ZONE 7 – VEGETABLE PLANTING CALENDAR GUIDE

In Zone 7, the growing season is of moderate duration, allowing a wide range of vegetable crops to fully develop before the onset of the first frost. The typical gardening period extends from the last frost around April 15th to the first frost near November 15th, offering approximately seven months for cultivating your garden. However, these dates can fluctuate by a week or more, so keeping an eye on local weather conditions is crucial when planning your planting schedule. The area is characterized by an annual minimum temperature of 5 degrees Fahrenheit

ZONE 7 HARDINESS DATES

Last Frost date- April 15

First Frost date November 15

ZONE 7 PLANTING SCHEDULE

The planting schedule for Zone 7 outlined below is designed to maximize your garden's potential. By initiating seed germination indoors prior to the last frost date, you can gain a head start on the season. Adhering to the Zone 7 planting timeline ensures that you transplant your seedlings outdoors at the optimal time. This careful timing is essential to safeguard young plants from late frosts and to align their growth with the favorable conditions of the season.

JANUARY

Take advantage of the current time to perform a thorough cleaning of your indoor plants. Accumulated dust on the foliage can obstruct the stomata, which are essential for the exchange of gases, moisture, and light absorption.

Now is also the perfect moment to reach out to seed suppliers to request the latest catalogs for the year.

Begin planning your garden for the upcoming season. Strategize the rotation of your crops to different plots from the previous year to maintain soil health and prevent disease. Now is also ideal for starting DIY projects such as building cold frames, trellises, or setting up indoor grow lights. Remember, a smaller, well-managed garden can lead to less trouble with weeds and pests, while potentially yielding more produce.

Gather all your seed-starting materials, including lights, heating mats, sterile growing medium, and your preferred types of pots, so you're prepared when it's time to begin.

It's important to clean and sterilize your seed-starting containers to prevent disease.

For perennials that require it, start the stratification process, which helps to break seed dormancy.

Review the records from last year's plantings, including fertilization and pest control, to identify which varieties thrived and which you'd like to experiment with again.

Inspect all houseplants for signs of insect infestations, especially new plants received over the holidays, and quarantine any suspects to protect your collection.

Incorporate garden record-keeping into your New Year's resolutions to track the performance of different plant varieties in your garden.

As the month progresses, begin sowing seeds indoors for vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, head lettuce, onions, and parsley. It's also time to start seeds for many perennial flowers and slow-germinating herbs and flowers such as rosemary, snapdragons, and begonias.

Clean out your cold frame to prepare for the new season, or consider building a new one if you're looking to increase your capacity. If you're not experienced with woodworking, you might explore constructing a straw bale cold frame as an alternative.

Towards the end of the month, trim your winter cover crops to prepare them for spring planting.

FEBRUARY

Ensure that your gardening tools are thoroughly cleaned and honed to maintain their effectiveness. If you haven't completed your seed purchases, now is the time to finalize them to secure the varieties you desire. Towards the latter part of the month, it's advisable to plant peas, potatoes, and parsley directly into your garden soil. Sow seeds such as Nigella, Poppy, and Larkspur outside to expose them to the cooler temperatures, which will facilitate their germination process.

To avoid the common springtime influx, service your lawn mower and any other power gardening equipment you might have. Pruning season is upon us, so don't delay in trimming your fruit trees, berry shrubs, and other woody plants while they are still in their dormant phase, before the onset of spring growth.

Acclimate your brassica seedlings by placing them outside in a cold frame, and by the end of the month, plant them in the garden under protective cloches or beneath a plastic tunnel. Take advantage of favorable weather to aerate your compost pile or to start a new one if you haven't already.

If your space allows, consider planting an additional row of produce to donate to those in need within your community. As Valentine's Day approaches, consider gifting a plant or a gardening supply gift certificate to your loved one.

Cut down any winter cover crops and integrate them into the soil, provided it's sufficiently dry for cultivation. Apply a layer of compost to your garden beds in preparation for next month's planting activities.

MARCH

As the days grow longer and the nights become shorter, your indoor plants will enter a growth phase. This period is ideal for repotting plants that have outgrown their current containers and providing them with nourishment through fertilization. To enhance the structure and drainage of your garden soil, incorporate organic matter, which is beneficial for plant growth.

Now is the opportune time to initiate indoor seedlings for vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. Aim to complete this task by January 15th to ensure they have enough time to mature before transplanting.

As you approach the end of March, begin the acclimatization or "hardening off" process for outdoor transplantation of cool-season crops like onions and parsley, as well as any other plants that are at least five weeks old. When selecting plants for transplant, particularly cole crops like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts, opt for younger, smaller ones. Larger, more mature plants may prematurely bolt, or flower, if they experience low temperatures early in the season.

