Gardening For Early Spring Harvest

by Jennifer Smith October 17, 2016

Although the growing season in Canada is short, with only 130 frost-free days, Canadian gardeners can still enjoy a bountiful organic garden by doing proper garden maintenance and planting seeds.

"Plants will stop growing when there are fewer than 10 hours of daylight available," says Niki Jabbour, a Halifax-based garden writer whose first book, The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener. She says the key to success is knowing what to plant at what time of year and selecting cool-season vegetables like lettuce for fall planting.

For early spring, gardeners should begin planting herbs, lettuces and root vegetables including leek, onions, carrots, turnips and spinach. When the temperatures drop in late-fall/winter, gardeners can grow broccoli, artichoke, and collard greens. Choose a variety of vegetables that mature in short periods of time as to avoid frost. Gardeners will water less in late fall as the weather cools to prevent freezing the garden vegetables. They will also need to cover plants from wind or frost.

Investing in a greenhouse or cold frame is also recommended to pro-long the lifespan of gardens. Greenhouses can continue the growing process of plants while cold frames keep plants alive for springtime.

DeerbustersCanada suggests installing deer fencing now to keep deer and other wildlife out of gardens. As food becomes scarce, deer wander to gardens in search of food. DeerbustersCanada.ca deer fencing is weather-resistant and will stay strong even in harsh weather conditions. See DeerbustersCanada fencing solutions for more information.

If gardeners plant too soon when it's still brutally hot, then the plants will not germinate. Growing the right food at the right time will give families plenty to eat during the winter season.