What to plant this week in Charlottetown, PE
Charlottetown gardeners are now in the thick of late-summer abundance, with mid-July offering a window to harvest heat-lovers like tomatoes and beans before our typical October 15 frost cuts the season short. While your average last frost was May 1, watch for unexpected cool snaps that could stunt new growth or encourage early pests as we move toward autumn.
The next 7 days
Charlottetown, PEGrowing in Charlottetown right now
- Protect tender crops like basil and eggplant with row covers if a cold front brings temps near our -15°F winter lows earlier than expected in late summer storms. Our local clay-heavy soils retain moisture well but drain slowly, so ensure good drainage around potato and squash beds to prevent rot during heavy rains.
- Take advantage of the current harvest window for bush beans and zucchini before they become woody; these thrive best in our humid summers when humidity exceeds 80%.
- Plan your spring garlic planting now by storing harvested bulbs from this week's list, as Charlottetown's frost-free window ends abruptly around mid-October.
Sow this week
6 crops- Bush Bean
- Cucumber
- French Marigold
- Nasturtium
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zucchini
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
55 crops- Banana Pepper
- Basil
- Beefsteak Tomato
- Beet
- Bell Pepper
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cabbage
- Cantaloupe
- Carrot
- Cauliflower
- Cayenne Pepper
- Cherry Tomato
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Collard Greens
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Eggplant
- Fennel
- French Marigold
- Garden Geranium (Zonal)
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Ground Cherry
- Jalapeño
- Lantana
- Lima Bean
- Nasturtium
- Onion
- Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine
- Parsley
- Parsnip
- Petunia
- Poblano Pepper
- Pole Bean
- Potato
- Roma Tomato
- Rutabaga
- Scallion (Bunching Onion)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shishito Pepper
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Snapdragon
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Swiss Chard
- Thai Basil
- Tomatillo
- Tomato
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Succession sow bush beans and pole beans every two weeks for a continuous supply of fresh pods.
- Mulch around heavy feeders like tomatoes and peppers to retain moisture as summer heat sets in.
- Pinch back the tops of young squash plants to encourage bushy growth before they get too large.
Pest & disease watch
- Spider mites are proliferating on zinnias and marigolds in our dry, windy coastal breezes common to Prince Edward Island summers.
- Aphid colonies are forming rapidly on tomato and pepper plants, exacerbated by the sticky humidity that defines our July weather patterns.
- Cutworms remain active at night, devouring young squash and bean seedlings just as they begin fruiting.
Watering this week
Water deeply in the morning to keep soil moist but avoid wetting foliage which invites disease on your leafy greens.
Harvest Banana Peppers and Cayenne Peppers now while they are still small for a spicier, more compact fruit.
Charlottetown gardening questions
3When should I start planning for next year's garlic crop?
You can begin harvesting your own garlic now to store bulbs for fall planting, since our soil freezes hard by mid-November. Store the harvested heads in a cool, dry place until September when temperatures drop again.
My tomatoes and peppers are ripening fast—what's the best way to extend the season?
Cover all open fruiting plants with frost cloth immediately once night temps dip below 50°F, as our first frost date of October 15 is often reached within two weeks.
How do I tell if my carrots and beets are ready to harvest?
Harvest when the tops turn yellowish-brown, which usually happens 6-8 weeks after sowing in our zone 5b climate. Gently loosen the soil with a fork before pulling to avoid damaging the roots.
Other cities in zone 5b
8See the full zone 5b guide → · Plan your Charlottetown garden in SproutGuide →