When the soil and weather conditions are favorable, you can directly sow a variety of vegetables including carrots, Swiss chard, peas, collards, kale, kohlrabi, leaf lettuce, onions, parsley, parsnips, beets, radishes, salsify, and spinach.

Take advantage of pleasant weather to aerate your compost pile by turning it, or consider starting a new one if you haven't already.

It's crucial to avoid working with garden soil when it's overly moist, as this can lead to compaction and the formation of hard clumps. Instead, wait for drier conditions before tilling or planting.

Remove any remaining dried plant material from your garden beds and add it to the compost pile to minimize waste and recycle nutrients.

Maintain a gardening journal to track your horticultural activities. Document the seeds you plant, including details such as the seed company, plant name, variety, dates of planting and harvesting. Throughout the growing season, keep notes on plant performance, any disease issues, and the treatments used. This record-keeping will be invaluable for planning and improving future garden endeavors.

As winter draws to a close, it's time to set up birdhouses you've crafted during the colder months. Many bird species start scouting for suitable nesting locations in early spring, so positioning your birdhouses outside now is ideal. For example, swallows may use nest boxes set out during late May or early June, but other species like owls, chickadees, and woodpeckers begin their search for nesting sites earlier in the year around February and March Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Conduct a soil test if it's still pending on your to-do list, as it will guide your fertilization and planting strategies for the upcoming season.

Now is also the perfect time to establish new patches of strawberries and asparagus from bare-root stock. As we approach mid-March, it's important to remove any winter coverings from your perennials to avoid impeding their growth. Similarly, retract any mulch from around your strawberry and asparagus plants to allow new shoots to emerge without hindrance.

For your asparagus, apply a mild, organic nitrogen-based fertilizer to encourage strong growth. This is also the time to nourish your grapevines, raspberries, and blueberries with fertilizer, doing so before the plants break dormancy and begin their spring growth.

When it comes to raspberries, prune this year's fruit-bearing canes back by about one-quarter to promote healthy and productive growth. If you didn't manage to do so after last season's harvest, make sure to cut down the previous year's fruiting canes to ground level now to make way for this year's growth.

APRIL

To ensure your garden receives adequate hydration, install a rain gauge in close proximity to the area. It's essential that your garden gets approximately one inch of rain each week during the growing season, which spans from April through September. This will help you determine if additional watering is necessary.

During this period, it's the perfect time to plant robust annuals directly into the soil, such as calendula, clarkia, larkspur, California poppy, and sweet pea, which are known for their resilience and ability to thrive.

For your vegetable garden, directly sow seeds for a variety of crops including beets, carrots, chard, kohlrabi, late-season cabbage, various types of lettuce, mustard greens, collards, turnips, radishes, spinach, and onion sets, as well as seeds for bunching onions.

This is also an opportune moment to plant new trees and shrubs, aiming to complete this task by the month's end.

Exercise patience with your summer vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. Despite the temptation brought on by warmer days, a late frost can still pose a threat. It's advisable to wait a little longer before planting these heat-loving varieties.

When considering new landscaping endeavors, take the time to design and plan on paper before breaking ground. Avoid the common pitfall of overplanting by familiarizing yourself with the mature size of each plant species and factoring in space for growth.

If you haven't started your indoor seedlings, now is the time to begin sowing eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes inside.

You can also continue to sow a second round of outdoor seeds for crops such as beets, carrots, chard, kohlrabi, leaf lettuce, mustard, onion sets, parsnips, peas, potatoes, radishes, spinach, and turnips, ensuring a continuous harvest throughout the season.

Initiate the establishment of new orchards and berry patches by planting a variety of fruit trees, grapevines, and berry plants such as strawberries, raspberries, as well as perennial vegetables like asparagus and rhubarb. To enhance the structure and drainage of your garden soil, incorporate organic materials.

Now is the opportune time to provide nutrients to your perennial blooms, which generally require a boost of fertilizer once every three years during the early growth phase of spring.

For those dealing with persistent issues from cabbage moths and flea beetles, it's advisable to safeguard your Brassica plants by using floating row covers as a defensive measure.

Continue the process of earthing up your potato plants to encourage their development.

Take advantage of the early days of this month to plant additional seeds of carrots and lettuce, and apply a generous layer of straw, about 6 inches thick, to insulate your potato crops.

Experiment with planting a selection of early-maturing tomato varieties under protective cloches to kickstart your harvest.

