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What Can Grow in Canadian Zone 5?

Growing Zone Zone 5
Frost-Free Days 182
Last Frost mid-April
First Frost mid-October

Moderate continental climate. Most vegetables and fruits grown across Canada succeed here. The heartland of Canadian food gardening.

Find your exact zone:

📅 Planting Calendar for Canadian Zone 5

When to start seeds indoors and transplant outdoors, based on your frost dates.

Plant Start Indoors Transplant Out Direct Sow Harvest
🌾 Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) Mar 18 Apr 15 — Jun 4 – Jun 29
🥬 Arugula — — Apr 15 May 6 – May 25
❤️ Beets — — Apr 15 Jun 4 – Jun 24
🫑 Bell Pepper Feb 18 Apr 15 — Jun 24 – Jul 14
🥬 Bok Choy Mar 18 Apr 15 — May 30 – Jun 14
🥦 Broccoli Mar 4 Apr 15 — Jun 14 – Jul 4
🫛 Brussels Sprouts Feb 18 Apr 15 — Jul 14 – Oct 12
🥬 Cabbage Mar 4 Apr 15 — Jun 24 – Aug 13
🥕 Carrot — — Apr 15 Jun 24 – Jul 4
🥔 Celeriac Feb 4 Apr 15 — Aug 3 – Aug 13
🍒 Cherry Tomato Mar 4 Apr 15 — Jun 9 – Jun 24
🌶️ Chili Pepper Feb 18 Apr 15 — Jun 19 – Jul 4
🥬 Collard Greens Mar 18 Apr 15 — Jun 14 – Jul 4
🌽 Corn — — Apr 15 Jun 14 – Jul 14
🥒 Cucumber Mar 25 Apr 15 — Jun 4 – Jun 24
🫛 Edamame (Soybean) — — Apr 15 Jun 24 – Jul 19
🍆 Eggplant Feb 18 Apr 15 — Jun 19 – Jul 4
🫘 Fava Beans — — Apr 15 Jul 4 – Jul 24
🌿 Florence Fennel — — Apr 15 Jun 19 – Jul 14
🧄 Garlic — — Oct 1 – Oct 31 Jun – Jul (following year)
🫘 Green Beans — — Apr 15 Jun 4 – Jun 19
🍬 Ground Cherry Mar 4 Apr 15 — Jun 24 – Jul 9
🥬 Kale Mar 18 Apr 15 — Jun 9 – Jun 29
🥬 Kohlrabi Mar 18 Apr 15 — May 30 – Jun 14
🧅 Leek Jan 21 Apr 15 — Jul 24 – Sep 12
🥬 Lettuce — — Apr 15 May 15 – Jun 14
🌱 Microgreens — — Apr 15 Apr 22 – May 6
🥬 Mustard Greens — — Apr 15 May 15 – May 25
🧅 Onion Feb 18 Apr 15 — Jul 14 – Aug 13
🥕 Parsnip — — Apr 15 Jul 24 – Aug 23
🫛 Peas — — Apr 15 Jun 9 – Jun 24
🥔 Potato — — Apr 15 Jun 24 – Aug 13
🎃 Pumpkin Mar 25 Apr 15 — Jun 29 – Jul 24
🔴 Radish — — Apr 15 May 7 – May 15
🥔 Rutabaga — — Apr 15 Jul 14 – Jul 29
🫛 Snap Peas — — Apr 15 Jun 14 – Jun 24
🥬 Spinach — — Apr 15 May 25 – Jun 4
🍠 Sweet Potato — — Apr 15 Jul 14 – Aug 13
🥬 Swiss Chard — — Apr 15 Jun 4 – Jun 14
🫑 Tomatillo Mar 4 Apr 15 — Jun 29 – Jul 24
🍅 Tomato Mar 4 Apr 15 — Jun 14 – Jul 9
🫛 Turnip — — Apr 15 May 30 – Jun 14
🥬 Zucchini Mar 25 Apr 15 — May 30 – Jun 14
🌿 Basil Mar 18 Apr 15 — May 15 – Jun 14
💙 Borage — — Apr 15 Jun 4 – Jun 14
🌿 Cilantro — — Apr 15 May 6 – May 30
🌿 Dill — — Apr 15 May 25 – Jun 14
🌱 Fenugreek (Methi) — — Apr 15 May 5 – May 15
🌿 French Tarragon — — Apr 15 Jun 14 – Jul 14
🌼 German Chamomile — — Apr 15 Jun 14 – Jul 14
🍃 Lemon Balm Mar 4 Apr 15 — Jun 14 – Jun 24
🌿 Parsley — — Apr 15 Jun 24 – Jul 14
🍉 Watermelon Mar 18 Apr 15 — Jun 24 – Jul 14
🌻 Sunflower — — Apr 15 Jun 14 – Jul 4

Dates are averages based on Zone 5 frost dates (last frost: mid-April, first frost: mid-October). Adjust for your specific microclimate.

🥦 Vegetables

🍓 Fruits

🌿 Herbs

⚠️ Worth Trying (Marginal)

These plants are outside the ideal zone range but possible with the right approach.

🗺️ Canadian Plant Hardiness Zones

Zone 5 is shown in this colour on the map below
Canadian Plant Hardiness Zone Map — zones 0 to 9

Canadian Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2014) — Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada / Canadian Forest Service

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Canadian zones run 0–9 (coldest to warmest) — a separate system from USDA zones. Browse all Canadian zones →

Browse Related Zones

Canadian Zone 1 Canadian Zone 2 Canadian Zone 3 Canadian Zone 4 Canadian Zone 5 Canadian Zone 6 Canadian Zone 7 Canadian Zone 8 Canadian Zone 9

Frequently Asked Questions

Moderate continental climate. Most vegetables and fruits grown across Canada succeed here. The heartland of Canadian food gardening. Vegetables like Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira), Arugula, Asparagus, Beets, Bell Pepper all grow well here.
You have about 182 frost-free days. Start warm-season crops indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost (mid-April) and transplant after that date.
Top vegetables for Canadian Zone 5: Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira), Arugula, Asparagus, Beets, Bell Pepper. For beginners, Amaranth (Chaulai / Rajgira) and Arugula are the easiest to start with.
Apple, Blackberry, Blueberry, Elderberry all grow well in Canadian Zone 5. Zone 5 is suitable for most temperate fruits.