Vancouver in October: what to plant
Over the last 5 years, October in Vancouver has run 8.2–13.3°C with about 234 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 Vancouver is actually having, today.
Grow one in Vancouver's weather right now →❄️ In 1 of the last 5 years, Vancouver saw at least one night at or below 0°C in October (record low -0.7°C). Cold-sensitive crops need cover.
🗓️ This month sits inside the frost-free window. Average last spring frost around Mar 10, first autumn frost around Nov 17 — roughly 252 frost-free days. Sow tender crops after the last frost date and make sure they finish before the first.
☀️ About 6.2 h of sunshine a day this month. Within the month it cools by about 4.5°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 Vancouver usually gets, one day at a time — which is why some of these run past the end of the month.
| Crop | Days | Harvest around |
|---|---|---|
| ⚪ Turnip | 227 | May 29 |
| 🫘 Broad bean | 238 | Jun 9 |
⏳ Too late this month: Strawberry, Bok Choy, Dill, Daikon radish, Chrysanthemum greens, Coriander, Cherry Radish, Peas, Beetroot, Marigold would still be in the ground when the first frost arrives (around Nov 17). Sow them earlier in the year, or grow them under cover.
🌡️ Cucumber, Tomato, Chili Pepper, Pumpkin, Edamame, Yardlong bean, Bitter melon, Luffa, Winter melon, Aubergine, Okra never accumulate enough heat outdoors in Vancouver — not in any month. Locally these need a greenhouse or a warm windowsill.
Best crops to sow now
- 🍓 Strawberry Ideal about 111 days to harvest Recent mean 10.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥬 Bok Choy Ideal about 79 days to harvest Recent mean 10.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌿 Dill Ideal about 96 days to harvest Recent mean 10.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- ⚪ Daikon radish Ideal about 107 days to harvest Recent mean 10.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- ⚪ Turnip Ideal about 84 days to harvest Recent mean 10.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌿 Chrysanthemum greens Ideal about 73 days to harvest Recent mean 10.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌿 Coriander Ideal about 77 days to harvest Recent mean 10.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🍒 Cherry Radish Ideal about 53 days to harvest Recent mean 10.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🫛 Peas Ideal about 104 days to harvest Recent mean 10.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🟣 Beetroot Ideal about 104 days to harvest Recent mean 10.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🫘 Broad bean Ideal about 123 days to harvest Recent mean 10.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🏵️ Marigold Marginal about 160 days to harvest Recent mean 10.8°C is too cold (ideal 12–30°C)
Leave these for another month
- 🌶️ Okra — Recent mean 10.8°C is too cold (ideal 20–33°C)
- 🍆 Aubergine — Recent mean 10.8°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
- 🍈 Winter melon — Recent mean 10.8°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
Other months in Vancouver
📍 Somewhere else? Look up your own city →
Temperature and rainfall come from Open-Meteo's historical observations for Vancouver, 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.