A Quebec vegetable garden in progress

Vegetable gardening in a short season climate is a challenge for a gardener who's used to the 4-season pattern that I've had in the Southeastern U.S. in the past.  I've had four years here now to experiment.  This is a new one.

I've already put in lettuce, swiss chard and broccoli transplants, along with a pepper and two tomatoes.  Even though tomatoes are wildly popular here to grow, frankly I'm limiting myself to Sweet Million and San Marzano.  This is really not a great tomato climate.

I did snag a tomatillo transplant.  Really, I thought?  I'll see how it does.  Parsley (curly and Italian) were also added. An Egyptian tree onion will join my asparagus patch, which needs lots of extra help.  Perhaps I harvested too much last year, or the darn dandelions nearby are taking too many nutrients.

Now it's a bit warmer ( I won't check the soil temperature and wait like I did last year).  Soaked beans, sugar snap peas, and beets will go into the ground tomorrow, along with various squash varieties, also directly sown.

Not sure about basil and cilantro.  Perhaps I'll try them in flats. And I'm not going to plant cool-season greens until after the solstice, when days are shortening.  Spinach bolted incredibly quickly one summer early on, but perhaps it wasn't the right variety.  A friend here, with a shady garden, had great spinach that year.

I had such wonderful greens this spring in Asheville, I'm not devoted to more here, but I'll plant spinach, kale and arugula in mid-summer.