When to Plant Asparagus Crowns in Alberta
The short answer: plant asparagus crowns in early spring, once the ground has thawed and worked but before the last frost date has firmly passed, and put…
Gardening in Alberta
Everything we have worked out for Alberta: what to plant and when, which varieties finish in time, the pests that actually turn up here, and the jobs that pay off month by month. We also cover the rest of the property, from lawns and soil to home care and energy, because a garden rarely stops at the vegetable bed.
The numbers first, because everything else follows from them. Measured at the weather station in Calgary, the last spring freeze falls around May 21 and the first fall freeze falls around September 16, 1,171 growing degree days in the year.
That is little accumulated warmth: tomatoes need a tunnel or a greenhouse here, whatever the frost dates suggest. Garlic does well: 39.1 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in Alberta: the pests that turn up here.
Figures from Environment and Climate Change Canada. A state is not one climate: elevation, a large lake or the coast can move these dates by two weeks either way, so check your own county with the extension service before you spend money.
Growing Sweet Corn in Alberta: Will It Ripen?
Alberta’s growing season is short for a warm-season crop like corn. Soil here needs to hold steady above 60°F before seed will germinate reliably, and…
Growing Asparagus in Alberta: Fifteen Years in One Spot
Alberta’s dominant farmland soil, a Chernozem, drains well by nature, which matters more for asparagus than for almost anything else you’ll plant.
When to Sow Autumn Spinach in Alberta
In Calgary and most of Alberta, the safe window for sowing spinach for a fall harvest runs from early July through the last days of that month, counted…
Will Spinach Bolt Early in Alberta?
Yes, spinach bolts early almost everywhere in Alberta, and the reason has little to do with how hot the summer gets.
When to Sow Pumpkins in Alberta
Pumpkins in Alberta go into the ground once the soil holds steady at 65°F, usually a few weeks after the average May 21 last frost.
Will Pumpkins Ripen Before Frost in Alberta?
Most pumpkin vines in Alberta only make it to a ripe, orange finish if flowering wraps up by late July.
When to Sow Parsnips in Alberta
Sow parsnip seed directly outdoors 2 to 3 weeks before the last spring frost.
Will Parsnips Sweeten in Alberta?
Yes, parsnips left in Alberta soil through autumn frosts will sweeten, not just grow.
Growing Spinach in Alberta: When Will It Bolt?
In Calgary, spinach typically starts bolting from mid-June onward, once the daylight stretches past the point where the plant switches from making leaves…