What to plant in April in Canada

Worked out for 29 cities from their own weather and frost dates, by zone.

What to sow and plant in April in Canada, by zone: frost-free, highs of 10–16 °C (Vancouver and Victoria): broad bean, peas, onion, spinach, lettuce and 40 more; frost possible, highs of 10–16 °C (Toronto, Montreal and 11 more): broad bean, peas, onion, spinach, lettuce and 31 more; frost possible, highs below 10 °C (Winnipeg, Edmonton and 12 more): broad bean, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and 16 more.

In Canada, April is spring.

Frost-free, highs of 10–16 °C: Vancouver and Victoria

In April, on average, these cities have highs of 13 to 14 °C and lows of 5 to 7 °C, 66 to 150 mm of rain on 13 to 16 days; the day lasts 13 h 39 min to 13 h 42 min (on the 15th).

No frost in April in 10 years of data: frost-tender crops can go in too, if it is warm enough for them.

How	What	Where
sow direct	Broad bean, peas, spinach, lettuce, radish, carrot, cabbage, broccoli, Swiss chard, beet, arugula, chamomile, daikon, dill, kale, mustard greens, parsnip	all
plant sets	Onion, shallot	all
start indoors, plant out in May	Cauliflower, kohlrabi	all
start indoors, plant out in June	Tomato, bell pepper, eggplant, parsley, Brussels sprouts, chili pepper, Florence fennel, moringa	all
start indoors, plant out in May	Zucchini, cucumber, melon, watermelon, pumpkin, sweet corn, basil, achocha, bok choy, kiwano, Napa cabbage, peanut	Vancouver
start indoors, plant out in July	Celeriac, celery, chayote	all
sow direct	Turnip	Victoria

Compared with March: new — zucchini, cucumber, melon, watermelon, pumpkin, sweet corn, basil, achocha and 4 more.

Not starting in April: green beans (June, sown direct) — dates for Victoria.

Ready to harvest in April in Victoria, if sown in the right month: broad bean (January), peas (February), spinach (February), radish (March), cabbage (December), arugula (March), dill (March) and mustard greens (March).

Frost possible, highs of 10–16 °C: Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa and 9 more

In April, on average, these cities have highs of 10 to 15 °C and lows of -3 to 4 °C, 29 to 117 mm of rain on 6 to 14 days; the day lasts 13 h 21 min to 13 h 48 min (on the 15th).

April falls in the frost season: frost-tender crops wait. Average last frost: Toronto (26 April), Montreal (27 April), Ottawa (30 April), Trois-Rivières (29 April), Hamilton (19 April), London (Canada) (28 April), Gatineau (30 April), Kitchener (30 April), Windsor (24 April) and Kelowna (18 April).

How	What	Where
sow direct or start indoors, plant out in May	Broad bean, lettuce, Swiss chard, arugula, chamomile	all
sow direct	Peas, radish	Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and 9 more
plant sets	Onion, shallot	Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and 8 more
sow direct	Spinach	Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and 6 more
sow direct or start indoors, plant out in June	Cabbage	all
start indoors, plant out in May	Cauliflower, kohlrabi	Calgary, Ottawa, Sherbrooke and 3 more
start indoors, plant out in May or sow direct	Beet	all
start indoors, plant out in June	Tomato, bell pepper, eggplant, chili pepper, Florence fennel, moringa	all
start indoors, plant out in May	Zucchini, cucumber, melon, watermelon, pumpkin, sweet corn, basil, achocha, bok choy, kiwano, luffa, Napa cabbage, peanut	Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and 7 more
start indoors, plant out in June	Parsley, Brussels sprouts	Calgary, Ottawa, Sherbrooke and 3 more
start indoors, plant out in July	Celeriac, celery, chayote	all
sow direct	Daikon	Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and 7 more
start indoors, plant out in May	Okra	Toronto, Montreal, Hamilton and 4 more
sow direct	Dill, mustard greens	Hamilton, London (Canada), Windsor and 1 more
sow direct	Kale, parsnip	Ottawa, Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières and 1 more

Compared with March: new — onion, zucchini, cucumber, melon, watermelon, pumpkin, sweet corn, basil and 12 more.

