When to plant in Bedford, QC
Planting dates worked out from Bedford's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 25
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 10
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 3
1 year in 10 by Sep 24
Frost-free days
144
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Philipsburg · 12.2 km away · station 53 m, town 57 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 30 – Apr 13 | May 25 – Jun 8 | Jul 19 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | May 25 – Jun 8 | Jul 24 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 8 – Mar 15 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 | May 22 |
| Peas | — | Apr 12 – May 10 | Jun 6 |
| Bush beans | — | May 18 – Jun 8 | Jul 7 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 21 – Jun 2 | Jun 20 |
| Beet | — | Apr 21 – Jun 2 | Jun 10 |
| Potato | — | Apr 21 – May 12 | Jun 30 |
| Kale | Mar 8 – Mar 22 | Apr 19 – May 3 | Jun 1 |
| Broccoli | Mar 1 – Mar 15 | Apr 12 – May 3 | Jun 11 |
| Cucumber | Apr 27 – May 4 | May 25 – Jun 8 | Jul 14 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 27 – May 4 | May 25 – Jun 8 | Jul 9 |
| Winter squash | Apr 27 – May 4 | May 25 – Jun 8 | Aug 13 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 18 – Jun 8 | Jul 17 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 12 – May 3 | Jul 11 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 19 – Oct 17 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 12 – May 10 | May 20 |
| Basil | Apr 13 – Apr 27 | May 25 – Jun 8 | Jul 21 |
Bedford'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 |
|---|---|
| 1951 | Apr 7 |
| 1952 | May 5 |
| 1953 | May 3 |
| 1954 | Apr 24 |
| 1955 | Apr 28 |
| 1956 | May 24 |
| 1957 | May 17 |
| 1958 | May 6 |
| 1959 | May 9 |
| 1960 | Apr 29 |
| 1961 | May 31 |
| 1962 | May 12 |
| 1963 | May 12 |
| 1964 | May 21 |
| 1965 | May 5 |
| 1966 | May 10 |
| 1967 | May 8 |
| 1968 | May 8 |
| 1969 | May 27 |
| 1970 | Apr 20 |
| 1971 | Apr 24 |
| 1972 | May 8 |
| 1973 | May 7 |
| 1975 | May 1 |
| 1976 | Apr 15 |
| 1977 | May 15 |
| 1978 | May 1 |
| 1980 | Apr 22 |
| 1981 | Apr 23 |
| 1982 | Apr 30 |
| 1983 | May 18 |
| 1984 | Apr 27 |
| 1985 | May 9 |
| 1986 | Jun 3 |
| 1987 | May 19 |
| 1988 | May 2 |
| 1989 | Apr 29 |
| 1990 | May 3 |
| 1991 | May 19 |
| 1992 | May 25 |
| 1993 | May 14 |
| 1994 | May 3 |
| 1995 | May 9 |
| 1996 | Apr 29 |
| 1997 | May 27 |
| 1998 | Apr 27 |
| 1999 | May 12 |
| 2001 | May 6 |
| 2002 | May 25 |
| 2003 | May 4 |
| 2004 | May 8 |
| 2006 | Apr 30 |
| 2007 | Apr 26 |
| 2008 | May 2 |
| 2009 | May 26 |
| 2010 | May 11 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1951 | 175 |
| 1952 | 157 |
| 1953 | 162 |
| 1954 | 166 |
| 1955 | 176 |
| 1956 | 125 |
| 1957 | 156 |
| 1958 | 159 |
| 1959 | 157 |
| 1960 | 162 |
| 1961 | 143 |
| 1963 | 134 |
| 1964 | 132 |
| 1965 | 147 |
| 1966 | 168 |
| 1967 | 151 |
| 1968 | 176 |
| 1969 | 147 |
| 1970 | 182 |
| 1972 | 154 |
| 1976 | 179 |
| 1977 | 145 |
| 1978 | 147 |
| 1980 | 159 |
| 1981 | 160 |
| 1982 | 176 |
| 1983 | 144 |
| 1985 | 155 |
| 1986 | 128 |
| 1987 | 130 |
| 1988 | 149 |
| 1989 | 163 |
| 1990 | 169 |
| 1991 | 133 |
| 1992 | 121 |
| 1993 | 138 |
| 1994 | 160 |
| 1995 | 142 |
| 1996 | 157 |
| 1997 | 119 |
| 1998 | 159 |
| 1999 | 145 |
| 2001 | 146 |
| 2002 | 136 |
| 2003 | 155 |
| 2006 | 135 |
| 2007 | 185 |
| 2008 | 157 |
| 2009 | 140 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1951 | 15.4 °C |
| 1952 | 16.1 °C |
| 1953 | 16.1 °C |
| 1954 | 14.8 °C |
| 1955 | 17.0 °C |
| 1956 | 13.9 °C |
| 1957 | 16.1 °C |
| 1958 | 15.3 °C |
| 1959 | 17.4 °C |
| 1960 | 16.6 °C |
| 1961 | 16.1 °C |
| 1962 | 15.2 °C |
| 1963 | 15.3 °C |
| 1964 | 15.9 °C |
| 1965 | 15.5 °C |
| 1966 | 15.6 °C |
| 1967 | 15.7 °C |
| 1968 | 16.3 °C |
| 1969 | 15.8 °C |
| 1970 | 16.5 °C |
| 1971 | 16.1 °C |
| 1972 | 15.6 °C |
| 1973 | 16.6 °C |
| 1974 | 15.0 °C |
| 1975 | 16.3 °C |
| 1976 | 15.5 °C |
| 1977 | 15.3 °C |
| 1978 | 15.0 °C |
| 1980 | 15.6 °C |
| 1981 | 16.1 °C |
| 1982 | 15.3 °C |
| 1983 | 15.8 °C |
| 1984 | 15.5 °C |
| 1985 | 15.0 °C |
| 1986 | 15.1 °C |
| 1987 | 16.4 °C |
| 1988 | 16.6 °C |
| 1989 | 15.9 °C |
| 1990 | 15.6 °C |
| 1991 | 16.0 °C |
| 1992 | 14.7 °C |
| 1993 | 15.6 °C |
| 1994 | 15.0 °C |
| 1995 | 15.2 °C |
| 1996 | 15.4 °C |
| 1997 | 14.7 °C |
| 1998 | 16.9 °C |
| 1999 | 17.2 °C |
| 2000 | 15.1 °C |
| 2001 | 16.6 °C |
| 2002 | 16.3 °C |
| 2003 | 16.0 °C |
| 2006 | 16.5 °C |
| 2007 | 16.1 °C |
| 2008 | 16.6 °C |
| 2009 | 16.1 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1951, Bedford's last spring frost has come about 1 day later per decade, on average. The frost-free season has shrunk by about 2 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Philipsburg (NOAA GHCN-Daily, from Environment and Climate Change Canada). Years with too many missing days are left out.