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Planting Calendar for Sooke, BC

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The planting calendar below tells you when to plant in the SPRING and also plant in the FALL, based on your zip code or postal code.

Spring Planting Calendar

Our spring planting calendar starts with the very first dates that you can plant (based on the last spring frost). But if you've missed these dates, no worries! This is why we've added "last planting dates" to our spring calendar; this is meant to help new gardeners understand that if they missed the first spring planting window, they could still get crops in the ground.

In fact, many crops with short maturity times (such as radishes) can be succession planted all the way through the summer in northern areas. However, note that some cool-season crops, such as kale and lettuce, do not grow well in hot temperatures, which can cause bolting issues.  For some gardeners, especially in the South, a break to avoid summer heat is needed, but they can start once the heat has passed. 

The dates provided are based on the number of weeks before or after frost, so we can provide a unique calendar to every user in the country. Thus, several crops (especially similar crops) may appear to have the same date. Kale and lettuce, for example, or dates for starting seeds, like broccoli and cabbage. 

Fall Planting Calendar

When we say "fall," we really mean planting in summer in time for a fall harvest. Think of this as a second summer! It's easy to keep the crops going if you've already prepared the soil! 

Many crops that would be started indoors for a spring crop can just be plunked into the soil directly for a fall crop. Not only is the soil already warm but also there are less pests and it tends to be rainier so you don't need to water as often. Some fall vegetables need to be harvested by the first frost, but many are frost-tolerant and even taste better after a kiss of fall frost!

See each plant's individual Growing Guide for more specific planting, plant care, and harvesting information.

Specifically, on the charts, there are different columns labeled as follows:

  1. Start Seeds Indoors: When to sow seeds indoors to get an early start on the season.
  2. Plant Seedlings Outdoors: When to put small seedlings that you grew indoors (OR starter plants that you bought at a garden nursery) in the outdoor soil.
  3. Start Seeds Outdoors: When to plant seeds directly into the outdoor soil.
  4. Last Date to Plant: You may plant any time from the "start seeds" dates until this "last date." Don't wait any longer, or the crop won't have time to get to harvest before fall/winter frosts.

The "Moon Dates" indicate the best planting dates based on Moon phases. You can learn more about this age-old technique below.

When N/A appears in the chart, that starting method is typically not recommended, although it is likely still possible. 

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Planting Dates for Fall

On average, your first fall frost occurs on November 9 (at VICTORIA MARINE, BC climate station).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Moon Based on Moon Dates
Start Seeds OutdoorsTransplantAverage Days to MaturityFrost Tolerance
ArugulaFrost Sep 21-Oct 26
Moon Sep 21-Oct 6
N/A40Frost-hardy
BeetsFrost Aug 17-Sep 14
Moon Aug 17-22, Sep 8-14
N/A50Frost-tolerant
Bok ChoyFrost Aug 31-Sep 21
Moon Aug 31-Sep 7, Sep 21
N/A50Frost-tolerant
BroccoliFrost Aug 10-17
Frost Aug 31-Sep 14
Moon Aug 31-Sep 7
60Frost-tolerant
Brussels SproutsFrost Jul 20-Aug 3
Moon Jul 24-Aug 3
N/A100Frost-hardy
CabbageFrost Aug 10-17
Frost Aug 31-Sep 7
Moon Aug 31-Sep 7
90Frost-tolerant
CarrotsFrost Aug 24-31
N/A70Frost-tolerant
CauliflowerFrost Aug 3-10
Moon Aug 3-9
Frost Aug 17-24
Moon Aug 23-24
75Frost-tolerant
ChivesFrost Aug 17-Sep 14
Moon Aug 23-Sep 7
N/A70Frost-tolerant
FennelFrost Aug 10-24
Moon Aug 23-24
N/A80Tender
GarlicFrost Nov 23-Dec 7
Moon Dec 5-7
N/A120Frost-hardy
Green BeansFrost Aug 24-Sep 7
Moon Aug 24-Sep 7
N/A55Tender
KaleFrost Aug 31-Sep 14
Moon Aug 31-Sep 7
N/A60Frost-hardy
KohlrabiFrost Sep 7-28
Moon Sep 7, Sep 22-28
N/A45Frost-tolerant
LettuceFrost Aug 31-Sep 14
Moon Aug 31-Sep 7
N/A60Frost-tolerant
Mustard GreensFrost Sep 7-28
Moon Sep 7, Sep 22-28
N/A45Tender
PeasFrost Aug 31-Sep 14
Moon Aug 31-Sep 7
N/A55Tender
RadishesFrost Sep 28-Oct 12
Moon Oct 7-12
N/A25Frost-tolerant
SpinachFrost Sep 21-Oct 12
Moon Sep 21-Oct 6
N/A30Frost-hardy
Swiss ChardFrost Aug 31-Sep 14
Moon Aug 31-Sep 7
N/A60Frost-tolerant
TurnipsFrost Sep 7-21
Moon Sep 8-20
N/A50Frost-tolerant

