Our Garden Calendar

Whether you’d like to grow just one crop or all of the 30-some plants we raised for our One-Block Feast, the following timelines will help you know when to plant in your area for best results.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

September: Plant marjoram, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, thyme. (Herbs can actually be planted all year in most climates.)

Late September-early October: Harvest and press wine grapes

October 
Plant: 
• Cover crops (through Nov)
• Garlic (late Oct–early Nov)
• Onions (seeds or seedlings)

November
• Harvest and press olives for oil
• Plant barley

January
• Plant wheat

February
• Plant chives
• Plant onion sets

March
Enrich soil:
• Till cover crops into soil
• Add compost and fertilizer

Plant: 
• Lemon tree (can be planted any time in most climates)  
• Potatoes

April  

Plant:
• Basil seedlings (Plant in batches every two weeks through August))

• Chiles (seedlings; through May)
• Corn (seed―plant in batches every two weeks through August) 
• Cucumbers (seedlings)
• Edamame  (seeds; plant in batches every two weeks through May)
• Hops (through May)
• Lemongrass, Melons (seeds; seedlings in May),
• Squash (seeds; seedlings in May)
• Tomatoes (seedlings; through May)
• Zucchini (seeds)

May 
• Harvest barley

June
Harvest:
• Hop flowers
• Onions & let cure
• Potatoes
• Wheat

July
Harvest garlic and let cure

August
Harvest all other crops 

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

September
Plant herbs (marjoram, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, thyme)

October
Harvest & press wine grapes
Plant:
• Barley
• Cover crops (through Nov)
• Garlic (late Oct through early Nov)
• Onions (seeds or seedlings; through Nov in Sunset climate zones 22 and 24)

November
Plant:
• Hops
• Onions (seeds or seedlings; through Mar in zones 18 through 21)
• Wheat
Harvest & press olives for oil

February
Plant:
• Onions (sets)
• Potatoes (through May in zones 20–24)

March
Enrich soil:
• Till cover crops into soil
• Add compost
• Light dressing of organic fertilizer

Plant:
• Chives (May be planted any time of year)
• Corn (through Jul zones 18–21)
• Edamame (seeds; through May in zones 19; through July in zones 20 and 21)
• Lemon tree (in zones 18–24)

April
Plant:
• Basil (seedlings―may be planted any time of year)
• Corn (through Jul in zones 22–24)
• Chiles (seeds or seedlings; through May in zones 18–21)
• Cucumbers (seedlings; through May in zones 18–21; Apr through June in zones 22–24
• Edamame (seedlings, through Aug in zones 22–24)
• Lemongrass (seeds)
• Melons (seeds, seedlings; through Jun, zones 18–21)
• Squash (seeds or seedlings; through Jul in zones 18–21)
• Tomatoes (seedlings; through May in zones 18, 19, 22–24)
• Zucchini (seeds or seedlings; through Jul in zones 18–21)

May
Plant:
• Chiles (seeds or seedlings; zones 22–24)
• Melons (seedlings; through Jun in zones 22–24)
• Squashes (seedlings)

Harvest barley

June
Harvest: 
• Hop flowers
• Onions & let cure
• Potatoes
• Wheat

July
Harvest garlic & let cure

August
Harvest all other crops
 

SOUTHWEST
September 
Plant:
• Garlic (mid-Sep through Oct) 
• Marjoram  
• Onions; seeds or seedlings (mid-Sep through early Oct in Sunset climate zones 11 and 13; through Oct in zone 12) 
• Oregano
• Peppermint 
• Rosemary
• Thyme

October
Harvest & press wine grapes
Harvest & press olives for oil

Plant:
• Cover crops (through Nov)

November
Plant:
• Hops
• Barley

January
Plant:
• Potatoes (through Feb in zones 12–13)
• Wheat

February
Plant:
• Corn (through mid-Mar or late Aug through Sep in zone 13)
• Cucumbers (Feb and April or mid-Aug through Sep in zone 13)
• Melons (seeds or seedlings; through Mar or mid-Jul through Aug in zone 13)
• Potatoes (through Apr in zone 10; Feb 15 through Mar 15 in zone 11)
• Squash (seeds or seedlings; mid-Feb through Apr, and August in zone 13)
• Tomatoes (mid-Feb through Mar in zone 13)
• Zucchini (seeds; mid Feb through Apr, or Aug in zone 13)

March
Enrich soil:
• Till cover crops into soil
• Add compost
• Add organic fertilizer