Now is also a great time to introduce annual flowering plants into your garden and to plant dahlia tubers.

For a dramatic impact in the rear portions of sun-drenched flower gardens, consider growing statuesque sunflowers or vibrant tithonia.

MAY

It's possible to initiate the indoor seeding of various vine crops, such as okra, pumpkin, cucumber, as well as both summer and winter squash varieties, and a range of melons. It's advisable to use individual peat pots for these vine crops, as they tend to suffer if their roots are disrupted during transplanting. It's also time to begin acclimatizing plants that are sensitive to frost, including certain vegetables, herbs, and both perennial and annual flowers that have been raised indoors, to outdoor conditions.

For those regions where weather forecasts are favorable, it's appropriate to plant seeds directly in the garden for crops like beans, okra, pumpkin, sweet corn, and watermelon. To ensure a continuous harvest, stagger the planting of beans and sweet corn by sowing smaller portions of rows every one to two weeks. For effective pollination, sweet corn should be sown in either paired rows or in a block pattern.

As the month progresses, the likelihood of frost diminishes, making it generally safe to transplant a wide variety of plants outdoors. This includes tender annual flowers such as impatiens, and vegetable plants like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. Houseplants can also be relocated outdoors to a shaded area to enjoy the summer climate.

When it comes to planting sweet potato slips, wait until the soil temperature has increased sufficiently, which might be as late as early June in some areas.

To manage the Colorado potato beetle, a common pest, it's effective to manually remove the adults, eggs, and larvae, or to use an organic insecticide containing spinosad in cases of severe infestation. The adult beetles are identifiable by their yellow and black stripes, while the eggs are yellow and typically found in clusters on the undersides of leaves. The larvae are red with a distinctive humpback appearance and are often found on the stem tips. Vigilance is key as these pests can be a problem throughout the growing season.

Be vigilant for striped and spotted cucumber beetles, as they are known to spread bacterial wilt among cucurbit plants such as squashes and melons. Throughout the growing season, it's beneficial to manually remove both the adult beetles and their eggs. Additionally, the Mexican bean beetle is another pest to watch for; to safeguard against these, consider using floating row covers over your crops as soon as the seedlings appear.

With the onset of warmer weather, aphids become prevalent, infesting a variety of host plants. Indicators of their presence include the appearance of sticky residues on the leaves, known as 'honeydew,' and the potential development of black sooty mold. Although the mold doesn't usually harm the plant, aphids can cause significant damage. To manage them, you can rinse the plants with a forceful water spray or apply insecticidal soap, an organically approved option. Ensure thorough coverage of the insects, and repeat the treatment every 5 to 7 days to address any newly hatched aphids.

Squash vine borers, identifiable by their 1-inch long, orange and green bodies, are active during the day and are currently emerging. They lay small, brown, button-shaped eggs at the bases of squash vines. To prevent the larvae from causing damage, inspect the stems regularly and remove any eggs. You can also protect the stems by wrapping the lower portion with aluminum foil or row covers to deter egg-laying.

To defend newly planted vegetables against cutworms, create protective collars from cardboard strips that are two inches wide and eight inches long. Form them into circles with staples and place them around the plants, inserting them an inch into the soil to act as a barrier.

For potato crops, continue the practice of "hilling up" by piling soil around the base of the plants as they grow. This helps to support the plant and can improve yield.

Regularly harvest leafy greens to prevent them from bolting, or going to seed, as the weather gets warmer.

Lastly, ensure that you have a trellis system ready for your tomato plants to support them as they grow and prevent them from sprawling on the ground.

JUNE

Sow seeds of sunflowers, nasturtiums, marigolds, borage, basil, and other plants suited for the warmer season directly into the soil. It's important to remain vigilant in observing for the presence of the pest insects identified in the previous month's guidelines. As June arrives, it's the ideal period for taking softwood cuttings from certain shrubs, such as spirea, lilac, and viburnum, to propagate new plants.

When tending to your garden, especially vegetable plants, avoid walking among them while their leaves are damp to prevent the spread of diseases. For an established vegetable garden, it's more beneficial to provide a thorough watering once a week rather than light daily waterings. This practice promotes the growth of a deeper root system, which in turn aids the plants in withstanding periods of drought.

Monitor your spring crops closely, especially as temperatures rise. Heat can cause lettuce to bolt, leading to a bitter taste. Replace harvested spring vegetables promptly with crops that thrive in warmer temperatures.

To prevent blossom-end rot in tomatoes, peppers, squash, and watermelons, ensure consistent soil moisture by mulching and proper watering, plant in well-drained soil, avoid deep cultivation near the plants, and refrain from using high-nitrogen fertilizers.

