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Every year, as the short gardening season draws to a close Canadian gardeners everywhere scramble to protect those last few beloved plants from the icy grip of the first frosts of the season. Or perhaps they simply want to get a jump on the growing season by getting many crops in the ground earlier than they normally would. Many savvy gardeners will view the first or last frost as simply a weather related challenge to test their ability to thwart "Mother Nature" in her attempt to stop or hinder their efforts and will employ time honored techniques to squeeze out a few more weeks of production out of their gardens. Perhaps they will employ tricks and techniques to get their gardens started earlier than nature might otherwise allow. They will employ sheets, blankets, cloches and for a lucky few, they will simply turn their attention to a greenhouse.

But by whatever means that gardeners use, being prepared ahead of time is the key to success because that first or last frost or killing freeze can come without warning. Here is a handy chart to help plan ahead for those first or last frosts and have protection ready when it comes.

Courtesy of Environment Canada
Also see our Frost Chart for USA.

Dates given are normal averages for a light freeze (29 degrees to 32 degrees F, or -2 degrees to 0 degrees C); local weather and topography may cause considerable variations. The possibility of frost occurring after the spring dates and before the fall dates is 50 percent. The classification of freeze temperatures is usually based on their effect on plants. A light freeze kills only tender plants, with little destructive effect on other vegetation.