When to plant in Courtenay, BC
Planting dates worked out from Courtenay's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 12
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
Apr 20
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 22
1 year in 10 by Oct 3
Frost-free days
178
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Courtenay Meadowbrook · 3.6 km away · station 35 m, town 13 m. How we match towns to stations
This season
Plan your garden.
Planting dates for common crops
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant out or sow | Harvest from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 7 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 4 – Mar 18 | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 12 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Feb 16 – Feb 23 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | May 2 |
| Peas | — | Mar 20 – Apr 17 | May 14 |
| Bush beans | — | May 5 – May 26 | Jun 24 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 9 – May 21 | Jun 8 |
| Beet | — | Apr 9 – May 21 | May 29 |
| Potato | — | Apr 9 – Apr 30 | Jun 18 |
| Kale | Feb 13 – Feb 27 | Mar 27 – Apr 10 | May 9 |
| Broccoli | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | May 22 |
| Cucumber | Apr 15 – Apr 22 | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 2 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 15 – Apr 22 | May 13 – May 27 | Jun 27 |
| Winter squash | Apr 15 – Apr 22 | May 13 – May 27 | Aug 1 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 5 – May 26 | Jul 4 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | Jun 21 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 28 – Oct 26 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Mar 20 – Apr 17 | Apr 27 |
| Basil | Apr 1 – Apr 15 | May 13 – May 27 | Jul 9 |
Courtenay's weather over time
How the growing season has shifted here, year by year, from the station's own records.
Each year's last spring frostLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Last spring frost |
|---|---|
| 1988 | May 1 |
| 1989 | Apr 9 |
| 1990 | Apr 28 |
| 1991 | Apr 12 |
| 1992 | Apr 23 |
| 1993 | Mar 28 |
| 1994 | Apr 14 |
| 1995 | Apr 16 |
| 1996 | May 4 |
| 1997 | Apr 19 |
| 1998 | Apr 20 |
| 1999 | May 10 |
| 2000 | May 26 |
| 2001 | May 6 |
| 2002 | May 10 |
| 2003 | May 16 |
| 2004 | Apr 1 |
| 2005 | Mar 30 |
| 2006 | Mar 20 |
| 2007 | Apr 2 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1988 | 178 |
| 1989 | 188 |
| 1990 | 159 |
| 1991 | 187 |
| 1992 | 156 |
| 1993 | 217 |
| 1994 | 198 |
| 1996 | 149 |
| 1997 | 170 |
| 1998 | 200 |
| 2000 | 132 |
| 2001 | 151 |
| 2002 | 153 |
| 2003 | 167 |
| 2004 | 212 |
| 2005 | 236 |
| 2006 | 223 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1988 | 14.0 °C |
| 1989 | 14.4 °C |
| 1990 | 14.9 °C |
| 1991 | 14.1 °C |
| 1992 | 14.7 °C |
| 1993 | 14.4 °C |
| 1994 | 15.1 °C |
| 1995 | 14.9 °C |
| 1996 | 13.9 °C |
| 1997 | 14.6 °C |
| 1998 | 15.3 °C |
| 1999 | 13.1 °C |
| 2000 | 13.6 °C |
| 2001 | 13.1 °C |
| 2002 | 13.8 °C |
| 2003 | 14.1 °C |
| 2004 | 16.1 °C |
| 2005 | 15.2 °C |
| 2006 | 15.3 °C |
| 2007 | 14.4 °C |
What this means for you: This station's record is too short to show a reliable trend yet.
Source: daily records from Courtenay Meadowbrook (NOAA GHCN-Daily, from Environment and Climate Change Canada). Years with too many missing days are left out.