Keep sowing seeds directly into the soil for heat-tolerant vegetables such as beans, summer squash, and cucumbers to ensure a continuous harvest. Refresh the mulch layer around trees, perennial plants, and vegetable gardens as necessary to conserve soil moisture and suppress weeds.

Deadheading, or the process of removing wilted flowers from plants, is beneficial for both annual and perennial blooms. This practice redirects the plant's energy towards producing more blooms, foliage, and strengthening the root system, often encouraging a second wave of flowering.

Maintain a routine of weeding your garden to prevent the chore from becoming overwhelming and to promote the health of your desired plants.

As the harvesting period for asparagus and rhubarb concludes, it's time to nourish the plants with a well-rounded fertilizer to support their growth for the following season.

Utilize buckwheat by planting it in empty patches of your garden; this will act as a cover crop to inhibit weed growth and can also enrich the soil.

After the initial blossoming period, give your rose bushes a boost with fertilizer to encourage further blooming.

For those who enjoy warmer climates, it's not too late to plant heat-loving legumes such as field peas, lima beans, and asparagus beans.

Regularly pinch back herbs like basil, mint, oregano, and savory to encourage a denser, more compact growth habit and to enhance their flavor and yield.

JULY

Begin the indoor germination of seeds for your fall harvest of cole crops right away to ensure they're ready for transplanting later on. For outdoor sowing, you can plant seeds for radishes, carrots, beets, turnips, and kale during the later part of July through August. Zone 6 - Monthly Garden Calendar: Chores and Planting Guide.

Keep a vigilant eye on your tomato plants, looking out for any symptoms of leaf spot diseases which can appear on the foliage.

Stay on top of pest control by continuing the insect monitoring practices mentioned in the May gardening checklist.

Regularly remove spent blooms from your flowers, known as deadheading, to encourage continued flowering and extend the display of your blooms throughout the season.

Since flowering plants expend a significant amount of energy, it's beneficial to provide them with additional nutrients. Begin fertilizing your flowering annuals when they start to bloom and give them another round of fertilizer later in the season to support robust growth.

You have the opportunity to plant additional seeds in July for a late-season yield of vegetables such as beets, bush beans, carrots, chard, summer spinach, cucumbers, and summer squash. Use a pre-moistened potting mix to cover the seeds, which helps prevent the soil surface from crusting and cracking. To retain soil moisture, apply a thin layer of mulch or use floating row cover fabric. 4 Tips to Get Your Fall Crops off to a Perfect Start - GrowVeg.com.

It's also time to divide and replant bearded irises. Use the robust outer sections of the rhizomes and discard the older central parts. Trim the foliage down to about six inches to promote healthy new growth.

To manage mosquito populations, eliminate standing water where mosquitoes can breed. Additionally, you might consider setting up a bat house to attract bats, as they are natural predators of mosquitoes and can help keep their numbers in check.

To ensure your garden thrives, aim to provide approximately one inch of water weekly, either through rainfall or manual watering. Watering your garden in the early morning is most effective because it allows plants to absorb moisture before the heat of the day, and it minimizes the risk of fungal diseases compared to evening watering, when leaves might stay damp overnight. Utilizing mulch around your plants can help retain soil moisture, leading to better crop yields.

When onion and garlic tops start to dry out and tip over, it's time to gather your harvest. For garlic, you can braid the tops and store them in an airy, cool location. Trim the tops of onions to about an inch and let them dry completely to prepare them for storage. If any onions or garlic are damaged, use them right away to avoid waste.

Plants in containers require diligent monitoring, especially as temperatures climb, potentially necessitating twice-daily watering to maintain consistent soil moisture. In-ground vegetable gardens should be watered thoroughly as needed to encourage deep root growth.

Regularly pinching back herbs such as basil, mint, oregano, and savory can encourage a fuller, bushier plant structure, enhancing their culinary use.

Lastly, to get a head start on fall planting, consider preparing your beds now by planting a cover crop like quick-growing field peas or other legumes, which can enrich the soil for your subsequent crops.

AUGUST

Plant pea seeds in the latter part of August to ensure a harvest in the autumn. Complete the indoor seed germination process for fall-harvested vegetables, including Brussels sprouts and other varieties within the brassica family. Maintain vigilant inspections for insect infestations and plant damage, addressing any issues promptly with appropriate treatments.

Post-raspberry harvest, take the necessary steps to set the stage for next year's growth. This involves pruning the old fruiting canes, leaving behind a select few young canes to encourage healthy development, but hold off on trimming the tips until the arrival of spring.