Planting Dates for Spring

On average, your last spring frost occurs on April 5 (at VICTORIA MARINE, BC climate station, elevation 101 feet).
CropFrost Based on Frost Dates
Moon Based on Moon Dates
Start Seeds IndoorsPlant Seedlings
or Transplants
Start Seeds OutdoorsLast Date to Plant
ArugulaFrost Feb 7-21
Moon Feb 7-12
Frost Mar 15-29
Moon Mar 29
Frost Mar 7-15
Moon Mar 7-14
Oct 12
AsparagusN/AN/AFrost Mar 22-Apr 5
Moon Mar 22-28
Apr 5
BasilFrost Feb 21-Mar 7
Moon Feb 27-Mar 7
Frost Apr 19-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Frost Apr 19-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Sep 28
BeetsN/AFrost Mar 22-Apr 5
Moon Mar 22-28
Frost Mar 7-15
Moon Mar 15
Apr 19
Bell PeppersFrost Jan 24-Feb 7
Moon Jan 29-Feb 7
Frost Apr 19-26
N/AAug 17
Bok ChoyFrost Feb 21-Mar 7
Moon Feb 27-Mar 7
Frost Apr 19-26
Frost Apr 19-26
May 17
BroccoliFrost Feb 7-21
Moon Feb 7-12
Frost Mar 22-Apr 5
Moon Mar 29-Apr 5
Frost Mar 7-15
Moon Mar 7-14
Sep 7
Brussels SproutsFrost Feb 21-Mar 7
Moon Feb 27-Mar 7
Frost Mar 22-Apr 5
Moon Mar 29-Apr 5
Frost Mar 7-15
Moon Mar 7-14
Aug 3
CabbageFrost Feb 7-21
Moon Feb 7-12
Frost Mar 22-Apr 5
Moon Mar 29-Apr 5
Frost Mar 7-15
Moon Mar 7-14
Apr 12
CantaloupesFrost Mar 15-29
Moon Mar 29
Frost Apr 5-19
Moon Apr 5-12
Frost Apr 12-19
Moon Apr 12
Aug 3
CarrotsN/AN/AFrost Mar 7-22
Moon Mar 15-22
Aug 31
CauliflowerFrost Feb 21-Mar 7
Moon Feb 27-Mar 7
Frost Mar 29-Apr 12
Moon Mar 29-Apr 12
N/AAug 24
CeleryFrost Jan 10-24
Moon Jan 10-13
Frost Apr 12-26
Moon Apr 12
Frost Apr 5
Moon Apr 5
Aug 31
ChivesFrost Feb 7-21
Moon Feb 7-12
Frost Mar 15-22
Frost Mar 15-22
Sep 14
Cilantro (Coriander)N/AN/AFrost Apr 5-19
Moon Apr 5-12
Apr 26
CollardsFrost Feb 21-Mar 7
Moon Feb 27-Mar 7
Frost Mar 22-Apr 5
Moon Mar 29-Apr 5
Frost Mar 15-22
Aug 31
CucumbersFrost Mar 15-22
Frost Apr 12-26
Moon Apr 12
Frost Apr 19-26
Aug 31
DillN/AN/AFrost Mar 29-Apr 19
Moon Mar 29-Apr 12
Sep 14
Dry BeansN/AN/AFrost Apr 19-26
Aug 3
EggplantsFrost Feb 7-21
Moon Feb 7-12
Frost Apr 19-26
N/AAug 31
Fava BeansN/AN/AFrost Mar 7-15
Moon Mar 7-14
Apr 19
FennelFrost Feb 21-Mar 7
Moon Feb 27-Mar 7
Frost Apr 12-19
Moon Apr 12
Frost Apr 5-19
Moon Apr 5-12
Aug 24
GarlicN/AN/AN/A
Green BeansN/AN/AFrost Apr 12-May 3
Moon Apr 12, Apr 27-May 3
Aug 31
Honeydew MelonsFrost Mar 15-22
Frost Apr 19-26
Frost Apr 19-26
Aug 10
Jalapeño PeppersFrost Jan 24-Feb 7
