Christchurch and Canterbury Vegetable Planting Calendar: What to Plant Now
Cool temperate calendar for Canterbury. 174 plants with monthly sow windows calibrated for local conditions.
This is our Canterbury vegetable planting calendar, covering Christchurch, Timaru, Ashburton, Rangiora and Kaikōura. It starts with what vegetables to plant now in Canterbury, then goes through the whole year, with sowing windows set for the cool temperate climate of Christchurch and Canterbury. Further down you will find a sowing chart for popular vegetables, local timing notes, frost dates and a season-by-season guide, all from the same data that runs the Planting Season app. Frost defines the Canterbury calendar, and the drying nor'west wind is the other thing to plan around, so warm crops benefit from cloches and shelter.
Monthly Planting Calendar
Canterbury is cool temperate with hot, dry summers and cold winters bringing regular frosts, plus the drying nor'west wind. Frost defines the calendar: tender crops wait until the risk passes (around Labour Weekend) and the season is shorter than the warm north. Brassicas, roots, and cool-season greens do well; warm crops benefit from cloches and shelter from the nor'wester.
Month-by-month vegetable planting calendar for Canterbury
Every vegetable in our Canterbury calendar, grouped by the month you can sow or plant it. Each month links to its full page with herbs, fruit, spacing, harvest times and companions.
| Month | Vegetables to sow or plant | Count |
|---|---|---|
| January | Beetroot, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery, Chicory, Collards, Florence Fennel, Globe Artichoke, Good King Henry, Hamburg Parsley, Jerusalem Artichoke, Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Leek, Lettuce, Mizuna, Parsnip, Pigface (Horokaka), Potato, Radicchio, Radish, Salsify, Scorzonera, Silverbeet, Sorrel, Spring Onion, Swede, Turnip, Watercress | 34 |
| February | Beetroot, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccolini, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Chicory, Collards, Daikon, Endive, Fennel, Florence Fennel, Gai Lan, Globe Artichoke, Good King Henry, Jerusalem Artichoke, Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Leek, Lettuce, Mibuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Parsnip, Pigface (Horokaka), Radicchio, Radish, Rocket, Salsify, Scorzonera, Silverbeet, Snow Peas, Sorrel, Spring Onion, Swede, Tatsoi, Turnip, Watercress, Wombok | 42 |
| March | Beetroot, Bok Choy, Broad Beans, Broccoli, Broccolini, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chicory, Collards, Daikon, Endive, Florence Fennel, Gai Lan, Globe Artichoke, Good King Henry, Jerusalem Artichoke, Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Leek, Lettuce, Mibuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Onion, Parsnip, Pigface (Horokaka), Radicchio, Radish, Rhubarb, Rocket, Salsify, Scorzonera, Shallot, Silverbeet, Sorrel, Spinach, Spring Onion, Swede, Tatsoi, Turnip, Watercress, Wombok | 44 |
| April | Bok Choy, Broad Beans, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Endive, Garlic, Globe Artichoke, Good King Henry, Jerusalem Artichoke, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Leek, Mibuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Onion, Pigface (Horokaka), Radish, Rhubarb, Rocket, Salsify, Scorzonera, Shallot, Silverbeet, Sorrel, Spinach, Spring Onion, Swede, Turnip, Watercress | 30 |
