When to plant in Québec, QC
Planting dates worked out from Québec's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 30
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 16
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Sep 27
1 year in 10 by Sep 17
Frost-free days
133
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Lauzon · 8.7 km away · station 69 m, town 54 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 | Apr 4 – Apr 18 | May 30 – Jun 13 | Jul 24 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 21 – Apr 4 | May 30 – Jun 13 | Jul 29 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 22 – Mar 29 | Apr 26 – May 10 | Jun 5 |
| Peas | — | Apr 26 – May 24 | Jun 20 |
| Bush beans | — | May 23 – Jun 13 | Jul 12 |
| Carrot | — | May 4 – Jun 15 | Jul 3 |
| Beet | — | May 4 – Jun 15 | Jun 23 |
| Potato | — | May 4 – May 25 | Jul 13 |
| Kale | Mar 22 – Apr 5 | May 3 – May 17 | Jun 15 |
| Broccoli | Mar 15 – Mar 29 | Apr 26 – May 17 | Jun 25 |
| Cucumber | May 2 – May 9 | May 30 – Jun 13 | Jul 19 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | May 2 – May 9 | May 30 – Jun 13 | Jul 14 |
| Winter squash | May 2 – May 9 | May 30 – Jun 13 | Aug 18 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 23 – Jun 13 | Jul 22 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 26 – May 17 | Jul 25 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 13 – Oct 11 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 26 – May 24 | Jun 3 |
| Basil | Apr 18 – May 2 | May 30 – Jun 13 | Jul 26 |
Québec'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 |
|---|---|
| 1979 | May 6 |
| 1980 | May 5 |
| 1981 | May 18 |
| 1982 | May 22 |
| 1983 | May 18 |
| 1984 | Apr 22 |
| 1985 | May 9 |
| 1986 | May 4 |
| 1987 | May 4 |
| 1988 | Apr 26 |
| 1989 | Apr 24 |
| 1990 | Apr 24 |
| 1991 | May 19 |
| 1992 | May 25 |
| 1993 | May 14 |
| 1994 | May 15 |
| 1995 | May 9 |
| 1996 | May 27 |
| 1997 | May 15 |
| 1998 | Apr 28 |
| 1999 | May 12 |
| 2001 | May 14 |
| 2002 | Jun 4 |
| 2003 | May 8 |
| 2004 | Jun 5 |
| 2005 | May 14 |
| 2006 | May 8 |
| 2007 | May 14 |
| 2008 | May 6 |
| 2009 | May 26 |
| 2010 | May 16 |
| 2011 | May 8 |
| 2012 | May 12 |
| 2013 | May 15 |
| 2014 | May 13 |
| 2017 | May 4 |
| 2018 | May 24 |
| 2020 | Jun 2 |
| 2021 | May 29 |
| 2022 | May 24 |
| 2023 | May 23 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1979 | 139 |
| 1980 | 141 |
| 1981 | 146 |
| 1982 | 140 |
| 1983 | 144 |
| 1984 | 165 |
| 1985 | 155 |
| 1986 | 146 |
| 1987 | 159 |
| 1988 | 163 |
| 1989 | 176 |
| 1990 | 178 |
| 1991 | 133 |
| 1992 | 121 |
| 1993 | 139 |
| 1994 | 139 |
| 1995 | 137 |
| 1996 | 129 |
| 1998 | 160 |
| 1999 | 145 |
| 2001 | 123 |
| 2002 | 116 |
| 2003 | 151 |
| 2004 | 106 |
| 2005 | 132 |
| 2008 | 135 |
| 2009 | 113 |
| 2010 | 140 |
| 2011 | 150 |
| 2012 | 130 |
| 2017 | 151 |
| 2018 | 122 |
| 2020 | 107 |
| 2021 | 148 |
| 2022 | 130 |
| 2023 | 153 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1979 | 14.3 °C |
| 1980 | 13.7 °C |
| 1981 | 13.9 °C |
| 1982 | 13.1 °C |
| 1983 | 14.2 °C |
| 1984 | 14.0 °C |
| 1985 | 13.5 °C |
| 1986 | 13.0 °C |
| 1987 | 14.6 °C |
| 1988 | 14.7 °C |
| 1989 | 14.7 °C |
| 1990 | 14.3 °C |
| 1991 | 14.1 °C |
| 1992 | 13.2 °C |
| 1993 | 13.7 °C |
| 1994 | 13.4 °C |
| 1995 | 13.6 °C |
| 1996 | 13.6 °C |
| 1997 | 12.5 °C |
| 1998 | 14.3 °C |
| 1999 | 14.7 °C |
| 2001 | 14.1 °C |
| 2002 | 13.2 °C |
| 2003 | 13.1 °C |
| 2004 | 12.5 °C |
| 2005 | 13.6 °C |
| 2007 | 14.1 °C |
| 2008 | 13.3 °C |
| 2009 | 13.2 °C |
| 2010 | 14.9 °C |
| 2011 | 13.7 °C |
| 2012 | 14.8 °C |
| 2013 | 13.9 °C |
| 2014 | 13.7 °C |
| 2017 | 13.5 °C |
| 2018 | 13.8 °C |
| 2020 | 13.6 °C |
| 2021 | 14.5 °C |
| 2022 | 13.9 °C |
| 2023 | 13.9 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1979, Québec's last spring frost has come about 4 days later per decade, on average. The frost-free season has shrunk by about 5 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Lauzon (NOAA GHCN-Daily, from Environment and Climate Change Canada). Years with too many missing days are left out.