British Columbia · Growing Zone 8b
Gardeners in Vancouver, BC can expect the average last spring frost around March 6, and the first fall frost around November 21, based on historical Environment Canada frost data for the area. That gives Vancouver a frost-free growing season of roughly 260 days. Actual frost dates shift by a week or two year to year, so use this as a planning baseline rather than an exact guarantee, and always check your local forecast before moving tender plants outside.
You have your Vancouver frost dates. Now put them to work: GrowBlock counts back your indoor seed-starting weeks, marks your safe planting day, warns you before a frost, and lays your whole season out on one timeline.
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Most warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) need transplanting only after the last frost has passed, and are usually started indoors 6 to 8 weeks before that date. Cold-hardy crops (peas, lettuce, spinach) can often go in the ground a few weeks before the last frost. As Vancouver's first fall frost approaches in November, it's time to plan the last harvests for anything frost-sensitive still in the ground.
Approximate dates for common crops in Vancouver, worked out from the local last frost around March 6. Warm crops go out after frost, cold-hardy crops a few weeks before it, and anything with an indoor start is counted back from its sow date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Sow / transplant out | Approx. harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🍅 Tomato | January 30 | March 20 | June 8 |
| 🌶️ Pepper | January 16 | March 20 | June 3 |
| 🥒 Cucumber | — | March 13 | May 10 |
| 🥬 Zucchini | — | March 13 | May 2 |
| 🥬 Lettuce | — | February 13 | March 30 |
| 🥬 Spinach | — | February 13 | April 2 |
| 🫛 Peas | — | February 13 | April 16 |
| 🥕 Carrots | — | February 13 | April 22 |
| 🫘 Bush beans | — | March 6 | April 25 |
| 🥬 Kale | January 16 | February 13 | April 9 |
Guideline dates from Vancouver's average frost window, not a guarantee. GrowBlock tunes these to each variety you plant and adjusts as you build your beds.
This calendar is a starting point. In GrowBlock every date is tuned to the exact varieties you plant and updates as you lay out your beds, and you can share the plan with whoever you garden with, changes show up for both of you.
Build your Vancouver garden planAround March 6 on average, though it can vary by a week or two either way depending on the year.
Vancouver is in zone 8b, with a frost-free season of about 260 days.
Now that you have your dates, here is how to put them to work through the season:
More how-to on the GrowBlock gardening blog.
See frost dates for all Canadian cities covered by GrowBlock.