| May | Broad Beans, Garlic, Onion, Shallot, Spinach, Watercress | 6 |
| June | Broad Beans, Garlic, Shallot, Spinach | 4 |
| July | Broad Beans, Garlic, Spinach | 3 |
| August | Asparagus, Bok Choy, Broad Beans, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Chicory, Collards, Globe Artichoke, Good King Henry, Hamburg Parsley, Horseradish, Jerusalem Artichoke, Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Leek, Mizuna, Onion, Parsnip, Peas, Radicchio, Radish, Salsify, Scorzonera, Silverbeet, Snow Peas, Sorrel, Spinach, Spring Onion, Turnip, Watercress, Wombok | 34 |
| September | Asparagus, Beetroot, Bok Choy, Broad Beans, Broccoli, Broccolini, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery, Chicory, Collards, Daikon, Endive, Fennel, Florence Fennel, Gai Lan, Globe Artichoke, Good King Henry, Hamburg Parsley, Horseradish, Jerusalem Artichoke, Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Leek, Lettuce, Mibuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Onion, Parsnip, Peas, Pigface (Horokaka), Potato, Radicchio, Radish, Rhubarb, Rocket, Salsify, Scorzonera, Silverbeet, Snow Peas, Sorrel, Spinach, Spring Onion, Tatsoi, Turnip, Watercress, Wombok | 51 |
| October | Asparagus, Beetroot, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccolini, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celeriac, Celery, Chicory, Collards, Daikon, Endive, Fennel, Gai Lan, Globe Artichoke, Good King Henry, Hamburg Parsley, Horseradish, Jerusalem Artichoke, Kale, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Leek, Lettuce, Mibuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, Parsnip, Peas, Pigface (Horokaka), Potato, Radicchio, Radish, Rhubarb, Rocket, Salsify, Scorzonera, Silverbeet, Snow Peas, Sorrel, Spring Onion, Tatsoi, Turnip, Watercress, Wombok | 47 |
| November | Amaranth, Asparagus, Beans (bush), Beetroot, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccolini, Cabbage, Capsicum, Carrot, Celeriac, Celery, Chicory, Chilli, Choko, Cucumber, Daikon, Edamame, Eggplant, Endive, Fennel, Gai Lan, Globe Artichoke, Good King Henry, Hamburg Parsley, Kohlrabi, Komatsuna, Leek, Lettuce, Mibuna, Mizuna, Mustard Greens, New Zealand Spinach (Warrigal), Parsnip, Peas, Pigface (Horokaka), Popcorn, Potato, Pumpkin, Quinoa, Radicchio, Radish, Rhubarb, Rocket, Rockmelon, Salsify, Scarlet Runner Bean, Scorzonera, Silverbeet, Snow Peas, Sorrel, Spring Onion, Squash, Sweet Corn, Sweet Potato, Tatsoi, Tomatillo, Tomato, Turnip, Watercress, Watermelon, Wombok, Zucchini | 63 |
| December | Amaranth, Beans (bush), Beetroot, Brazilian Spinach, Broccolini, Capsicum, Carrot, Celeriac, Celery, Chicory, Chilli, Cucumber, Edamame, Eggplant, Florence Fennel, Globe Artichoke, Good King Henry, Hamburg Parsley, Kang Kong, Kohlrabi, Leek, Lettuce, Malabar Spinach, New Zealand Spinach (Warrigal), Parsnip, Pigface (Horokaka), Popcorn, Potato, Pumpkin, Quinoa, Radicchio, Radish, Rockmelon, Salsify, Scarlet Runner Bean, Scorzonera, Silverbeet, Sorrel, Spring Onion, Squash, Sweet Corn, Tomatillo, Tomato, Watercress, Watermelon, Zucchini | 46 |
Canterbury vegetable sowing chart
33 popular crops, with the months you can sow or plant them in Canterbury. Shaded months are open sowing windows, and the last column spells them out. Seed started in trays or under cover counts as a sowing where our data says so.
