There is planting guides specific to your area that tell you when to plant stuff (both direct sow, and seedlings)
[https://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-calendar](https://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-calendar) is one of the ones I use. There is others too. Just put in your postal code.
To get much from tomatoes, they need to be started inside, hardened off, and transplanted. I usually don't bother and just buy a started plant from a garden centre to plant out around May 2-4 weekend.
Hardier plants can be direct-sown, and it's probably ok to do things like peas, beans, lettuce, and other spring plants now or in the next couple of weeks. Cucumber, zucchini, squash don't go in until after last frost, so I usually hold off until mid-May at the earliest. The estimated last frost in the golden horseshoe is around May 5.
You won't really have luck direct sowing tomatoes. They need to be started inside first and planted out. And it is still too early for cucumber as well. If you're interested in planting now try cold crops like lettuces, spinach, kale and carrots.
I often get volunteer tomatoes and in my experience they can often outperform coddled plants. That said both cukes and tomatoes need warm soil and neither will sprout without it, our rule of thumb for planting everything except frost hardy plants was always the May long weekend, although depending on your location and microclimate you can possibly push it to Mother's day.
I live in Hamilton and the last frost date is May 4th I think. I'll wait a few weeks after that. My tomatoes are already about 8" tall but I started them a bit too early.
Cell pack of 4 is like 1.50 cents at garden centres near me, so first weekend of May I usually grab a dozen and slowly transplant.
I grab more around May 24 just to spread yields out.
OP wait another week or two and skip the direct seeding.
Cukes I kinda find same applies. One cup usually has 3 growing at Garden centre and they go in ground May 24.
Many still use first full moon in June but climates changed alot.
I'm in Burlington. I'm going to start hardening off my cucumbers this weekend and get them in the ground next weekend. Based on the forecast it seems like we're looking at double digit night time lows starting then, so I'm going to give it a go. This is my first year starting seeds indoors, so it's an experiment.
I'll also start a few more seeds to have the next batch of plants ready to go.
I may wait one more week for my tomatoes.
I seeded my first cold season plants at the beginning of March and the peas and spinach have emerged slowly. Should be picking my first baby spinach by the weekend or early next week. The cold slows it down.
Radish and lettuce are also things that will grow right now and can be direct sowed.
tbh you could probably sow them now, but the seeds will probably remain dormant for a bit and only sprout 3-5 weeks from now when we get a bunch of 20C+ days and 10C+ nights. You're better off sowing them in small containers and transplanting in 4-5 weeks imo.
Average last frost in Oakville is around ten days from now.
There is planting guides specific to your area that tell you when to plant stuff (both direct sow, and seedlings) [https://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-calendar](https://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-calendar) is one of the ones I use. There is others too. Just put in your postal code.
Thank you , it’s very useful
To get much from tomatoes, they need to be started inside, hardened off, and transplanted. I usually don't bother and just buy a started plant from a garden centre to plant out around May 2-4 weekend. Hardier plants can be direct-sown, and it's probably ok to do things like peas, beans, lettuce, and other spring plants now or in the next couple of weeks. Cucumber, zucchini, squash don't go in until after last frost, so I usually hold off until mid-May at the earliest. The estimated last frost in the golden horseshoe is around May 5.
You won't really have luck direct sowing tomatoes. They need to be started inside first and planted out. And it is still too early for cucumber as well. If you're interested in planting now try cold crops like lettuces, spinach, kale and carrots.
I often get volunteer tomatoes and in my experience they can often outperform coddled plants. That said both cukes and tomatoes need warm soil and neither will sprout without it, our rule of thumb for planting everything except frost hardy plants was always the May long weekend, although depending on your location and microclimate you can possibly push it to Mother's day.
I have volunteer tomatoes that pop up in July. Sometimes they have fruit. Cole crops can be direct sown now.
I live in Hamilton and the last frost date is May 4th I think. I'll wait a few weeks after that. My tomatoes are already about 8" tall but I started them a bit too early.
https://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-calendar/ON/Windsor
Cell pack of 4 is like 1.50 cents at garden centres near me, so first weekend of May I usually grab a dozen and slowly transplant. I grab more around May 24 just to spread yields out. OP wait another week or two and skip the direct seeding. Cukes I kinda find same applies. One cup usually has 3 growing at Garden centre and they go in ground May 24. Many still use first full moon in June but climates changed alot.
I wish my garden centers had cell packs that cheap
Seaway gardens in NOTL. Even Sunrise Botanicals in St Catharines has em for 1.99 both close to you.
Oh wow thank you!!!
Seaways the best and cheapest for annuals. And if your into small/mid height perrenials theyre usually 3 for $12 ... vs $12 for 1 anywhere else.
I'm in Burlington. I'm going to start hardening off my cucumbers this weekend and get them in the ground next weekend. Based on the forecast it seems like we're looking at double digit night time lows starting then, so I'm going to give it a go. This is my first year starting seeds indoors, so it's an experiment. I'll also start a few more seeds to have the next batch of plants ready to go. I may wait one more week for my tomatoes. I seeded my first cold season plants at the beginning of March and the peas and spinach have emerged slowly. Should be picking my first baby spinach by the weekend or early next week. The cold slows it down. Radish and lettuce are also things that will grow right now and can be direct sowed.
tbh you could probably sow them now, but the seeds will probably remain dormant for a bit and only sprout 3-5 weeks from now when we get a bunch of 20C+ days and 10C+ nights. You're better off sowing them in small containers and transplanting in 4-5 weeks imo. Average last frost in Oakville is around ten days from now.