When to plant in Valcourt, QC
Planting dates worked out from Valcourt's own frost records, not a generic zone chart.
Safe to plant out
Jun 3
1 year in 10 has a later frost
Average last frost
May 21
about a 50% chance of a later one
Average first fall frost
Sep 23
1 year in 10 by Sep 12
Frost-free days
117
median, 1991–2020
Station used: Bonsecours · 11.8 km away · station 297 m, town 200 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 8 – Apr 22 | Jun 3 – Jun 17 | Jul 28 |
| Sweet pepper | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | Jun 3 – Jun 17 | Aug 2 |
| Lettuce (leaf) | Mar 19 – Mar 26 | Apr 23 – May 7 | Jun 2 |
| Peas | — | Apr 22 – May 20 | Jun 16 |
| Bush beans | — | May 27 – Jun 17 | Jul 16 |
| Carrot | — | Apr 30 – Jun 11 | Jun 29 |
| Beet | — | Apr 30 – Jun 11 | Jun 19 |
| Potato | — | Apr 30 – May 21 | Jul 9 |
| Kale | Mar 18 – Apr 1 | Apr 29 – May 13 | Jun 11 |
| Broccoli | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | Apr 23 – May 14 | Jun 22 |
| Cucumber | May 6 – May 13 | Jun 3 – Jun 17 | Jul 23 |
| Summer squash and zucchini | May 6 – May 13 | Jun 3 – Jun 17 | Jul 18 |
| Winter squash | May 6 – May 13 | Jun 3 – Jun 17 | Aug 22 |
| Sweet corn | — | May 27 – Jun 17 | Jul 26 |
| Onion (from sets) | — | Apr 23 – May 14 | Jul 22 |
| Garlic | — | Sep 9 – Oct 7 (fall) | following summer |
| Spinach | — | Apr 22 – May 20 | May 30 |
| Basil | Apr 22 – May 6 | Jun 3 – Jun 17 | Jul 30 |
Valcourt'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 |
|---|---|
| 1968 | May 14 |
| 1969 | May 27 |
| 1970 | May 29 |
| 1971 | Jun 5 |
| 1972 | Jun 11 |
| 1973 | May 15 |
| 1974 | May 20 |
| 1975 | May 9 |
| 1977 | May 15 |
| 1978 | May 23 |
| 1979 | May 8 |
| 1980 | Jun 9 |
| 1981 | Jun 8 |
| 1982 | Jul 3 |
| 1983 | Jun 9 |
| 1984 | Jun 3 |
| 1985 | May 30 |
| 1986 | Jul 4 |
| 1987 | May 19 |
| 1988 | Jun 29 |
| 1989 | May 10 |
| 1990 | Jun 6 |
| 1991 | May 20 |
| 1992 | May 26 |
| 1993 | May 23 |
| 1994 | Jun 10 |
| 1995 | May 8 |
| 1996 | May 29 |
| 1997 | May 27 |
| 1998 | Apr 28 |
| 1999 | May 13 |
| 2000 | May 19 |
| 2001 | May 14 |
| 2002 | Jun 3 |
| 2003 | May 10 |
| 2004 | Jun 11 |
| 2005 | May 14 |
| 2006 | May 8 |
| 2007 | May 22 |
| 2008 | May 30 |
| 2017 | May 9 |
| 2018 | May 18 |
| 2020 | Jun 2 |
| 2021 | May 28 |
| 2022 | May 7 |
| 2023 | May 26 |
| 2024 | Apr 27 |
Each year's frost-free daysLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Frost-free days |
|---|---|
| 1968 | 138 |
| 1969 | 114 |
| 1970 | 129 |
| 1971 | 125 |
| 1972 | 103 |
| 1973 | 124 |
| 1974 | 126 |
| 1975 | 126 |
| 1977 | 119 |
| 1978 | 107 |
| 1979 | 134 |
| 1980 | 94 |
| 1981 | 93 |
| 1982 | 48 |
| 1983 | 96 |
| 1984 | 104 |
| 1985 | 104 |
| 1986 | 55 |
| 1987 | 98 |
| 1988 | 78 |
| 1989 | 137 |
| 1990 | 93 |
| 1991 | 114 |
| 1992 | 120 |
| 1993 | 111 |
| 1994 | 112 |
| 1995 | 122 |
| 1996 | 117 |
| 1997 | 117 |
| 1998 | 147 |
| 1999 | 143 |
| 2000 | 108 |
| 2001 | 123 |
| 2002 | 117 |
| 2003 | 149 |
| 2004 | 115 |
| 2005 | 132 |
| 2006 | 136 |
| 2007 | 117 |
| 2008 | 111 |
| 2017 | 155 |
| 2018 | 128 |
| 2020 | 107 |
| 2021 | 148 |
| 2022 | 148 |
| 2023 | 150 |
Each year's average temperature, April to SeptemberLong-term trend
See the data as a table
| Year | Growing-season temperature |
|---|---|
| 1969 | 12.7 °C |
| 1970 | 13.3 °C |
| 1971 | 13.0 °C |
| 1972 | 13.0 °C |
| 1973 | 14.1 °C |
| 1974 | 12.8 °C |
| 1975 | 13.7 °C |
| 1977 | 12.9 °C |
| 1978 | 12.0 °C |
| 1979 | 13.0 °C |
| 1980 | 12.7 °C |
| 1981 | 13.0 °C |
| 1982 | 11.8 °C |
| 1983 | 12.4 °C |
| 1984 | 11.9 °C |
| 1985 | 12.6 °C |
| 1986 | 12.6 °C |
| 1987 | 13.5 °C |
| 1988 | 13.2 °C |
| 1989 | 13.1 °C |
| 1990 | 12.9 °C |
| 1991 | 13.4 °C |
| 1992 | 12.3 °C |
| 1993 | 13.2 °C |
| 1994 | 13.0 °C |
| 1995 | 13.5 °C |
| 1996 | 13.2 °C |
| 1997 | 12.3 °C |
| 1998 | 14.4 °C |
| 1999 | 14.9 °C |
| 2000 | 12.9 °C |
| 2001 | 14.4 °C |
| 2002 | 13.9 °C |
| 2003 | 13.9 °C |
| 2004 | 13.6 °C |
| 2005 | 14.5 °C |
| 2006 | 13.9 °C |
| 2007 | 13.4 °C |
| 2008 | 14.1 °C |
| 2017 | 14.4 °C |
| 2018 | 14.7 °C |
| 2020 | 14.5 °C |
| 2021 | 15.3 °C |
| 2022 | 14.8 °C |
| 2023 | 15.0 °C |
What this means for you: Since 1968, Valcourt's last spring frost has come about 3 days earlier per decade, on average. The frost-free season has grown 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 Bonsecours (NOAA GHCN-Daily, from Environment and Climate Change Canada). Years with too many missing days are left out.