| Crop | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Sow or plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Nov to Dec | ||||||||||||
| Capsicum | Nov to Dec | ||||||||||||
| Chilli | Nov to Dec | ||||||||||||
| Eggplant | Nov to Dec | ||||||||||||
| Courgette (zucchini) | Nov to Dec | ||||||||||||
| Cucumber | Nov to Dec | ||||||||||||
| Pumpkin | Nov to Dec | ||||||||||||
| Sweet Corn | Nov to Dec | ||||||||||||
| Beans (bush) | Nov to Dec | ||||||||||||
| Peas | Aug to Nov | ||||||||||||
| Snow Peas | Feb and Aug to Nov | ||||||||||||
| Broad Beans | Mar to Sep | ||||||||||||
| Lettuce | Sep to Mar | ||||||||||||
| Spinach | Mar to Sep | ||||||||||||
| Silverbeet | Aug to Apr | ||||||||||||
| Kale | Jan to Mar and Aug to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Bok Choy | Feb to Apr and Aug to Nov | ||||||||||||
| Broccoli | Jan to Apr and Aug to Nov | ||||||||||||
| Cabbage | Jan to Mar and Aug to Nov | ||||||||||||
| Cauliflower | Jan to Mar and Aug to Oct | ||||||||||||
| Carrot | Sep to Feb | ||||||||||||
| Beetroot | Sep to Mar | ||||||||||||
| Radish | Aug to Apr | ||||||||||||
| Onion | Mar to May and Aug to Sep | ||||||||||||
| Garlic | Apr to Jul | ||||||||||||
| Leek | Aug to Apr | ||||||||||||
| Potato | Sep to Jan | ||||||||||||
| Kūmara (sweet potato) | Nov | ||||||||||||
| Basil | Nov to Dec | ||||||||||||
| Coriander | Mar and Sep to Nov | ||||||||||||
| Parsley | Aug to Mar | ||||||||||||
| Strawberry | Apr to May and Aug to Sep | ||||||||||||
| Watermelon | Nov to Dec |
Local timing notes for Canterbury
Where timing in Canterbury differs from the baseline calendar, our data carries a local note. These are the same notes the app and the plant pages show for this region, and they explain the shape of the chart above.
- Peas (Aug to Nov): Sow Aug to Nov. Frost spoils the flowers and pods of autumn sowings.
- Snow Peas (Feb and Aug to Nov): Sow Aug to Nov, with a February sowing for an autumn pick before the frosts.
- Broad Beans (Mar to Sep): Sow in autumn to overwinter, and again in Aug to Sep for a later crop.
- Lettuce (Sep to Mar): Start spring sowings in Sep under a cloche or frost cloth, as frosts run to mid October. Make the last sowing in Mar so the crop is ready before winter growth stops.
- Bok Choy (Feb to Apr and Aug to Nov): Sow Aug to Nov and Feb to Apr. Cover early sowings with a cloche or frost cloth, as frosts run to mid October. Get the last sowing in by Apr so it sizes up before winter growth stops.
- Broccoli (Jan to Apr and Aug to Nov): Sow Aug to Nov and Jan to Apr. Cover early sowings with a cloche or frost cloth, as frosts run to mid October. Get the last sowing in by Apr so it sizes up before winter growth stops.
- Cauliflower (Jan to Mar and Aug to Oct): Sow Aug to Oct and Jan to Mar. Cover early sowings with a cloche or frost cloth, as frosts run to mid October. Get the last sowing in by Mar so it sizes up before winter growth stops.
- Carrot (Sep to Feb): Start spring sowings in Sep under a cloche or frost cloth, as frosts run to mid October. Make the last sowing in Feb so the crop is ready before winter growth stops.
- Beetroot (Sep to Mar): Start spring sowings in Sep under a cloche or frost cloth, as frosts run to mid October.
- Onion (Mar to May and Aug to Sep): Sow in autumn to overwinter, or in Aug to Sep for a summer bulb. Midwinter sowings sit and rot.
- Leek (Aug to Apr): Sow Aug to Apr. Cover early sowings with a cloche or frost cloth, as frosts run to mid October. Get the last sowing in by Apr so it sizes up before winter growth stops.
- Potato (Sep to Jan): Plant from Sep and earth up or cover the shoots, as frosts run to mid October. Keep planting through Nov to Jan with steady watering.
- Coriander (Mar and Sep to Nov): Start spring sowings in Sep under a cloche or frost cloth, as frosts run to mid October. Keep sowing through Nov with steady watering. Make the last sowing in Mar so the crop is ready before winter growth stops.
- Parsley (Aug to Mar): Make the last sowing in Mar so the crop is ready before winter growth stops.
