Will Spinach Bolt Early in Ontario?
Spinach in Ontario is far more likely to bolt from the calendar than from a heat wave.
Gardening in Ontario
Everything we have worked out for Ontario: 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 Toronto, the last spring freeze falls around April 30 and the first fall freeze falls around October 16, 2,297 growing degree days in the year.
That is enough for early varieties, tight for anything late. Garlic does well: 30.4 weeks below 40 °F, comfortably past the six it needs to form a proper head.
Elsewhere on the property in Ontario: 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.
Will Ontario Soil Hold an Asparagus Bed for Fifteen Years?
Yes, in most cases, an Ontario garden can carry an asparagus bed for its full ten-to-fifteen-year run, but the deciding factor was never the province’s…
When to Plant Asparagus Crowns in Ontario
Early spring is the answer, timed to when the ground has dried enough to work rather than to a fixed date on the calendar.
Growing Sweet Corn in Ontario: Will It Ripen?
Yes, in most years southern Ontario has enough growing season to bring sweet corn to full ripeness, provided the gardener waits for the soil rather than…
Growing Asparagus in Ontario: Fifteen Years in One Spot
Fifteen years is the commitment: an asparagus bed planted today in Ontario will still be feeding the same kitchen when it’s a teenager.
When to Sow Pumpkins in Ontario
In the Toronto area, pumpkin seed goes into the ground once soil holds steady at 65°F, typically well after the average last spring frost of April 30.
Will Pumpkins Ripen Before Frost in Ontario?
Yes, but only if the flowers opened early enough. In Ontario, using the Toronto Pearson averages, a pumpkin flower needs to open by roughly late August…
When to Sow Parsnips in Ontario
Sow parsnips in Ontario in early-to-mid April, about two to three weeks before the average last frost of April 30.
Will Parsnips Sweeten in Ontario?
Yes, Ontario’s winters run cold enough to sweeten parsnips left in the ground.
Growing Spinach in Ontario: When Will It Bolt?
Spinach growing in Ontario doesn’t fail because of heat, it fails because of light.