When can I start planting vegetable seeds in Calgary?

There are lots of easy to grow vegetables for Calgary zone 3.  Someday when I am done the major projects in the rest of the yard, and when those raised beds are done, I will grow more vegetables myself, but for now I choose the easy route.  I only start tomatoes inside because they need a head start, and the rest of my veggies are ones that are easy to grow by sowing them directly in the ground when it's warm enough.  I also only grow veggies that are really worth the space, which is at a premium in my shady yard:  carrots, peas, beans, lettuce, spinach all taste infinitely better picked fresh that those tasteless facsimiles at the grocery store.  I also grew pumpkins last year but decided they take up too much space.

Here is a schedule for planting these as well as many other vegetables with times for seeding indoors, transplanting outside, and seeding directly outside.  I copied it with some modifications from The Calgary Gardener, a must-have book by the Calgary Horticultural Society.

Recommended reading: Garden Rant Rules for Beginning Vegetable Gardeners

Comments

[השתלות שיניים]

Many thanks for making a truthful effort to explain such a nice post. This really works for me. I think you're right in considering about planting vegetable seeds.

[השתלות שיניים]

Many thanks for making a truthful effort to explain such a nice post. This really works for me. I think you're right in considering about planting vegetable seeds

[Tamara]

Planting in may doesn't seem right? I remember winter storms every year?

[Calgary Garden Coach]

Nope, planting in May is fine! Cool season vegetables germinate just fine in cool soil so direct seeding works well. If it snows before they poke their heads up, it doesn't bother them a bit. If you put out transplants of the vegetables listed above, they are frost-tolerant unless it says "with protection". But even for the frost tolerant ones, if a big dump of snow threatens, a little shelter might be in order to keep them from getting squished. The worst that can happen is you need to buy another pack of seeds!
Janice

[Melissa]

I developed potato scab in my garden in the growing season following an application of the mushroom compost. Now I can't grow potatoes, carrots or radishes. :(

[Calgary Garden Coach]

Sorry to hear that Melissa. I know scab can typically develop if soil is too alkaline, and fresh mushroom compost can be variable in ph, so it is really hard to say if that was the reason. Fresh mushroom compost is also often high in salts. For these reasons, it is often best if the compost is aged for at least a few months before used (in fact, it isn't really compost when you get it!)
Janice

[stephanie reykdal]

Every year I try, and fail, to garden. This year my husband built.me a beautiful garden box that is raised so i don't have to bend over to garden! I thought I would be clever and start my seeds indoors. I just saw your site and see I probably didn't have to, my beans and peas are ready to go outside. Wish me luck, I will keep checking this site for tips!!!

[Calgary Garden Coach]

Good luck, Stephanie! I love garden boxes, and I'm sure you will too!
Janice

[combivir]

Awesome ideas in the blog about plant, plants is important for people good suggestion in the blog thanks for sharing........

[sand]

What company or brand of seeds do you prefer for growing veggies (mostly greens, lettuce, spinach, kale, beans, onions) and herbs in Calgary? I'm not sure if it's worth ordering online or just picking up the Mckenzie packets or other I'm starting to see in the stores now?
We are just beginners so probably just want to sow the seeds direct into our cedar boxes rather than start inside? Thanks for all your advice.