Planting is an inexact science, but here you go
Some time back I wrote that at a future date I’d print seed-starting dates for the remainder of the growing year. I’ve had a couple people ask about that, so I thought now would be as good a time as any to fulfill that promise.
I put together this calendar while farming for a living. Gardening is an inexact science, but I found that as a general rule these dates worked out more often than not. Having a list or calendar at least provides a reminder and guide to get things in that otherwise might be forgotten.
One important note: if you live at elevations higher than 3,000 to 4,000 feet then you might want to add two or so weeks to these suggested planting dates.
May
• Plant leek transplants.
• Direct seed okra.
Related Items
• Direct seed basil, can plant later as well to have with tomatoes.
• Succession soybeans, beets, onion sets, radish, podding radish.
• Direct seed summer squash, cucumbers, cantaloupe, watermelon, pumpkin.
• Transplant tomatoes, eggplants and peppers as weather permits.
• Direct seed beans.
• Direct seed winter squash, spaghetti and butternut (don’t hurry, remember these are for storage).
• Under row cover, grow succession plantings of summer ‘lettuce’ mix: suggest, mizuna, kale, collards, tatsoi, red giant mustard, arugula. Use as cut-and-come again, harvest immature for raw salads. Replant short row every two weeks or so for summer use.
• Plant sweet potato slips.
• Plant chard, if haven’t already, also Malabar spinach, dill.
Early to mid June
• Start Brussels sprouts for fall transplants in shade or in shaded greenhouse.
• Succession soybeans, beets, onion sets, podding radish, summer lettuce mix.
• Plant more sweet corn, can keep planting up to July 4 and will make. Also, true for cucumbers, soybeans, summer squash.
End June to early July
• Sow in greenhouse or other shaded spot, broccoli and cabbage for fall planting.
Mid July
• Direct seed rutabaga and beets in garden.
• Start fall lettuces for transplants.
• Transplant Brussels sprouts when ready to garden.
Late July to early August
• Transplant broccoli and cabbage when ready to garden.
Early to mid August
• Direct seed kale, collards.
Mid August to Sept. 1
• Direct seed turnips for roots, turnips for tops, rape, mustards.
Late August
• Direct seed black Spanish radish, daikon, Chinese cabbage, scallions, mizuna, tatsoi, beet (for tops), chard, spinach, arugula.
• Seed more lettuce for transplants, start in cool place.
September
• Direct seed regular radishes, carrots, transplant first round lettuces to garden.
October
• Plant mache, claytonia, minutina. Replant tatsoi, mizuna, etc. for cut-and-come again. Transplant lettuces to garden under row cover.
November
• Plant garlic bulbs. Keep planting Asian greens as spaces open.
December - January
• Plant Asian greens. Carrots. Spinach. Let-tuce transplants.
Second week January
• First round cabbage, broccoli
Last week January
• Second round cabbage, broccoli (can continue planting in greenhouse through Febru-ary as needed).
• Peppers (can continue into February as needed, helps germination to start on a heating mat. Must be transplanted into continually bigger containers in greenhouse).
• Artichokes.
First week February
• Leeks.
• Head lettuces such as Buttercrunch, Tom Thumb.
• Chives, thyme, other herbs (continue planting through February, March as needed).
Second or third week February
• Parsley.
In garden toward end of February, first week March weather permitting. Be prepared to cover transplants when temps threaten to drop below 20 degrees.
• Transplant lettuce, broccoli and cabbage into garden.
• Direct seed leaf lettuce, snow peas, English peas, carrots, boc choi, onion sets, spinach, radishes, beets.
First week March
• Start tomatoes in greenhouse or house (must be transplanted into continually bigger containers).
• Start eggplant (in moist paper towels tucked into ventilated plastic sandwich bag in warm place in house, when germinated plant as usual in greenhouse or house).
Second week March
• Plant potatoes in garden (these are for new potatoes).
• Direct seed kohlrabi.
April
• Succession plant beets, onion sets (for green onions), radishes, podding radish.
• Direct seed cilantro, pole or bush beans, first planting of soybeans for edamame, sweet corn when soil warms (old-timers planted early corn when the dogwood blooms).
(Quintin Ellison can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..)