Plant:
• Chiles (seedlings; mid-Mar through early May in zone 11; mid-Mar through Apr in zone 13)
• Corn (mid-Mar through mid-Apr and early Aug in zone 12; late Mar through Jul in zone 10; Mar 1–5 through Apr, and Jul through Aug 15 in zone 11)
• Edamame (seeds; mid-Mar through Apr, or early Aug in zone 11–12; Mar through mid-Apr and mid-Aug through mid-Sep in zone 13)
• Lemon tree (zone 13)
• Melons (seeds; mid-Mar through mid-Jun in zone 11; Mar through Apr or early Jul in zone 12)
• Squash (seeds or seedlings; mid-Mar through early Jul in zone 11; Mar through May in zone 12)
• Tomatoes (mid-Mar through mid-Apr in zone 12; mid-Mar through Apr in zone 11)
• Zucchini (seeds; mid-Mar through early Jul in zone 11; Mar through May in zone 12)

April
Plant:
• Basil (seedlings) • Chiles (seedlings; through May in zones 10 and 12)
• Cucumbers (seedlings; Apr through mid-Jun in zone 10; mid-Apr through mid-Aug in zone 11; Apr and Aug in zone 12)
• Edamame (seeds; through May, or Jul through mid-Aug in zone 10)
• Lemongrass (seeds)
• Melons (seeds or seedlings; through mid-Jun in zone 10)
• Squash (seeds or seedlings; through Jul in zone 10)
• Tomatoes (seedlings; through May in zone 10)
• Zucchini (seeds or seedlings; through Jul in zone 10)

May
Plant:
• melons (seedlings)

June
Harvest:
• Hop flowers
• Onions & let cure
• Potatoes
• Wheat

July
Harvest garlic & let cure

August
Harvest all crops 

ROCKY MOUNTAIN STATES
Planting and harvest dates vary according to location. A good rule of thumb is to sow warm-season vegetables (chiles, corn, cucumbers, edamame, melons, squash, tomatoes, zucchini) indoors from seed about six weeks before average date of last frost, and plant seedlings outside only after average date of last frost. 

Your local county agricultural extension office can give you dates specific to your area, as can most local nurseries.

September
Harvest all warm-season crops (corn, cucumbers, melons, squash, zucchini)
Note: Pick everything that is ready before killing frost is expected; for light frost, protect chiles and tomatoes with floating row covers.

October
Harvest & press wine grapes
Plant:
• Barley
• Garlic
• Wheat

March
Enrich soil:
• Add compost & fertilizer

Plant:
• Chives
• Onions (sets)
• Potatoes
• Sow warm-season crops (such as basil, chiles, cucumbers, edamame, melons, squash, tomatoes, zucchini) indoors for transplant out after average date of last spring frost

April
Plant:
• Hop vines
• Oregano
• Peppermint
• Potatoes
• Hardy rosemary (‘Arp’ is the most cold-tolerant; it overwinters if temps don’t go below -10°)

May
Plant, after danger of frost is past:
• Basil (seedlings; through Jun)
• Chiles (seedlings; through Jun)
• Corn (from seed)
• Cucumbers (seedlings; through Jun)
• Edamame (seed; mid-May through early Jun)
• Lemongrass (seed)
• Marjoram (through Jun)
• Melons (seedlings; through Jun)
• Squash (seedlings; through)
• Tomatoes (seedlings; through Jun)
• Zucchini (seedlings; through Jun)

June
Plant:
• Eureka lemon in container (bring inside during winter)
• Lemongrass (divisions)

July
Harvest:
• Garlic
• Herbs
• Potatoes

August
Harvest:
• Early warm-season crops (beans, cucumbers, early tomatoes)
• Barley (early Aug)
• Hops (late Aug through early Sep)

WESTERN OREGON, WESTERN WASHINGTON, AND SOUTHWESTERN BRITISH COLUMBIA

September
Harvest all crops

Plant:
• Garlic
• Winter wheat (through early Oct)

October
Harvest & press wine grapes

November
Harvest & press olives for oil

February
Enrich soil:
• Till cover crops into soil
• Add compost
• Add organic fertilizer

March
Plant:
• Chives
• Onions (sets)
• Potatoes (through Apr)
• Sow seed of warm-season crops (basil, chiles, cucumbers, melons, squash, tomatoes, zucchini) indoors for transplant out in late May

April
Plant:
• Hop vines
• Herbs (hardy Italian marjoram, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, thyme)

MAY
Plant:
• Basil (seedlings, plus seed every three weeks through mid-Jul)
• Chiles (seedlings; through Jun)
• Corn (from seed)
• Cucumbers (seedlings; through Jun)
• Edamame (from seed; through Jun)
• Lemongrass (seed)
• Marjoram (tender annual sweet marjoram; through Jun)
• Melons (seedlings; through Jun)
• Squash (seedlings; through Jun)
• Tomatoes (seedlings; through Jun)
• Zucchini (seedlings; through Jun)

June
Plant: 
• Eureka lemon in container (bring inside during winter)
• Squash (summer and winter)
• Tomatoes (seedlings)

Harvest onions & let cure

July
Harvest:
• Garlic and let cure
• Herbs
• Potatoes

August
Harvest:
• Herbs
• Early warm-season crops (cucumbers, edamame, early tomatoes)