Planting Calendar

Zone7

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May

2026

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Seasonal Framework for High-Density Market Gardens

Anchored to your Last Frost Date (LFD) and First Frost Date (FFD), this framework scales to any hardiness zone while emphasizing the soil-building principles of high-intensity and regenerative gardening.

1. Late Winter / Early Spring (Prep & Indoor Sowing)

Timing: 12 to 4 Weeks Before LFD

Establishing the structural foundation of the garden and getting a head start on long-season crops.

Planning & Infrastructure

  • Map the Grids: Finalize the Square Foot Garden (SFG) crop rotation map, ensuring heavy feeders do not follow other heavy feeders from the nightshade family.
  • Repair Hardscaping: Fix raised bed perimeters, tighten trellis wires, and replace any deteriorated SFG grid dividers.
  • Procure Amendments: Stockpile high-quality compost, worm castings, and slow-release organic fertilizers (e.g., 4-4-4, bone meal, blood meal).

Seed Starting & Prep

  • 10-12 Weeks: Sow alliums and slow-growing herbs.
  • 8-10 Weeks: Sow nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants).
  • 6-8 Weeks: Sow early spring brassicas.
  • Soil Prep: Broadfork to aerate, top-dress with 1-2" compost, and pre-warm soil with tarps if needed.

2. Spring (Cool-Weather Planting & Transition)

Timing: 4 Weeks Before LFD to 2 Weeks After LFD

The garden wakes up. This season requires aggressive succession planning to maximize yield in high-density spaces.

Planting & Hardening

  • 4 Weeks Before: Begin hardening off cold-hardy seedlings. Direct sow root crops and hardy greens.
  • 2-3 Weeks Before: Transplant brassicas/alliums. Water with diluted kelp or fish emulsion to reduce transplant shock.
  • 2 Weeks Before: Direct sow peas (requires immediate trellising) and Swiss chard.

Maintenance & Succession

  • Succession Sowing: Begin sowing fast-maturing crops (radishes, baby lettuce) every 10-14 days in newly opened squares.
  • Weed Management: Cultivate the top inch of soil weekly; weeds in high-density beds compete fiercely for water/nutrients.

3. Early to Mid-Summer (Warm-Weather Peak)

Timing: 2 to 8 Weeks After LFD

Frost danger has passed. Focus shifts to vertical growth, heavy feeding, and maximizing spatial efficiency through companion planting.

Warm-Weather Planting

  • 0-2 Weeks After: Direct sow warm-soil seeds (beans, squash, cucumbers, zucchini).
  • 1-3 Weeks After: Transplant hardened-off nightshades and melons.
  • Interplanting: Utilize space under climbing crops (like trellised cucumbers) to grow shade-tolerant greens or radishes.

High-Intensity Maintenance

  • Vertical Training: Prune indeterminate tomatoes to 1-2 main leaders; guide pole beans and cucumbers up netting.
  • Feeding & Mulching: Side-dress heavy feeders. Apply 1-2 inches of organic mulch to regulate soil temp and retain moisture.
  • Mid-Summer Sowing: Transition to heat-tolerant greens. Start fall brassicas indoors 6-8 weeks before FFD.

4. Late Summer to Fall (Transition & Extension)

Timing: 8 Weeks Before FFD to FFD

As summer crops exhaust themselves, pull them aggressively to make way for the autumn harvest.

Bed Turnover & Planting

  • Clear & Replenish: Cut spent summer crops at the soil line (leave roots to preserve organic matter). Top-dress with 1 inch of compost.
  • 8 Weeks Before: Transplant fall brassicas.
  • 6-8 Weeks Before: Direct sow fall root crops (fall carrots, beets, winter radishes).
  • 4 Weeks Before: Direct sow fast-maturing, frost-tolerant greens.

Season Extension

  • Infrastructure: Erect low tunnels or prepare heavy-weight row covers over beds containing tender late-season crops.
  • Pest Scouting: Monitor for late-season aphids or cabbage worms; treat with organic soap or Bt as needed.

5. Over-Winter (Rest & Soil Building)

Timing: After First Frost Date (FFD) through Deep Winter

A regenerative garden's winter is dedicated to protecting the soil microbiome and preparing the nutrient bank for the following spring.

Harvest & Protection

  • Harvest & Clean: Harvest frost-sweetened crops (carrots, kale, parsnips). Remove/discard diseased plant matter.
  • Cover Cropping: Broadcast winter cover crops (winter rye, hairy vetch) 4-6 weeks before ground freezes.
  • Deep Mulching: For empty beds, apply 2-3 inches of high-quality compost topped with shredded leaves or clean straw.

Administrative Tasks

  • Tool Maintenance: Clean, sharpen, and oil secateurs, broadforks, and hoes.
  • Journaling & Analytics: Review crop yields, failure points, and succession timing while fresh. Update SFG grid maps for next year.

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