Here’s a detailed monthly to-do list for maintaining a vegetable garden (in a sunny position) in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 and 7:
January
- Planning: Go through last years inventory and saved seed to see what you have. Review seed catalogs and order seeds. Plan and draw out your garden layout and crop rotation schedule.
- Maintenance: Clean, sharpen, and oil garden tools. Organize and inventory garden supplies like seed trays, seed starting medium and check on grow lights and set up. Order anything you may need to replace.
February
- Planting: Start seeds indoors for cool-season crops (e.g., broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage).
- Maintenance: Check garden beds for frost heaving; press any over-wintered plants back into the soil. (eg. Carrots, garlic and onions)
- Preparation: Prepare soil by adding compost and other organic matter. Water plant starts well with a fish emulsion before planting out. This helps them establish good roots.
March
- Planting: Direct sow peas, spinach, radishes, and other early cool-season crops. Start seeds indoors for tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. Direct sow peas, radish, turnips, kale and lettuces. They will do fine in chilly weather and are frost-tolerant to a degree.
- Maintenance: Prune fruit trees and berry bushes. Set up cold frames or cloches to protect early plantings.
April
- Planting: Transplant seedlings; broccoli, cabbage, and lettuce outdoors. Direct sow beets, carrots, more lettuce and potatoes. Potatoes can be chitted as you plant them in the ground.
- Maintenance: Fertilize established perennial beds and early spring vegetables.
- Preparation: Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions.
May
- Planting: Transplant tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants after the last frost date but pay attention to low temperatures in morning and night – they do not like chill or cold. You can also “harden off” your starts during good weather at the first of May and transplant out after Mother’s Day. Direct sow beans, corn, squash, and cucumbers. Direct sow flowers like zinnias, cosmos, nasturtium, pot marigolds and marigolds. (You can continue to sow squash and bean seeds directly in your garden until July for a later fall harvest until frost).
- Maintenance: Mulch garden beds to conserve moisture and suppress weeds. Install trellises and supports for climbing plants. You can use additional layer of garden soil as mulch. Rake gently to remove any small weeds before they go to seed. Hand weed from May until October. Sprinkle Diatomaceous earth around the base of your small plant starts to discourage creepy crawlies from chewing at the base of your plants.
June
- Planting: Direct sow warm-season herbs like basil. Thai and cinnamon basil are fun varieties to add to you garden and grow well in pots.
- Maintenance: Water your garden deeply and regularly, especially during dry spells. Pinch back herbs to encourage bushier growth. Hang herbs to dry in your kitchen with good air flow. Store for winter. Cut flowers regularly to encourage more blooms.
- Pest Control: Monitor for pests and diseases and take appropriate measures. Daily walks in the garden are encouraged. Hand-squishing works best. Adding nematodes to the soil helps reduce in-ground dwelling pests. For blight and wet-season related disease, consider neem oil and good air-flow by keeping plants trimmed and lower leaves removed.
July
- Maintenance: Continue to water regularly and mulch as needed. Prune plants and harvest fruits and vegetables regularly. Dead head any flowers to encourage more blooms.
- Pest Control: Keep an eye out for pests and diseases, and treat them promptly. Do not compost any pest-ridden or diseased plant material as it will replicate in your compost pile. Burning or disposing in the trash will help ensure it doesn’t replicate in your future garden.
August
- Planting: Start seeds for fall crops (e.g., kale, spinach, broccoli) indoors.
- Maintenance: Water and mulch to protect against heat stress.
- Pruning: Prune overgrown summer plants to encourage a fall flush of growth.
- Pest Control: Apply a second dose of beneficial nematodes.
September
- Planting: Transplant fall crops outdoors and direct sow lettuce, radishes, and turnips.
- Maintenance: Clean up spent summer crops and compost plant debris.
- Preparation: Begin planting cool-season flowers like pansies and violas.
October
- Planting: Plant garlic and spring-blooming bulbs. Onions can also be planted out during this time. Look for day-neutral or short day varieties.
- Maintenance: Rake and compost fallen leaves.
- Protection: Cover tender plants with frost cloths as needed.
November
- Planting: Finish planting spring bulbs, onions and garlic.
- Maintenance: Clean and store garden tools for the winter.
- Preparation: Mulch garden beds to protect perennials like oregano and thyme from freezing.
December
- Planning: Reflect on the past growing season especially your wins and what you may do differently and plan for next year.
- Maintenance: Check stored crops and bulbs for spoilage.
- Protection: Ensure mulch is still in place to protect plants from harsh winter weather.
While this list is not extensive, it will help keep important line-items at the forefront of your mind and you establish your own garden- rhythm from experience year by year.
Need more guidance on growing a successful vegetable garden? Request a consult!
