Garden at Any Age

Zone 8 Planting Calendar: What to Plant, Month by Month

Sat, 10 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000

When to plant vegetables in Zone 8, month by month — with separate Southeast and Pacific Northwest dates, from February peas to mid-October garlic.

The short answer: in Southeastern Zone 8, sow peas, spinach, and potatoes in February, set out tomatoes in early-to-mid April, plant a second tomato crop in July for fall, start the fall garden in August and September, and plant garlic from mid-October to mid-November. In the Pacific Northwest's Zone 8 valleys, warm crops wait until May — but the fall and winter garden goes in during July and August.

Read the full guide → (updated 2026-10-10)

When to Plant Garlic: Fall Timing for Every Zone

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Garlic goes in around your first fall frost — here's the typical window for every USDA zone, plus depth, spacing, and a no-bend planting method.

The short answer: plant garlic in the fall, around your first frost or up to two weeks after it, once the soil 4 inches down has cooled to about 50°F — and a few weeks before the ground freezes. For most of the country that means October: mid-September to October in zones 3–4, mid-October through November in zones 7–8, and mid-October to January in mild-winter zones 9–10.

Read the full guide → (updated 2026-10-10)

Zone 7 Planting Calendar: What to Plant, Month by Month

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

When to plant vegetables in Zone 7, month by month: February seed starting, late-April tomatoes, a full fall season, and mid-October garlic.

The short answer: in Zone 7, sow peas, spinach, and potatoes from late February through March, plant tomatoes and other tender crops in the second half of April, start the fall garden from late July through September, and plant garlic from mid-October into early November.

Read the full guide → (updated 2026-10-10)

Zone 6 Planting Calendar: What to Plant, Month by Month

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

When to plant vegetables in Zone 6, month by month — from March seed starting to October garlic, timed from typical mid-April to early-May last frosts.

The short answer: in Zone 6, sow peas and spinach in late March, plant potatoes and cool-season transplants in early-to-mid April, set out tomatoes around May 15, sow the fall garden from late July through August, and plant garlic from mid-October to early November.

Read the full guide → (updated 2026-10-10)

Easiest Vegetables to Grow in Containers: A No-Kneel Patio Guide

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Ten easy vegetables that thrive in pots on a patio or balcony — with a container size chart, potting mix basics, and tips that spare your back and knees.

The short answer: the easiest vegetables for containers are leaf lettuce, radishes, green onions, Swiss chard, spinach, bush beans, patio cherry tomatoes, compact peppers, bush cucumbers, and herbs. Greens and radishes need just a 2-gallon pot; tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and bush beans need at least 5 gallons (about 12 inches across), full sun, and a drainage hole.

Read the full guide → (updated 2026-10-10)

When to Plant Vegetables by Frost Date: One Simple Chart

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

One chart shows when to sow or transplant every common vegetable, counted in weeks before or after your last spring frost — for any zone that gets frost.

The short answer: time every vegetable in weeks from your last spring frost — peas, spinach, and lettuce 4–6 weeks before it; beets, carrots, and potatoes 2–4 weeks before; beans, corn, cucumbers, and summer squash right around it; tomato plants 1–2 weeks after; peppers, okra, and sweet potatoes about 2 weeks after. Look up your frost date by ZIP code once, and the whole calendar follows.

Read the full guide → (updated 2026-10-10)

Best Raised Bed Height for No-Bend Gardening

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

How tall should a raised bed be so you don't have to bend or kneel? Compare 11-, 17-, 24-, and 36-inch beds for standing, seated, and wheelchair gardening.

The short answer: to garden standing up without bending, build or buy a raised bed 30 to 36 inches tall — about kitchen-counter height. To work from a chair, bench, or wheelchair, 24 inches is the sweet spot. Anything under about 17 inches still means stooping or kneeling for most adults.

Read the full guide → (updated 2026-10-10)

What to Plant in August for a Fall Garden (Zones 5–9)

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

What to sow in August for a fall harvest: zone-by-zone timing counted from your first frost date, plus tricks for sprouting seeds in hot soil.

The short answer: in August, sow fast cool-season crops — lettuce, spinach, radishes, arugula, Asian greens, turnips, and kale — and set out broccoli and cabbage transplants. Time each crop by counting back from your first fall frost: days to maturity, plus about two weeks of harvest time, plus a two-week "fall factor." Zones 5–6 should lean on fast greens; zone 9 starts seedlings in trays and plants out in late September.

Read the full guide → (updated 2026-10-10)