What to plant this week in London, ON
London, Ontario gardeners are deep into the harvest season as mid-October brings crisp air and the first real chill of zone 6a. With frost averaging around October 17, it is critical to prioritize protecting your remaining warm-season crops like tomatoes and peppers while cleaning up cool-season root vegetables.
The next 7 days
London, ONGrowing in London right now
- Start pulling late-maturing corn and melons immediately since an early freeze could rot the fruit before you can use it.
- Tuck in final garlic cloves now if missed, but focus more on harvesting parsnips and carrots which thrive in this week's cooling soil.
- Water your edibles once a week to combat London's typical dry fall winds that draw moisture from the soil quickly.
- Remove dead foliage from perennial borders like borage and nasturtium to prevent overwintering diseases before the ground freezes.
Sow this week
7 crops- Bush Bean
- Cucumber
- French Marigold
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zucchini
Transplant this week
Nothing is due to go out this week.
Harvest soon
58 crops- Anaheim (New Mexico) Pepper
- Banana Pepper
- Basil
- Beefsteak Tomato
- Beet
- Bell Pepper
- Borage
- Brussels Sprouts
- Bush Bean
- Cantaloupe
- Carrot
- Cayenne Pepper
- Cleome (Spider Flower)
- Cosmos
- Cowpea (Black-Eyed Pea)
- Cucumber
- Dahlia
- Edamame
- Eggplant
- Fennel
- Flour Corn
- French Marigold
- Garden Geranium (Zonal)
- Garden Verbena
- Garlic
- Honeydew Melon
- Jalapeño
- Lantana
- Lima Bean
- Malabar Spinach
- Marconi Pepper
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine
- Parsley
- Parsnip
- Petunia
- Poblano Pepper
- Pole Bean
- Potato
- Roma Tomato
- Rutabaga
- Scallion (Bunching Onion)
- Scarlet Runner Bean
- Serrano Pepper
- Shiso (Japanese Basil)
- Snapdragon
- Summer Savory
- Sunflower
- Sweet Corn
- Thai Basil
- Tomatillo
- Tomato
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)
- Watermelon
- Yellow Summer Squash
- Zinnia
- Zucchini
Seasonal tips
- Succession sow bush beans every two weeks for a continuous harvest throughout summer.
- Mulch around established tomato and pepper plants to retain moisture as soil temperatures rise.
- Prune dead or diseased foliage from Brassicas like Brussels Sprouts and Kale to improve air circulation.
Pest & disease watch
- Monitor for late-season aphid swarms on beans and peppers as temperatures drop, which can stunt final yields.
- Watch for slug activity on tender herbs like parsley and basil during warm damp nights in October.
- Beware of early powdery mildew outbreaks on squash leaves if rain coincides with high humidity before the ground freezes.
Watering this week
Water deeply in the morning to encourage strong root growth while minimizing fungal disease risk.
Pinch back the tips of young Bush Bean plants if they are leggy to encourage bushier, more productive growth.
London gardening questions
3How do I save my tomato harvest given the upcoming frost date?
Snip all green tomatoes off their vines and ripen them indoors near a sunny window or in an old boot filled with newspaper. Do not wait for the average October 17 frost, as even a light freeze will blacken and ruin the fruit.
Is it too late to plant garlic in London this week?
While optimal planting is usually done by mid-October, you can still force garlic into the ground if the soil isn't frozen solid yet. Ensure the cloves are planted point-up at a depth of 2 inches and cover with compost or straw for winter protection.
Should I leave my zucchini and squash plants in the garden over winter?
No, pull all summer squashes and zucchinis immediately to prevent rodent damage and disease spores from surviving in the debris. Clean up the vines thoroughly so you can till the soil smooth before the hard freeze sets in.
Other cities in zone 6a
12See the full zone 6a guide → · Plan your London garden in SproutGuide →