- Strawberry (Apr to May and Aug to Sep): Plant in autumn or as soon as the soil can be worked in spring. Skip midwinter, when plants sit in cold wet ground.
Browse by Category
Frost dates and climate in Canterbury
Canterbury has a cool temperate climate. Across the region the average last spring frost falls around 10 October and the first autumn frost around 20 April, which leaves a growing season of about 192 days for frost-tender crops such as tomatoes, beans, pumpkins and basil. Those are regional midpoints: a frost pocket, a slope or a warm wall can shift your own dates by weeks.
Frost defines the calendar: tender crops wait until the risk passes, around Labour Weekend, and the season is shorter than in the warm north. Warm crops benefit from cloches and shelter from the nor'wester.
Our Canterbury calendar already allows for this: frost-tender crops start later than hardy ones, with tomatoes from November and basil from November. The frost dates by region page compares all nine regions, and the free app gives a local forecast with frost alerts.
Canterbury planting seasons: a season-by-season guide
The calendar above, read by season. Counts and crop lists come straight from the Canterbury sowing windows, so they change only when our data changes.
Spring in Canterbury (September to November)
72 vegetables can be sown at some point in spring. Sowing windows that open: in September, Lettuce, Carrot, Beetroot, Potato, Broccolini, Celery, Daikon, Endive, Fennel, Florence Fennel and 7 more; in November, Tomato, Capsicum, Chilli, Eggplant, Zucchini, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sweet Corn, Beans (bush), Sweet Potato and 11 more. Last chance before the season ends: September for Broad Beans, Spinach, Onion and Florence Fennel; October for Kale, Cauliflower, Collards, Horseradish and Jerusalem Artichoke. You can keep sowing Peas, Snow Peas, Lettuce, Silverbeet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrot, Beetroot, Radish, Leek, Potato, Asparagus, Broccolini and 28 more through every month of it.
Summer in Canterbury (December to February)
68 vegetables can be sown at some point in summer. Sowing windows that open: in December, Brazilian Spinach, Florence Fennel, Kang Kong and Malabar Spinach; in January, Kale, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Collards, Jerusalem Artichoke, Komatsuna, Mizuna, Swede and 1 more; in February, Snow Peas, Bok Choy, Broccolini, Daikon, Endive, Fennel, Gai Lan, Mibuna, Mustard Greens, Rocket and 2 more. Last chance before the season ends: December for Tomato, Capsicum, Chilli, Eggplant, Zucchini, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Sweet Corn, Beans (bush), Watermelon and 13 more; January for Potato, Celeriac, Celery and Hamburg Parsley. You can keep sowing Lettuce, Silverbeet, Carrot, Beetroot, Radish, Leek, Chicory, Florence Fennel, Globe Artichoke, Good King Henry, Kohlrabi, Parsnip, Pigface (Horokaka), Radicchio and 5 more through every month of it.
Autumn in Canterbury (March to May)
45 vegetables can be sown at some point in autumn. Sowing windows that open: in March, Broad Beans, Spinach, Onion, Rhubarb and Shallot; in April, Garlic. Last chance before the season ends: March for Lettuce, Kale, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Beetroot, Broccolini, Chicory, Collards, Daikon, Florence Fennel and 5 more; April for Silverbeet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Radish, Leek, Brussels Sprouts, Endive, Globe Artichoke, Good King Henry, Jerusalem Artichoke and 14 more. You can keep sowing Broad Beans, Spinach, Onion, Shallot and Watercress through every month of it. For more detail, see what to grow in autumn.
Winter in Canterbury (June to August)
36 vegetables can be sown at some point in winter. Sowing windows that open: in August, Peas, Snow Peas, Silverbeet, Kale, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Radish, Onion and 22 more. Last chance before the season ends: June for Shallot; July for Garlic. You can keep sowing Broad Beans and Spinach through every month of it. For more detail, see winter vegetables to plant in New Zealand.
Growing Guides
In-depth guides for the most popular crops and techniques. These guides adapt to your region.
