Introduction
Gardening is all about timing. Knowing what to plant and when can be the difference between a thriving garden and a disappointing one. A seasonal gardening calendar helps you plan throughout the year, ensuring your vegetables, herbs, and flowers get the best possible start.
Spring: Awakening the Garden
Cool-Season Crops First
Spring is the season of renewal, and the perfect time to begin planting cool-season crops. These include leafy greens like spinach, kale, lettuce, and arugula. Root vegetables such as carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips also thrive in the early spring chill.
Start Seeds Indoors
Warm-season crops like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants should be started indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost. This gives them a strong head start before transplanting into the garden once the weather warms.
Herbs to Plant
Start planting perennial herbs such as thyme, oregano, and chives in early spring. Basil and cilantro can be sown a bit later as temperatures rise.
Flowers to Plant
Hardy annuals like pansies, snapdragons, and calendula can be planted early in the season. Wait until after the last frost to plant tender annuals like marigolds and petunias.
Summer: Growth and Abundance
Warm-Season Vegetables
As the soil warms, it’s time to plant summer-loving vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, corn, and beans. These crops need full sun and warm nights to thrive.
Succession Planting
To maximize your harvest, practice succession planting. For example, after harvesting early spring lettuce, you can plant bush beans or summer squash in the same spot.
Herbs and Edibles
Basil, dill, and parsley thrive in the summer heat. Keep pinching them back to encourage full, bushy growth. You can also grow mint in containers to prevent it from spreading too aggressively.
Flowers in Full Bloom
Summer is the peak of the flower garden. Plant sunflowers, zinnias, cosmos, and black-eyed Susans. Deadhead spent blooms regularly to prolong flowering.
Autumn: Transition and Harvest
Cool-Weather Comeback
Many spring crops can be planted again in late summer or early fall. Lettuce, spinach, radishes, and turnips enjoy the cooler autumn temperatures and can produce a second harvest.
Planting Garlic and Onions
Fall is the perfect time to plant garlic and overwintering onions. They’ll establish roots before the ground freezes and be ready for a strong start in spring.
Cover Crops and Soil Care
As you clear out spent plants, consider planting cover crops like clover or winter rye. These improve soil structure and prevent erosion over winter.
Introduction
Gardening is all about timing. Knowing what to plant and when can be the difference between a thriving garden and a disappointing one. A seasonal gardening calendar helps you plan throughout the year, ensuring your vegetables, herbs, and flowers get the best possible start.
Spring: Awakening the Garden
Cool-Season Crops First
Spring is the season of renewal, and the perfect time to begin planting cool-season crops. These include leafy greens like spinach, kale, lettuce, and arugula. Root vegetables such as carrots, beets, radishes, and turnips also thrive in the early spring chill.
Start Seeds Indoors
Warm-season crops like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants should be started indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost. This gives them a strong head start before transplanting into the garden once the weather warms.
Herbs to Plant
Start planting perennial herbs such as thyme, oregano, and chives in early spring. Basil and cilantro can be sown a bit later as temperatures rise.
Flowers to Plant
Hardy annuals like pansies, snapdragons, and calendula can be planted early in the season. Wait until after the last frost to plant tender annuals like marigolds and petunias.
Summer: Growth and Abundance
Warm-Season Vegetables
As the soil warms, it’s time to plant summer-loving vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, corn, and beans. These crops need full sun and warm nights to thrive.
Succession Planting
To maximize your harvest, practice succession planting. For example, after harvesting early spring lettuce, you can plant bush beans or summer squash in the same spot.
Herbs and Edibles
Basil, dill, and parsley thrive in the summer heat. Keep pinching them back to encourage full, bushy growth. You can also grow mint in containers to prevent it from spreading too aggressively.
Flowers in Full Bloom
Summer is the peak of the flower garden. Plant sunflowers, zinnias, cosmos, and black-eyed Susans. Deadhead spent blooms regularly to prolong flowering.
Autumn: Transition and Harvest
Cool-Weather Comeback
Many spring crops can be planted again in late summer or early fall. Lettuce, spinach, radishes, and turnips enjoy the cooler autumn temperatures and can produce a second harvest.
Planting Garlic and Onions
Fall is the perfect time to plant garlic and overwintering onions. They’ll establish roots before the ground freezes and be ready for a strong start in spring.
Cover Crops and Soil Care
As you clear out spent plants, consider planting cover crops like clover or winter rye. These improve soil structure and prevent erosion over winter.
