Planting Guide

Plant-by-Plant Guide

You've got some seeds from our Seed Library to get your garden started - now what? It's time to get planting!

Follow the guidelines below to get that garden growing with specific instructions for some of the more common types of seed we offer.*

Learn how to test your seeds for viability.

* Subject to availability

Beans

Method	Direct sow in the late spring to mid-summer.
Growing Conditions	Soil that drains well. Find a sunny spot for beans.
Days to Sprout	7-14
Seed Depth	1 inch
Plant Spacing	3-5 inches
Row Spacing	12-24 inches
Other	Be prepared to stake climbing varieties of beans - these will grow like vines and need something to cling to.
BPL's Top Picks	The Rancho Gordo Heirloom Bean Grower's Guide Easy Beans: Simple, Satisfying Recipes That Are Good for You, Your Wallet, and the Planet A Bean's Life

Beets

Method	Direct sow in the spring.
Growing Conditions	Soil that drains well. Find a sunny spot for beets.
Days to Sprout	10-12
Seed Depth	1/2 inch
Plant Spacing	Once beets come up, you’ll need to thin them so that there is one plant every three inches.
Row Spacing	12 inches
BPL's Top Picks	The Perfect Ingredient, 5 Fantastic Ways to Cook Apples, Beets, Pork, Scallops and More

Carrot

Method	Direct sow in the spring.
Growing Conditions	While carrots may tolerate less than ideal conditions, aim for well drained soil – free from rocks so your carrots don’t grow curvy – and an area that gets as much sun as possible.
Days to Sprout	14-21
Seed Depth	1/4 inch
Plant Spacing	Thin to 2 inches
Row Spacing	12 inches
Other	Try succession planting your carrots so that you can harvest a bunch each week later on in the season.
BPL's Top Picks	The Carrot Seed

Cucumber

Method	Start cucumbers indoors 2-4 weeks before the last frost or direct sow them two weeks after last frost.
Growing Conditions	Cucumbers will tolerate less than ideal conditions, but aim for well drained, fertile soil and an area that gets as much sun as possible.
Days to Sprout	5-7
Seed Depth	1 inch
Plant Spacing	18 inches
Row Spacing	18-36 inches
Other	Some plants do very well when planted next to my cucumbers – possibly because the cuc vines provide a lot of shade, keeping the roots of neighbouring plants cooler.
BPL's Top Picks	Gardening for Everyone: Growing Vegetables, Herbs, and More at Home

Kale

Method	Sow kale directly in garden once the last frost date has passed.
Growing Conditions	Kale can tolerate a fair bit of cold and some even say it tastes better if the leaves have gone through a fall frost. Plant kale in a sunny or partly shady part of your garden.
Days to Sprout	5-8
Seed Depth	1/2 inch
Plant Spacing	16 inches
Row Spacing	36 inches
Other	Cover your kale to protect your plants from insects. Kale freezes well, so extra leaves can be harvested and frozen for winter smoothies!
BPL's Top Picks	Kale, The Complete Guide to the World's Most Powerful Superfood The Book of Kale & Friends, 14 Easy-to-grow Superfoods Kale, My Ex, and Other Things to Toss in A Blender

Lettuce

Method	Sow lettuce directly in garden once the last frost date has passed.
Growing Conditions	Plant your lettuce in a sunny or partly shady location.
Days to Sprout	7-14
Seed Depth	1/4 inch
Plant Spacing	12 inches
Row Spacing	24 inches
Other	Try succession planting for a constant harvest of fresh leaves.
BPL's Top Picks	Greens! Tips and Techniques for Growing Your Own Vegetables Wild About Greens: 125 Delectable Vegan Recipes for Kale, Collards, Arugula, Bok Choy, and Other Leafy Veggies Everyone Loves

Parsley

Method	Start indoors at least 8-10 weeks before the last frost. Parsley can get off to a slow start – be patient!
Growing Conditions	Parsley thrives in a sunny location.
Days to Sprout	21
Seed Depth	1/4 inch
Plant Spacing	Thin to 6 inches
Row Spacing	12 inches
BPL's Top Picks	The Aleppo Cookbook: Celebrating the Legendary Cuisine of Syria My Urban Garden (National Film Board of Canada)