Moon Jan 29-Feb 7
Frost Apr 19-26
N/A
KaleFrost Feb 7-21
Moon Feb 7-12
Frost Mar 22-Apr 5
Moon Mar 29-Apr 5
Frost Mar 7-15
Moon Mar 7-14
Apr 19
KohlrabiFrost Feb 21-Mar 7
Moon Feb 27-Mar 7
Frost Mar 15-22
Frost Mar 7-15
Moon Mar 7-14
Apr 19
LeeksFrost Jan 24-Feb 7
Moon Jan 29-Feb 7
Frost Mar 15-29
Moon Mar 29
N/AJul 27
LettuceFrost Feb 21-Mar 7
Moon Feb 27-Mar 7
Frost Mar 15-22
Frost Mar 7-15
Moon Mar 7-14
Apr 19
MicrogreensN/AN/AN/A
Mustard GreensN/AN/AN/A
OkraFrost Mar 7-22
Moon Mar 7-14
Frost Apr 19-26
Frost Apr 19-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Aug 31
OnionsN/AFrost Mar 7-22
Moon Mar 15-22
N/AAug 3
OreganoFrost Jan 24-Feb 21
Moon Jan 29-Feb 12
Frost Apr 12-26
Moon Apr 12
N/AAug 31
ParsleyFrost Jan 24-Feb 7
Moon Jan 29-Feb 7
Frost Apr 12-26
Moon Apr 12
Frost Mar 7-Apr 12
Moon Mar 7-14, Mar 29-Apr 12
Aug 24
ParsnipsN/AN/AFrost Mar 7-15
Moon Mar 15
Aug 3
PeanutsN/AN/AFrost Apr 26-May 10
Moon Apr 26
PeasN/AN/AFrost Mar 7-15
Moon Mar 7-14
Apr 19
PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Mar 7-22
Moon Mar 15-22
Aug 31
PumpkinsFrost Mar 15-29
Moon Mar 29
Frost Apr 19-26
Frost Apr 19-26
Jul 27
RadishesN/AN/AFrost Mar 7-15
Moon Mar 15
Sep 14
RosemaryFrost Jan 10-24
Moon Jan 10-13
Frost Apr 19-26
N/ASep 14
SageFrost Feb 7-21
Moon Feb 7-12
Frost Apr 12-26
Moon Apr 12
N/AAug 24
SalsifyN/AN/AFrost Mar 7-22
Moon Mar 15-22
Aug 3
SpinachFrost Feb 21-Mar 7
Moon Feb 27-Mar 7
Frost Mar 15-22
Frost Mar 7-15
Moon Mar 7-14
Apr 19
Sweet CornN/AN/AFrost Apr 19-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
Aug 24
Sweet PotatoesN/AN/AFrost Apr 19-May 3
Moon Apr 19-26
Jul 27
Swiss ChardFrost Feb 21-Mar 7
Moon Feb 27-Mar 7
Frost Mar 22-Apr 5
Moon Mar 29-Apr 5
Frost Mar 15-Apr 5
Moon Mar 29-Apr 5
Apr 19
ThymeFrost Jan 24-Feb 7
Moon Jan 29-Feb 7
Frost Apr 12-19
Moon Apr 12
N/AAug 17
TomatillosFrost Feb 21-Mar 7
Moon Feb 27-Mar 7
Frost Apr 19-May 3
Moon Apr 27-May 3
N/AAug 24
TomatoesFrost Feb 7-21
Moon Feb 7-12
Frost Apr 19-26
N/AAug 10
TurnipsN/AN/AFrost Mar 7-15
Moon Mar 15
Oct 12
WatermelonsFrost Mar 15-29
Moon Mar 29
Frost Apr 19-26
Frost Apr 12-19
Moon Apr 12
Aug 10
Winter SquashFrost Mar 15-22
Frost Apr 12-26
Moon Apr 12
Frost Apr 19-26
Jul 20
Zucchini (Summer Squash)Frost Mar 15-22
Frost Apr 12-26
Moon Apr 12
Frost Apr 19-26
Sep 7
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