When to plant in Rimouski, QC
Planting dates worked out from Rimouski's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
May 17
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 8
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Oct 15
1 year in 10 by Oct 5
Frost-free days
160
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Rimouski · 0.6 km away · station 36 m, town 23 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 1 – Apr 15 | May 27 – Jun 10 | Jul 21 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | May 27 – Jun 10 | Jul 26 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 23 – Mar 30 | Apr 27 – May 11 | Jun 6 |
| Peas | — | Apr 27 – May 25 | Jun 21 |
| Bush beans | — | May 22 – Jun 12 | Jul 11 |
| Carrot | — | May 7 – Jun 18 | Jul 6 |
| Beet | — | May 7 – Jun 18 | Jun 26 |
| Potato | — | May 7 – May 28 | Jul 16 |
| Kale | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | May 4 – May 18 | Jun 16 |
| Broccoli | Mar 16 – Mar 30 | Apr 27 – May 18 | Jun 26 |
| Cucumber | Apr 29 – May 6 | May 27 – Jun 10 | Jul 16 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | Apr 29 – May 6 | May 27 – Jun 10 | Jul 11 |
| Winter squash | Apr 29 – May 6 | May 27 – Jun 10 | Aug 15 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 22 – Jun 12 | Jul 21 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 27 – May 18 | Jul 26 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 19 – Oct 17 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 27 – May 25 | Jun 4 |
| Basil | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | May 27 – Jun 10 | Jul 23 |
Rimouski'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 |
|---|---|
| 1953 | May 11 |
| 1954 | May 13 |
| 1955 | May 1 |
| 1956 | May 24 |
| 1957 | May 18 |
| 1958 | May 15 |
| 1959 | May 24 |
| 1960 | May 1 |
| 1961 | May 6 |
| 1962 | May 18 |
| 1963 | May 12 |
| 1964 | May 5 |
| 1965 | May 27 |
| 1966 | May 9 |
| 1967 | May 28 |
| 1968 | May 13 |
| 1969 | May 2 |
| 1970 | May 26 |
| 1971 | May 3 |
| 1973 | May 8 |
| 1974 | May 6 |
| 1975 | Jun 8 |
| 1976 | May 8 |
| 1977 | May 8 |
| 1978 | May 6 |
| 1979 | May 6 |
| 1980 | May 9 |
| 1981 | May 19 |
| 1982 | May 23 |
| 1983 | May 17 |
| 1985 | May 14 |
| 1986 | May 13 |
| 1988 | Apr 30 |
| 1989 | Apr 26 |
| 1990 | May 24 |
| 1991 | May 18 |
| 1992 | May 15 |
| 1993 | May 15 |
| 1994 | May 20 |
| 1995 | May 10 |
| 1996 | May 16 |
| 1997 | May 8 |
| 1998 | Apr 27 |
| 1999 | May 13 |
| 2001 | May 6 |
| 2002 | May 14 |
| 2003 | May 5 |
| 2004 | May 10 |
| 2005 | May 13 |
| 2006 | Apr 29 |
| 2007 | May 22 |
| 2008 | May 3 |
| 2009 | Apr 30 |
| 2010 | Apr 27 |
| 2012 | Apr 28 |
| 2013 | Apr 27 |
| 2015 | May 3 |
| 2016 | May 9 |
| 2017 | May 10 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1953 | 141 |
| 1954 | 146 |
| 1955 | 131 |
| 1956 | 113 |
| 1957 | 148 |
| 1958 | 139 |
| 1959 | 135 |
| 1960 | 94 |
| 1961 | 162 |
| 1963 | 132 |
| 1964 | 148 |
| 1965 | 125 |
| 1966 | 132 |
| 1967 | 131 |
| 1968 | 146 |
| 1969 | 139 |
| 1970 | 143 |
| 1971 | 147 |
| 1973 | 138 |
| 1974 | 144 |
| 1975 | 122 |
| 1976 | 155 |
| 1977 | 136 |
| 1978 | 150 |
| 1979 | 157 |
| 1980 | 154 |
| 1981 | 145 |
| 1982 | 128 |
| 1983 | 146 |
| 1985 | 151 |
| 1986 | 149 |
| 1988 | 156 |
| 1990 | 149 |
| 1991 | 149 |
| 1992 | 155 |
| 1993 | 142 |
| 1994 | 144 |
| 1995 | 162 |
| 1996 | 141 |
| 1997 | 166 |
| 1998 | 162 |
| 2001 | 174 |
| 2002 | 147 |
| 2003 | 166 |
| 2004 | 148 |
| 2005 | 151 |
| 2006 | 164 |
| 2007 | 159 |
| 2008 | 168 |
| 2009 | 167 |
| 2010 | 185 |
| 2012 | 172 |
| 2016 | 158 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1953 | 12.3 °C |
| 1954 | 11.2 °C |
| 1955 | 12.5 °C |
| 1956 | 10.6 °C |
| 1957 | 11.0 °C |
| 1958 | 11.9 °C |
| 1959 | 12.8 °C |
| 1961 | 12.3 °C |
| 1963 | 12.4 °C |
| 1964 | 11.6 °C |
| 1965 | 10.5 °C |
| 1966 | 11.6 °C |
| 1967 | 11.6 °C |
| 1969 | 11.5 °C |
| 1970 | 12.3 °C |
| 1971 | 12.1 °C |
| 1973 | 12.7 °C |
| 1974 | 11.4 °C |
| 1975 | 12.8 °C |
| 1976 | 12.6 °C |
| 1977 | 11.8 °C |
| 1978 | 12.3 °C |
| 1979 | 13.1 °C |
| 1980 | 11.9 °C |
| 1981 | 12.4 °C |
| 1982 | 11.3 °C |
| 1983 | 12.6 °C |
| 1984 | 12.4 °C |
| 1985 | 12.4 °C |
| 1986 | 11.7 °C |
| 1987 | 13.1 °C |
| 1988 | 12.4 °C |
| 1989 | 13.3 °C |
| 1990 | 12.9 °C |
| 1991 | 12.9 °C |
| 1992 | 12.2 °C |
| 1993 | 12.5 °C |
| 1994 | 12.9 °C |
| 1995 | 13.1 °C |
| 1996 | 12.5 °C |
| 1997 | 11.8 °C |
| 1998 | 13.6 °C |
| 1999 | 14.7 °C |
| 2001 | 13.6 °C |
| 2002 | 13.0 °C |
| 2003 | 12.9 °C |
| 2004 | 12.5 °C |
| 2005 | 13.7 °C |
| 2006 | 13.4 °C |
| 2007 | 12.5 °C |
| 2008 | 13.4 °C |
| 2009 | 12.7 °C |
| 2010 | 14.0 °C |
| 2013 | 13.3 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1953, Rimouski's last spring frost has come about 2 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown by about 6 days per decade. Year-to-year swings are large, so keep using the safe date rather than the trend.
Source: daily records from Rimouski (NOAA GHCN-Daily, from Environment and Climate Change Canada). Years with too many missing days are left out.