Now
18°C · Overcast
Today
18° / 12°
Soil 6 cm
14°C
First frost
~26 days (Oct 4)
Gardening in Timmins
AI field guide · refreshed weeklyTimmins Garden Guide: Early September — Race to Harvest Before Frost
You're in zone 3b with an average first fall frost on October 4—just 26 days away. Soil at 14°C is cooling fast; frost-sensitive crops need harvesting now. Spring frost typically arrives May 27, giving you roughly 130 frost-free days. Nights are already dipping to 5–6°C mid-week; tender plants won't survive.
Sow outdoors now
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea 'Space' or 'Bloomsdale')
Direct seed now for a quick fall crop; germinates in cool soil and tolerates light frost. Harvest in 40–45 days before hard freeze.
Arugula (Eruca sativa)
Sow immediately; thrives in cool weather and matures in 30–35 days. Successive plantings work until mid-September.
Radish (Raphanus sativus 'Cherry Belle' or 'Icicle')
Fast crop (25–30 days) that handles frost. Sow by September 15 at latest for reliable harvest.
Mâche (Valerianella locusta)
Extremely cold-hardy salad green; sow now for winter harvest under row cover. Germinates in cool soil.
Turnip (Brassica rapa 'Purple Top' or 'Hakurei')
Sow by September 10; roots mature in 50–60 days and store well. Greens are edible immediately.
Start indoors now
Kale (Brassica oleracea 'Winterbor' or 'Lacinato')
Start seed indoors now for transplanting outdoors in 3–4 weeks; cold-hardy varieties improve in flavor after frost. Harvest through November.
Cabbage (Brassica oleracea 'January King' or 'Tundra')
Sow indoors for transplanting by late September; these varieties store and handle frost. Mature in 70–80 days.
Harvest now
Tomato (all varieties)
Pick all remaining fruit—green or ripe—before frost arrives. Ripen indoors on a sunny windowsill or in a paper bag with an apple.
Pepper (Capsicum annuum)
Harvest all peppers, green or colored; frost will kill plants within days. Store in cool conditions for 2–3 weeks.
Cucumber and Squash (Cucurbitaceae)
Pick all mature fruit immediately; vines are frost-sensitive. Compost dead plants to avoid overwintering pests.
Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)
Strip remaining pods; frost kills plants overnight. Dry surplus for storage or compost spent vines.
Tasks this week
- Pull or compost frost-killed annuals (basil, marigolds, zinnias) by September 10 to reduce pest habitat.
- Mulch root crops (carrots, beets, parsnips) with 10 cm (4 in) of straw to extend harvest into October.
- Cut back perennials after frost blackens foliage; leave ornamental grasses standing for winter interest and wildlife.
- Drain and store garden hoses; shut off outdoor taps before hard freeze.
- Sow garlic cloves (hardneck varieties like 'German Extra Hardy') by September 30 for spring harvest.
Watch out for
- Frost risk: Nights drop to 5–6°C mid-week. Cover tender crops with row fabric or cloches if you want to extend harvest.
- Wind gusts to 31 km/h (19 mph) on September 9–10 may topple tall plants or tear leaves; stake tomatoes and peppers before harvest.
- Powdery mildew thrives in cool, damp conditions; remove infected leaves and improve air flow around remaining plants.
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