful cold climate gardening. In this section you’ll find practical guides showing what to plant each month in northern gardens with short growing seasons. Learn when to start seeds indoors. When to direct sow vegetables and how to plan your planting season for reliable harvests.
September is the last real planting month in most cold climate gardens, and it deserves to be used well. For gardeners in Canada, Scandinavia, northern Europe, and the northern United States, a well-timed September sowing can mean fresh greens on the table well into October and beyond. Soil temperatures in September are still carrying the…
In cold climate gardens across Canada, Scandinavia, northern Europe, and the northern United States, August marks the start of the late growing season. While some summer crops are finishing, this article will tell you what to plant in August. Many fast-growing and cold-tolerant vegetables can still be planted successfully. Soil temperatures in August are still…
July can feel late in the season for northern gardeners, but in reality it is an important month for second plantings and fast-growing crops. In northern regions from Canada to Scandinavia and northern Europe, July offers the most reliable growing conditions of the year. Seeds germinate quickly in warm soil, and crops planted now will…
June is the most productive planting month in cold climate gardens. Soil temperatures have finally warmed, daylight hours are at their longest, and growth accelerates rapidly. For gardeners in Canada, Scandinavia, northern Europe, and the northern United States, June is when the season truly hits its stride. Many crops can still go in the ground…
May is the month when cold climate gardens come alive. In northern regions across Canada, Scandinavia, northern Europe, and the northern United States, May is often the first time the soil is warm enough to plant in earnest, and the pace of the growing season suddenly picks up. By May, cool-tolerant vegetables can go directly…
Here is exactly what you can plant outdoors in April in a cold climate – even with frost still possible: These crops germinate in cold soil and grow well before summer heat arrives. If your soil is workable and above 4°C (39°F), you can start now. For warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers: April is…
This is your month-by-month guide to what to plant in a cold climate garden – Zone 3–5 (USA/Canada) and H6–H8 (Nordic countries and Northern Europe). At a glance – cold climate planting calendar: Month Outdoors Indoors February–March — Leeks, peppers, celeriac, onions from seed April Spinach, peas, radishes, lettuce, arugula Tomatoes, brassicas May Carrots, beets,…
In cold climates, planting at the wrong time can cost you weeks of growth. Stop guessing when to plant. Here is exactly how to time your cold climate garden, season by season. If you garden in Zone 3–5 (H6–H8 in Norway and the Nordic countries), timing is everything. One week too early and frost kills…