Not starting in April: green beans (July, sown direct) — dates for Calgary.

Frost possible, highs below 10 °C: Winnipeg, Edmonton, Quebec City, Halifax and 10 more

In April, on average, these cities have highs of -8 to 10 °C and lows of -14 to 1 °C, 14 to 134 mm of rain on 4 to 14 days; the day lasts 13 h 27 min to 14 h 58 min (on the 15th).

April falls in the frost season: frost-tender crops wait. Average last frost: Halifax (29 April) and Fredericton (30 April).

How	What	Where
start indoors, plant out in May or sow direct	Broad bean	Winnipeg, Edmonton, Quebec City and 10 more
sow direct	Peas, radish	Edmonton, Halifax, Moncton and 1 more
plant sets	Onion	Halifax
sow direct or start indoors, plant out in May	Spinach	Halifax, St. John's, Thunder Bay and 3 more
start indoors, plant out in May or sow direct	Lettuce	Edmonton, Quebec City, Halifax and 9 more
start indoors, plant out in June or sow direct	Cabbage	all
start indoors, plant out in June	Broccoli	Edmonton, St. John's, Thunder Bay and 4 more
start indoors, plant out in May	Cauliflower, beet, arugula, chamomile	Winnipeg, Edmonton, Quebec City and 9 more
start indoors, plant out in May	Swiss Chard	Edmonton, Quebec City, Halifax and 8 more
start indoors, plant out in June	Leek	St. John's and Whitehorse
start indoors, plant out in June	Tomato, bell pepper, eggplant, chili pepper, Florence fennel, moringa	Winnipeg, Edmonton, Quebec City and 8 more
start indoors, plant out in May	Zucchini, cucumber, melon, watermelon, pumpkin, sweet corn, basil, achocha, bok choy, kiwano, Napa cabbage, peanut	Fredericton
start indoors, plant out in June	Parsley, Brussels sprouts	Winnipeg, Edmonton, Quebec City and 10 more
start indoors, plant out in May	Kohlrabi	Edmonton, Quebec City, Halifax and 9 more
start indoors, plant out in July	Celeriac, celery, chayote	Winnipeg, Edmonton, Quebec City and 7 more
start indoors, plant out in May	Kale	Edmonton, Thunder Bay, Charlottetown and 2 more
sow direct	Turnip	Halifax

Compared with March: new — peas, onion, radish, cauliflower, Swiss chard, beet, zucchini, cucumber and 14 more.

Not starting in April: green beans (July, sown direct) — dates for Charlottetown.

How we work it out

For each city we use its average weather in April and the months after (highs, lows and rain for 2016–2025, ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo) and its average frost dates. A crop starts in April if the month's mean temperature reaches the minimum soil temperature for germination on its card (we use the mean air temperature as a stand-in for the soil's) and if, over its first months (up to three), the average highs stay within its group's range, with no frost for crops that cannot take it. Crops started indoors count from the month they are planted out.

Temperature groups from Colorado State University Extension: cool-season crops prefer 16–27 °C and lose quality in heat; hardy ones grow in days as cool as 4 °C, semi-hardy ones from 4–10 °C (we use 10 °C); warm-season crops need days above 13 °C, and the most tender (tomato, pepper, aubergine, melon, watermelon, squash) above 16 °C, up to 35 °C. Crops the guide does not name go into the stricter group by their frost hardiness. Broad beans, which the guide does not name, count as hardy: hardy varieties are sown in autumn and overwinter (RHS). Garlic and bulbs: a month before the first frost, and later only while the ground is not frozen (as on each city's page).

This is a general rule from averages: your garden can be a week or two earlier or later, and a greenhouse or a cold frame brings the season forward. Greenly works out the dates for your location.