Toronto in April: what to plant
Over the last 5 years, April in Toronto has run 2.8–11.5°C with about 100 mm of rain across the month. Here is what weather like that will carry to harvest.
Everything above is a five-year average. In the game it is this — the weather Toronto is actually having, today.
Grow one in Toronto's weather right now →❄️ In 5 of the last 5 years, Toronto saw at least one night at or below 0°C in April (record low -5.6°C). Cold-sensitive crops need cover.
🗓️ This month still falls inside the frost season. Average last spring frost around Apr 26, first autumn frost around Nov 7 — roughly 195 frost-free days. Sow tender crops after the last frost date and make sure they finish before the first.
☀️ About 8.6 h of sunshine a day this month. Within the month it warms by about 3.7°C from the first ten days to the last.
Sow this month — when would you harvest?
Assuming you sow in mid-April, then adding up the warmth Toronto usually gets, one day at a time — which is why some of these run past the end of the month.
| Crop | Days | Harvest around |
|---|---|---|
| 🌿 Rocket | 49 | Jun 2 |
| 🌱 Microgreens | 8 | Apr 22 |
| 🌿 Spinach | 57 | Jun 10 |
| 🧄 Garlic | 75 | Jun 28 |
| 🌿 Coriander | 59 | Jun 12 |
| 🍒 Cherry Radish | 47 | May 31 |
| 🫛 Peas | 71 | Jun 24 |
| 🫘 Broad bean | 80 | Jul 3 |
| 🟣 Beetroot | 71 | Jun 24 |
| ⚪ Turnip | 61 | Jun 14 |
| 🍃 Mint | 29 | May 13 |
| 🧅 Chives | 31 | May 15 |
🌡️ Luffa, Winter melon, Aubergine, Okra never accumulate enough heat outdoors in Toronto — not in any month. Locally these need a greenhouse or a warm windowsill.
Best crops to sow now
- 🌿 Rocket Ideal about 111 days to harvest Recent mean 7.2°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌱 Microgreens Ideal about 8 days to harvest 🪴 Windowsill pot — sheltered from outdoor weather
- 🌿 Spinach Ideal about 129 days to harvest Recent mean 7.2°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🧄 Garlic Good about 163 days to harvest Recent mean 7.2°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌿 Coriander Good about 156 days to harvest Recent mean 7.2°C is too cold (ideal 8–24°C)
- 🍒 Cherry Radish Good about 119 days to harvest Recent mean 7.2°C is too cold (ideal 8–25°C)
- 🫛 Peas Marginal about 209 days to harvest Recent mean 7.2°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🫘 Broad bean Marginal about 223 days to harvest Recent mean 7.2°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🟣 Beetroot Marginal about 209 days to harvest Recent mean 7.2°C — right in the sweet spot
- ⚪ Turnip Marginal about 191 days to harvest Recent mean 7.2°C is too cold (ideal 8–24°C)
- 🍃 Mint Ideal about 30 days to harvest 🪴 Windowsill pot — sheltered from outdoor weather
- 🧅 Chives Ideal about 31 days to harvest 🪴 Windowsill pot — sheltered from outdoor weather
Leave these for another month
- 🌶️ Okra — Recent mean 7.2°C is too cold (ideal 20–33°C)
- 🍆 Aubergine — Recent mean 7.2°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
- 🍈 Winter melon — Recent mean 7.2°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
Other months in Toronto
📍 Somewhere else? Look up your own city →
Temperature and rainfall come from Open-Meteo's historical observations for Toronto, averaged day by day over the last 5 years. Whether a crop finishes in time is worked out from its own starting temperature and heat requirement — those numbers are listed on each crop page if you want to check them.