Niki Jabbour
With such a wide variety of vegetables that can be grown in Canadian gardens, it can be confusing trying to figure out when and how each type should be planted. Some vegetables, like bush beans are planted directly from seed while others, like tomatoes are transplanted as young seedlings.
You can start your own seedlings indoors yourself or you can buy them from your local nursery in late spring. To help you organize your spring vegetable garden I’ve listed the most common types of crops below with details on timing and planting.
Beans
Bush beans are direct seeded after the last frost in spring. Sow the seeds about an inch deep and two inches apart, with the rows spaced 18 inches apart. Plant a second crop in early July for September harvesting.
Beets
Beet seeds can be direct sown in the garden or started indoors five to six weeks before you intend to transplant. Sow seeds in the garden a week or two before the last expected spring frost. Plant them half an inch deep with two seeds per inch, eventually thinning three inches apart. If transplanting seedlings, place each seedling three inches apart.
Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower
These related crops can be started indoors 4 to 5 weeks before you plan to move the seedlings to the garden or they can be direct sown. I like to give them a head start indoors and when transplanting, space them 12 to 18 inches apart.
Carrots
Direct sow carrot seed in the garden two to three weeks before the last spring frost. Plant the seeds a quarter to half inch deep and about an inch apart. Rows should be 12 to 18 inches apart. If you have space, sow more seeds every few weeks until mid summer.
Corn
Corn loves warm soil so don’t rush spring planting. I like to wait a week or two after the last spring frost to seed corn. Sow seeds three quarters of an inch deep and six inches apart. Sow in a grid pattern, not in long rows to ensure good pollination.
Cucumbers, pumpkins and squash
These cousins can be started early indoors or direct seeded in the garden. They grow quick, so only sow them indoors a month before you intend to move them to the garden. When seeding outside, wait until the soil has warmed, at least a week after the last spring frost. Read individual seed packets for spacing information.
Lettuce and other salad greens
Most salad greens can be direct seeded or started indoors for a jump start on spring salads. I typically do both. I sow seeds indoors for lettuce, Swiss chard, and kale but then direct seed once the soil is workable in early spring. This gives me a long season of tender greens. Sow seeds just a quarter of an inch deep and two inches apart. For full heads of lettuce, thin seedlings to 8 to 12 inches, depending on the variety.
Onions
Quick growing scallions can be direct seeded but bulb onions are planted from sets (immature bulbs) or seedlings. I start my onion seeds indoors in early March, moving the young plants to the garden a few weeks before the last spring frost. Space seedlings or sets for bulbing onions around four inches apart.
Peas
Peas can be direct sown outdoors in mid-spring about a month before the last expected spring frost. Plant the seeds an inch deep and an inch apart in three to four inch wide bands. Most peas need to be trellised to support the vines. Add the supports when you plant the seeds to avoid damaging the plants later on.
Peppers
Peppers are a long season, heat-loving crop and need to be started indoors under grow lights or in a sunny window eight to ten weeks before the last frost date. When you move them to the garden, place the plants 12 to 18 inches apart and support them with a tomato cage.
Potatoes
Potatoes aren’t typically grown from seeds or seedlings. Instead, they’re planted from seed potatoes. Small seed potatoes can be planted whole, but larger ones should be cut into smaller pieces with one to two ‘eyes’ per piece. Plant them three inches deep and as the plants grow, continue to mound soil over top to a total depth of four inches.
Radishes
Fast growing spring radishes are ready to harvest just one month after direct seeding. Sow the seeds a quarter inch deep and one inch apart. Plant more seeds every three to four weeks for months of radishes.
Tomatoes
Like peppers, tomatoes need to be started indoors early. Sow seeds six to eight weeks before the last spring frost date. Once the weather has warmed, plant the seedlings two feet apart in garden beds or plant in large containers. Stake or support tall varieties of tomatoes.
Turnips
Like most root crops, turnips should be direct sown in mid to late spring, beginning about two weeks before the last frost date. Plant seeds a quarter inch deep and one inch apart, eventually thinning to two inches apart. Sow more seed every few weeks.
Watermelon and melons
These heat lovers need warm soil and air temperatures to grow well. Start the seeds indoors four to five weeks before the last frost date. Move the young seedlings to the garden once the weather has warmed. Plant seedlings two to three feet apart in rows six feet apart.
