Toronto in October: what to plant
Over the last 5 years, October in Toronto has run 8.6–15.8°C with about 77 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 2 of the last 5 years, Toronto saw at least one night at or below 0°C in October (record low -1.6°C). Cold-sensitive crops need cover.
🗓️ This month sits inside the frost-free window. 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 7.6 h of sunshine a day this month. Within the month it cools by about 5.1°C from the first ten days to the last — the window for autumn sowings is opening.
Sow this month — when would you harvest?
Assuming you sow in mid-October, 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 | 213 | May 15 |
| 🥬 Napa cabbage | 253 | Jun 24 |
| 🌿 Spinach | 222 | May 24 |
| 🫘 Broad bean | 249 | Jun 20 |
| ⚪ Turnip | 231 | Jun 2 |
⏳ Too late this month: Lettuce, Peas, Strawberry, Cherry Radish, Daikon radish, Beetroot, Marigold would still be in the ground when the first frost arrives (around Nov 7). Sow them earlier in the year, or grow them under cover.
🌡️ Bitter melon, 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
They are all ideal for this month — the only real difference is how long each one takes, so pick whatever you want to eat.
- 🌿 Rocket about 46 days to harvest Recent mean 12.2°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥬 Napa cabbage about 109 days to harvest Recent mean 12.2°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥗 Lettuce about 80 days to harvest Recent mean 12.2°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🫛 Peas about 86 days to harvest Recent mean 12.2°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌿 Spinach about 60 days to harvest Recent mean 12.2°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🫘 Broad bean about 104 days to harvest Recent mean 12.2°C — right in the sweet spot
- ⚪ Turnip about 67 days to harvest Recent mean 12.2°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🍓 Strawberry about 92 days to harvest Recent mean 12.2°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🍒 Cherry Radish about 42 days to harvest Recent mean 12.2°C — right in the sweet spot
- ⚪ Daikon radish about 88 days to harvest Recent mean 12.2°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🟣 Beetroot about 86 days to harvest Recent mean 12.2°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🏵️ Marigold about 116 days to harvest Recent mean 12.2°C — right in the sweet spot
Leave these for another month
- 🌶️ Okra — Recent mean 12.2°C is too cold (ideal 20–33°C)
- 🍆 Aubergine — Recent mean 12.2°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
- 🍈 Winter melon — Recent mean 12.2°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.