Sample Garden Schedule
This is a sample garden schedule for Zone 6b (about -5 F.), with the average last spring frost May 10th-15th, and the average first fall frost October 10th-15th. The schedule could vary widely, as different crop varieties have different days to maturity.
I don’t recommend that you try to grow ALL of these different crops, especially if you are a beginner gardener. It would be a bit overwhelming for most people. I currently only grow perhaps 1/3 – 1/2 of them.
JANUARY
Plant: nothing
Harvest from cold frames: arugula, carrots, green onions, claytonia, spinach, mache, endive, escarole, kale, leeks, sorrel, tatsoi
Stored: cabbages, potatoes, beets, carrots, turnips, celeriac, kohlrabi, radish, rutabaga, apples, some varieties winter squash, onions, garlic, sweet potatoes
FEBRUARY
Plant:
Feb. 15 – onions or leeks, either indoors or in cold frame
Harvest from cold frames: arugula, carrots, green onions, claytonia, spinach, mache, endive, escarole, kale, leeks, sorrel, tatsoi
Stored: cabbages, potatoes, beets, carrots, turnips, celeriac, kohlrabi, radish, rutabaga, apples, butternut squash, onions, garlic, sweet potatoes
MARCH
Plant:
March 1 – (indoors) early tomatoes, early spring broccoli
March 15 – (indoors) peppers; (under cold frames/row covers) early peas, onions, early spring spinach, carrots, beets, Japanese turnips, mini cabbage, late spring broccoli, lettuce, arugula, mache, claytonia, Swiss chard, mizuna, radish, kale, mustard, leeks, kohlrabi
Harvest from cold frames: arugula, carrots, green onions, Swiss chard, chicory, claytonia, spinach, mache, kale, leeks, sorrel, tatsoi, lettuce
Stored: cabbages, potatoes, beets, carrots, turnips, celeriac, kohlrabi, radish, rutabaga, butternut squash, onions, garlic, sweet potatoes
APRIL
Plant:
April 1 – (indoors) – main tomato crop, eggplant; (under cold frames) – mini cabbage, carrots, beets, Japanese turnips, spinach, Swiss chard, early potatoes, transplant early spring broccoli, lettuce, arugula, green onions, radish, mustard
April 15 – (in water cloches) transplant early tomatoes and plant early watermelon (outdoors) late peas, mini cabbage, carrots, beets, Japanese turnips, late spinach, lettuce, arugula, radish, mustard, asian greens, kohlrabi
Harvest in cold frames or outdoors: arugula, green onions, Swiss chard, chicory, claytonia, lettuce, spinach, mache, mizuna, kale, leeks, radish, sorrel, tatsoi, Japanese turnips, asparagus, rhubarb, mustard
Stored: cabbages, potatoes, beets, carrots, turnips, celeriac, kohlrabi, radish, rutabaga, butternut squash, onions, sweet potatoes
MAY
Plant:
May 1 – (under cold frames/row covers) early summer squash, early bush beans; (outdoors) mini cabbage, carrots, beets, Japanese turnips, lettuce, main potato crop, green onions, radish, mustard, asian greens
May 15 – (transplant outdoors) main tomatoes; (plant outdoors) mini cabbage, carrots, beets, watermelon, Japanese turnips, early cucumbers, lettuce, radish, mustard, asian greens
Harvest outdoors: arugula, green onions, Swiss chard, lettuce, spinach, mizuna, kale, radish, Japanese turnips, broccoli, peas, asparagus, rhubarb, mustard, asian greens, kohlrabi
Stored: Butternut squash, carrots
JUNE
Plant:
June 1 – watermelon, sweet potatoes, mini cabbage, carrots, beets, Japanese turnips, green onions, main crop of bush beans (for preserving), transplant peppers and eggplants, asian greens, Brussel sprouts
June 15 – watermelon, mini cabbage, carrots, beets, Japanese turnips, fall storage cabbage
Harvest: strawberries, rhubarb, carrots, beets, Japanese turnips, broccoli, peas, mini cabbage, cucumbers, Swiss chard, summer squash, lettuce, green onions, beans, radish, mustard, asian greens, kohlrabi
JULY
Plant:
July 1 – bush beans, short-season watermelon, carrots, Japanese turnips, mini cabbage, beets, fall broccoli, late cucumbers, late summer squash, green onions
July 15 – mini cabbage, carrots, beets, Japanese turnips, fall peas, fall broccoli – early and late, radicchio
Harvest: strawberries, gooseberries, blueberries, early apples, early watermelon, early potatoes, carrots, beets, Japanese turnips, mini cabbage, early tomatoes, cucumber, garlic, Swiss chard, summer squash, green onions, beans, summer-harvested asparagus, asian greens
AUGUST
Plant:
August 1 – bush beans, fall Swiss chard, mini cabbage, main crops for winter carrots, beets, green onions, Chinese cabbage, kale, escarole, endive
August 15 – lettuce, spinach for fall harvest, main crop for winter turnips
Harvest: strawberries, blueberries, early apples, early pears, onions, watermelon, mid-season potatoes, carrots, beets, Japanese turnips, mini cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumber, onions, Swiss chard, summer squash, green onions, beans, summer-harvested asparagus
Stored: garlic
SEPTEMBER
Plant:
September 1 – radish, main crops for winter harvest – spinach, lettuce, mache, claytonia, mizuna, asian greens, mustard, kohlrabi, baby kale
September 15 – lettuce, radish
Harvest: strawberries, apples, pears, grapes, winter squashes, watermelon, late potatoes, carrots, beets, Japanese turnips, peas, mini cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, Swiss chard, summer squash, lettuce, green onions, beans, leeks
Stored: garlic, onions
OCTOBER
Plant:
October 1 – lettuce and spinach to overwinter as baby plants and mature in spring
Harvest: strawberries, apples, arugula, carrots, beets, turnips, potatoes, celeriac, celery, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, green onions, Swiss chard, chicory, claytonia, lettuce, spinach, mache, mizuna, endive, escarole, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, radicchio, radish, sorrel, tatsoi, peas, late potatoes, sweet potatoes, watermelon, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, summer squash, beans, asian greens
Stored: garlic, onions, apples, pears, grapes, winter squashes, green tomatoes
Here is a photo of some of the fresh produce that I usually have available in mid-October, after many people have already put their gardens to bed for the winter.
NOVEMBER
Plant:
November 1 – garlic
Harvest from cold frames / under row covers: arugula, carrots, beets, turnips, celeriac, celery, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, green onions, Swiss chard, chicory, claytonia, lettuce, spinach, mache, mizuna, endive, escarole, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, radicchio, radish, sorrel, tatsoi, asian greens
Stored: cabbages, potatoes, beets, carrots, turnips, celeriac, kohlrabi, radish, rutabaga, apples, celery, pears, Chinese cabbage, most winter squashes, onions, garlic, sweet potatoes, green tomatoes
DECEMBER
Plant: nothing
Harvest from cold frames / under row covers: arugula, carrots, beets, turnips, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, green onions, Swiss chard, chicory, claytonia, lettuce, spinach, mache, mizuna, endive, escarole, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, radicchio, radish, sorrel, tatsoi, asian greens
Stored: cabbages, potatoes, beets, carrots, turnips, celeriac, kohlrabi, radish, rutabaga, apples, celery, pears, Chinese cabbage, most winter squashes, onions, garlic, sweet potatoes
If, instead of cold frames, I choose to protect crops with row covers under a large hoop tunnel (an unheated greenhouse), I can keep harvesting most of the crops listed in December throughout the rest of winter. The two year-round gardening books that I mentioned above go into greater detail about what is possible.