Free Monthly Planting Calendar
Get a personalised email each month with what to plant, seasonal tips, and harvest reminders for your region.
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Free Printable Planting Calendars
A4 landscape PDFs for each month, stick one on the fridge.
Get printable calendars →Planting calendars for other New Zealand regions
Gardening somewhere else? Each region has its own sowing windows, frost dates and month pages. For the whole country at a glance, see what vegetables to plant now in New Zealand.
- Northland vegetable planting calendar
Whangārei, Kerikeri, Kaitaia, Dargaville and Mangawhai: subtropical, effectively frost free. - Auckland vegetable planting calendar
Auckland, the North Shore, Manukau, Waitakere and Pukekohe: warm temperate, effectively frost free. - Waikato and Bay of Plenty vegetable planting calendar
Hamilton, Tauranga, Whakatāne and the Coromandel: warm temperate, frost window 25 September to 5 May. - Central North Island vegetable planting calendar
Rotorua, Taupō, Tūrangi, Taumarunui and Ohakune: cool temperate highland, frost window 15 October to 15 April. - Wellington vegetable planting calendar
Wellington, Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Whanganui, Napier, Hastings and Gisborne: temperate, frost window 30 August to 10 June. - Nelson and Marlborough vegetable planting calendar
Nelson, Richmond, Motueka, Blenheim and Picton: sunny temperate, frost window 20 September to 10 May. - Otago and Southland vegetable planting calendar
Dunedin, Invercargill, Oamaru, Gore and Balclutha: cold temperate, frost window 25 October to 5 April. - Central Otago vegetable planting calendar
Queenstown, Wānaka, Alexandra, Cromwell and Arrowtown: semi-continental, frost window 5 November to 25 March.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I grow in Canterbury?
Canterbury's cool temperate climate suits brassicas, root crops, peas and leafy greens through long cool seasons. Warm crops like tomatoes succeed in the frost-free window with shelter. Hard frosts and the drying nor'west wind define the calendar.
When can I plant tomatoes in Canterbury?
Our Canterbury calendar has tomatoes planted out in November and December. The regional average last frost is around 10 October, but that is a regional midpoint and many gardens frost later, which is why Show Weekend in mid November is the traditional safe date. Cloches give young plants a warmer start, and shelter protects them from the nor'wester. More in when to plant tomatoes in New Zealand.
How do I handle Canterbury frosts and nor'west wind?
Hold tender crops until mid-November, use frost cloth and cloches at the season's edges, and provide shelter from the drying nor'west wind. Focus on hardy crops in the cooler months and warm crops in the short summer.
What vegetables can I plant now in Canterbury?
It depends on the month. Going by our Canterbury calendar, in spring (Sep to Nov) you can sow Peas, Snow Peas, Lettuce, Silverbeet, Kale, Bok Choy and Broccoli; in summer (Dec to Feb) you can sow Lettuce, Silverbeet, Kale, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower and Carrot; in autumn (Mar to May) you can sow Broad Beans, Spinach, Silverbeet, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Radish and Onion; in winter (Jun to Aug) you can sow Peas, Snow Peas, Broad Beans, Spinach, Silverbeet, Kale and Garlic. The What to plant in Canterbury now section at the top of this page always shows the current month, and each month page lists every crop.
When is the last frost in Canterbury?
Across Canterbury the average last spring frost is around 10 October and the first autumn frost around 20 April, a growing season of about 192 days. These are regional midpoints, so a frost pocket or an inland garden can run later. Frost defines the calendar: tender crops wait until the risk passes, around Labour Weekend, and the season is shorter than in the warm north. Warm crops benefit from cloches and shelter from the nor'wester. The frost dates by region page compares all nine regions.
When should I plant potatoes in Canterbury?
Our Canterbury calendar has potatoes planted from September to January. Plant from Sep and earth up or cover the shoots, as frosts run to mid October. Keep planting through Nov to Jan with steady watering. More in how to grow potatoes.