Now
24°C · Overcast
Today
27° / 15°
Soil 6 cm
21°C
First frost
~48 days (Oct 26)
Gardening in Hamilton
AI field guide · refreshed weeklyHamilton Gardening: Early Fall Planting & Harvest (Sept 8–14)
You're in zone 6b with 48 days until the average first frost (Oct 26). Soil at 21°C is still warm enough for cool-season crops to germinate reliably. Spring frost (May 1) was 130 days ago, so you're well into the productive season. Use this window to establish fall crops before soil temps drop below 15°C in late September.
Sow outdoors now
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
Sow 'Space' or 'Bloomsdale Long Standing' directly now; germinates in 7–10 days at 21°C soil and matures in 40–50 days before hard frost. Space 10 cm apart.
Arugula (Eruca sativa)
Direct seed 'Roquette' or 'Wild'; ready to harvest in 30–40 days. Tolerates light frost and improves flavor after cool nights.
Radish (Raphanus sativus)
Sow 'Cherry Belle' or 'Icicle' for 25–30 day harvest; these mature before soil cools significantly and handle frost well.
Mâche (Valerianella locusta)
Direct seed now for October harvest; extremely cold-hardy and germinates slowly but reliably in cool soil. Sow densely.
Turnip (Brassica rapa)
Sow 'Purple Top' or 'Hakurei' for roots and greens; 50–60 days to maturity, handles frost well, and stores excellently.
Start indoors now
Kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala)
Start 'Lacinato' or 'Winterbor' indoors in modules; transplant in 3–4 weeks for November–December harvest. Cold-hardy and sweeter after frost.
Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)
Start 'January King' or 'Red Drumhead' indoors now for transplant by late September; these mature in 60–70 days and store through winter.
Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica)
Start 'Waltham 29' or 'Calabrese' indoors; transplant in 3–4 weeks for October heads before hard frost.
Harvest now
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
Pick all remaining fruit, including green ones; they'll ripen indoors at room temperature. Remove plants before first frost (Oct 26).
Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Harvest heavily before frost kills it; freeze or dry for winter use. Pinch flowers to extend leaf production.
Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)
Harvest shell beans and dry beans now; pods should rattle when mature. Leave on plant until frost if weather stays dry.
Tasks this week
- Deadhead spent flowers and remove diseased foliage to reduce pest overwintering sites.
- Water deeply after the rain on Sept 9; soil will cool rapidly, so reduce frequency as temps drop.
- Mulch newly seeded beds with 2–3 cm of compost to retain moisture and moderate soil temperature.
- Plant garlic cloves (hardneck varieties like 'German Extra Hardy') 15 cm deep by late September for spring harvest.
- Cut back perennials (coneflower, black-eyed Susan) after frost or leave standing for winter interest and seed for birds.
Watch out for
- Powdery mildew thrives in cool, humid mornings—thin plants for airflow and water at soil level only.
- Slugs and snails accelerate in fall dampness; hand-pick or use beer traps after Sept 9 rain.
- Frost can arrive earlier than Oct 26 in low-lying areas—monitor forecasts and cover tender plants if temps drop below 0°C unexpectedly.
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