What to plant this week in Kelowna, BC
Kelowna gardeners are officially in the thick of late summer heat, with average lows hitting 0°F only days away but frost not expected until mid-November. This week focuses on harvesting your peak crops like cantaloupe and zucchini while keeping transplants under cover to survive any unexpected temperature dips.
The next 7 days
Kelowna, BCGrowing in Kelowna right now
- The Okanagan valley floor retains intense summer heat; use shade cloth immediately if temperatures spike above 35°C to prevent sunscald on ripening fruit.
- Soil in this region is often clay-heavy or sandy loam, so water deeply and infrequently now rather than daily shallow watering to encourage deep root growth.
- Watch for late-season bolting in brassicas like Brussels sprouts; harvest the outer leaves immediately before the cold snaps accelerate bitterness.
Sow this week
18 crops- Basil
- Borage
- Bush Bean
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cucumber
- French Marigold
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Pole Bean
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Thai Basil
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
49 crops- Basil
- Beefsteak Tomato
- Bell Pepper
- Borage
- Brussels Sprouts
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Celery
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Dahlia
- Edamame
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)
- Gourd (Ornamental/Bottle)
- Habanero Pepper
- Honeydew Melon
- Leek
- Lima Bean
- Lisianthus (Prairie Gentian)
- Loofah (Luffa)
- Malabar Spinach
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine
- Parsnip
- Pole Bean
- Potato
- Pumpkin
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Sweet Potato
- Thai Basil
- Tomatillo
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Winter Squash
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Start succession planting bush beans and pole beans every two weeks for a continuous harvest throughout summer.
- Apply a light layer of compost around heavy feeders like okra and squash to boost nutrient availability.
- Pinch back the tips of young zinnias and marigolds to encourage branching and fuller blooms.
Pest & disease watch
- Spider mites are exploding on squash and beans due to the dry, hot air typical of Kelowna's summer; spray with water or neem oil early morning.
- Late blight can still hit late-planted tomatoes in our humid microclimates near Okanagan Lake; inspect leaf undersides daily.
- Cutworms remain active on seedlings like basil and marigolds as night temperatures stay mild enough for them to survive.
Watering this week
Provide deep watering every 2-3 days to keep soil consistently moist but not soggy during this active growth phase.
Harvest your basil frequently by snipping off flower buds now to prevent seeding, which ensures continued leaf production and stronger flavor.
Kelowna gardening questions
3Can I still start seeds indoors now that the last frost date is April 3rd?
No, it is far too late to start cool-season crops indoors; focus instead on direct sowing heat-lovers like okra or bush beans if you missed your window.
My zucchini plants are growing fast but the fruit feels hollow inside. What's wrong?
This hollowness usually stems from a lack of water during rapid growth spurts, which is common in our dry valley air; increase watering frequency immediately to fill out the remaining harvest.
When should I stop harvesting garlic and when does it go dormant again?
Harvest your garlic now while the tops are just starting to yellow, as dormancy won't set until after our first frost around November 6th.
Other cities in zone 7a
12See the full zone 7a guide → · Plan your Kelowna garden in SproutGuide →