Have you started your garden planning yet? If not, make sure you stop by the Village Resource Centre or our coffee chats to check out the seeds we have available.
Here in Wheatley, Ontario, you’ve got a longer, milder growing season than much of the province—great news for tomatoes, peppers, squash, and all the heat-lovers. The trick is timing: start some crops indoors early, sow others directly outside as soon as the soil can be worked, and save the warm-season seeds until after frost risk is truly gone.
Wheatley’s key frost dates
Every seed packet seems to say something like “start 6–8 weeks before last frost.” That’s because your average last spring frost date is the starting point for most garden timelines.
For Wheatley, a good planning estimate is Apr 11–Apr 20, allowing even conservative gardeners to plant well before the historic marker of the May long weekend. That gives you a long runway, but spring weather can still swing around—so use these dates as a guide, then adjust based on the forecast and your microclimate (near Lake Erie can be different than inland).
You can learn more about average last frost dates in Ontario here: https://www.ontario.ca/page/climate-zones-and-planting-dates-vegetables-ontario
The easiest way to plan: count weeks back from last frost
Here’s the basic method:
- Pick your last frost date (use Apr 15 as a simple middle-of-the-range estimate).
- Count backward the number of weeks your crop needs indoors.
- Count forward to decide when to transplant or direct-sow.
Example: If tomatoes need 6–8 weeks indoors, and last frost is around Apr 15, you’d start tomatoes indoors roughly mid-February to early March (depending on variety and your setup). It is not too late to start them now them – six weeks from now is May 2nd, still quite early for historical tomato planting dates.
Quick reference: what to start when (Wheatley-friendly)
Start indoors early (for transplanting later)
These crops benefit from a head start because they’re slow to mature or need warm conditions.
| Crop | Start indoors (relative to last frost) | Typical Wheatley window (using Apr 11–20 last frost) | Notes |
| Onions (from seed) | 10–12 weeks before | late Jan–Feb | Many gardeners use sets; seed takes longer. Sets (the little bulbs) can be planted out directly. |
| Leeks | 10–12 weeks before | late Jan–Feb | Slow but worth it. |
| Celery / celeriac | 10–12 weeks before | late Jan–Feb | Needs steady warmth and time. |
| Peppers (sweet/hot) | 8–10 weeks before | mid-Feb–early Mar | Warm germination helps a lot. |
| Eggplant | 8–10 weeks before | mid-Feb–early Mar | Similar timing to peppers. |
| Tomatoes | 6–8 weeks before | late Feb–mid Mar | Don’t start too early or they outgrow pots. |
| Broccoli / cabbage / cauliflower (spring crop) | 4–6 weeks before | early–mid Mar | Transplant out while it’s still cool. |
| Lettuce (transplants) | 3–5 weeks before | mid–late Mar | Optional; many direct sow too. |
Direct sow outside early (cool-season crops)
These can handle chilly soil and light frost, as long as the ground is workable.
| Crop | When to sow outside | Typical Wheatley timing |
| Peas | as soon as soil can be worked | late Mar–Apr |
| Spinach | very early; cold tolerant | late Mar–Apr (and again late summer) |
| Radish | early and often | Apr onward |
| Carrots | early spring | Apr–May |
| Beets | early spring | Apr–May |
| Potatoes | once soil is workable | Apr |
| Kale / arugula / mustard greens | early spring | Apr (and again late summer) |
Wait for warm soil (warm-season direct sow or transplant)
Warm-season plants stall in cold soil. Even if the calendar says “safe,” your garden may still be chilly.
| Crop | Best timing | Typical Wheatley timing |
| Beans | after last frost, warm soil | late Apr–May |
| Cucumbers | after last frost, warm nights | May |
| Zucchini / squash | after last frost | May |
| Pumpkins | after last frost (and plenty of season left) | late May–Jun |
| Corn | after last frost + warmer soil | May |
| Basil | hates cold | mid–late May |
| Tomatoes/peppers transplant | after frost risk + warm nights | late Apr–May (often best in May) |