Peas

Method	Sow directly into the soil in the spring.
Growing Conditions	Soil that drains well. Find a sunny spot for peas.
Days to Sprout	7-14
Seed Depth	1 inch
Plant Spacing	3 inches
Row Spacing	12 inches
Other	Peas are climbers – they will need some kind of support as they grow. Peas tolerate lower temperatures well, so in Barrie in early August, it’s not too late to plant a few last peas.
BPL's Top Picks	Pea, Bee and Jay #4: Farm Feud Little Pea Two Peas & Their Pod Cookbook

Peppers

Method	Start peppers inside 8-10 weeks before the last frost.
Growing Conditions	Peppers need a lot of sun and fertile soil.
Days to Sprout	7-21
Seed Depth	1/4 inch
Plant Spacing	18-24 inches
Row Spacing	24 inches
Other	Don’t transplant peppers outside until the soil has warmed up – often, in Barrie, this isn’t until early June.
BPL's Top Picks	Fine Gardening Easy-to-Grow Vegetables: Greens, Tomatoes, Peppers & More Peppers of the Americas

Radishes

Method	Direct sow radishes in the early spring or late summer.
Growing Conditions	Plant radishes in a sunny place.
Days to Sprout	5-7
Seed Depth	1/4 inch
Plant Spacing	Thin to 4 inches
Row Spacing	12-18 inches
Other	Some say smaller radishes are sweeter, and radishes left in the ground too long become a bit bitter.
BPL's Top Picks	Sovereign Soil (National Film Board of Canada)

Rutabaga

Method	Sow directly in your garden in early to mid summer.
Growing Conditions	Plant in a sunny location.
Days to Sprout	4-7
Seed Depth	1/2 inch
Plant Spacing	Thin to 8 inches
Row Spacing	14-18 inches
Other	Like Kale, rutabaga can be left in the garden when the occasional frost hits in the fall – this is said to improve the flavour.
BPL's Top Picks	Sam the Man and the Rutabaga Plan

Spinach

Method	Sow directly in your garden during the spring.
Growing Conditions	Spinach will grow in full sun or part shade.
Days to Sprout	7-14
Seed Depth	1/2 inch
Plant Spacing	Thin to 3 inches
Row Spacing	12-18 inches
Other	When the weather heats up, you’ll notice your spinach doesn’t do as well; spinach thrives when it’s cooler.
BPL's Top Picks	Classifying and Grouping Plants (Curio) Hydroponic farming looks to offer food security across Canada (Curio)

Squash

Method	Start indoors 2-4 weeks before last frost or plant directly in the garden once the last frost date has passed.
Growing Conditions	Plant in a sunny spot. Squash plants spread out – make sure you give them space!
Days to Sprout	7-14
Seed Depth	1 inch
Plant Spacing	24 inches
Row Spacing	36-48 inches
BPL's Top Picks	101 Things to Do With Zucchini How to Grow A Monster

Swiss Chard

Method	Sow Swiss chard directly in the garden once the last frost date has passed
Growing Conditions	Plant in a sunny spot.
Days to Sprout	7-14
Seed Depth	1/2 inch
Plant Spacing	Thin to 6-8 inches
Row Spacing	18 inches
BPL's Top Picks	The Vegetable Butcher: How to Select, Prep, Slice, Dice, and Masterfully Cook Vegetables from Artichokes to Zucchini

Tomatoes

Method	Start your tomatoes inside 6-8 weeks before last frost. Resist the urge to begin earlier as this will lead to leggy plants prone to snapping and breaking.
Growing Conditions	Tomatoes are a heavy feeder – amend your soil with compost or manure, or fertilize plants once a week. Make sure your tomatoes are planted in a location that gets lots of sun, with well drained soil.
Days to Sprout	5-10
Seed Depth	1/4 inch
Plant Spacing	24-36 inches
Row Spacing	36 inches
Average Days to Harvest	50-80 or more
Other	Protect young tomato plants by placing inverted yogurt cups around the stems. Learn to “sucker” your plants to prevent unwanted growth that drains energy that should go into growing fruit. If you find it hard to grow full-sized tomatoes, try a variety of cherry tomato!