Refrain from pruning trees and bushes at this time; doing so could lead to new growth that won't withstand the upcoming winter. Instead, wait until the dormant season wanes to prune in early spring.

Now is also the opportune moment to acquire and plant bulbs that will bloom in spring, adding a splash of color early in the year. Plan your garden to have staggered blooming periods for a prolonged display.

Take advantage of the cooler parts of the garden by sowing seeds for a second harvest of leafy greens such as lettuce, mustard, Swiss chard, and spinach. As Labor Day approaches, directly plant seeds for kohlrabi, kale, and collards.

Continue to remove spent flowers—deadheading—to encourage your plants to focus their energy on one last flourish before the season ends.

Ensure that hanging baskets and potted plants receive daily water checks, as their moisture can evaporate quickly.

Regularly harvest summer squash and zucchini to stimulate continuous production. Clear out any spent plants to prevent them from becoming havens for pests and diseases.

Stay ahead of next year's weed problem by eliminating this year's weeds before they have the chance to seed.

Now is the time to plant biennial flowers such as hollyhocks, Canterbury bells, and foxgloves, which will bloom in the following year.

Harvest potatoes once their vines have withered, and pick cantaloupes when they easily detach from the vine with a gentle nudge.

If you're incorporating cover crops into your garden management, sow them in the fall to improve soil health for the next growing season.

SEPTEMBER

Persist in sowing seeds of cool-season crops like spinach, lettuce, radishes, and arugula, as well as Asian greens, kale, and collard greens. It's also critical to remain vigilant in monitoring for pests, especially since bean beetles may have a resurgence during this period.

As the season transitions, remember to transition your houseplants indoors from their outdoor summer spots by the middle of the month. Before relocating them, wash them thoroughly to dislodge any hitchhiking insects. While soil-dwelling bugs may not cause harm, they can become bothersome inside the house. For the initial weeks after bringing your plants indoors, keep a close eye on them for any signs of pest activity and address infestations promptly.

Now is also an opportune time to plan for winter mulching. While bagged mulch is readily available for convenience, consider ordering mulch in bulk to save money. Sharing a bulk order with your neighbors can be a cost-effective strategy if you do not need a full load yourself.

For perennial plants with fibrous roots, it's generally advisable to transplant them every three to five years. The autumn season is ideal for dividing and relocating spring-blooming perennials, whereas those that bloom in autumn, such as chrysanthemums, should be split and transplanted in the spring. To ease the transition, prune the plant tops to a height of 4 to 6 inches and prepare the new site thoroughly before transplanting.

When it comes to harvesting, pumpkins, summer squashes, and gourds should be picked before the onset of the first frost. Even if they're not fully mature, pumpkins that have started to change color will continue to ripen once harvested. Handle them with care to prevent any damage to the rind, which can accelerate spoilage.

Continue to collect the yields from a second round of cool-season vegetables like radishes, lettuce, Chinese cabbage, chard, spinach, broccoli, and other members of the cole family. Some vegetables, including parsnips, peas, Brussels sprouts, and kale, may even become tastier after experiencing a light frost, as the cold can enhance their flavors.

Let plants naturally complete their growth phase during the summer. Refrain from promoting growth through excessive use of fertilizers or too much pruning, as this can interrupt their preparation for dormancy in anticipation of the colder months. New sprouts may be susceptible to damage from early frost.

Autumn presents an excellent opportunity to enrich your garden soil. Incorporate materials like manure, compost, and leaves to enhance the soil's organic content. Wood ashes, rich in phosphorus, potassium, and calcium, can be applied as a top dressing to vegetable gardens and flower beds, providing nutrients throughout the winter.

Maintaining strawberry beds free from weeds now will simplify your gardening workload when spring arrives.

Plan to sow any cover crops by the middle of the month to ensure they are established before winter.

As some perennial plants and bulbs enter dormancy, it's wise to label their positions using a painted popsicle stick or by mapping your garden layout. This will prevent any accidental disturbances in the spring.

Give roses their final fertilization of the year now.

Once daylilies have finished blooming, it's the right time to dig, divide, and transplant them.

Harvest sweet potatoes and peanuts while the climate is mild, and make sure to cure them properly prior to storage.

Towards the end of the month, begin planting garlic, shallots, and perennial onions for the following year's harvest.

OCTOBER

Sow garlic, shallots, and perennial onions in your garden for future harvests. Additionally, it's time to plant a variety of spring-blooming bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and crocuses. To protect these bulbs from foraging wildlife, you can cover the planting area with chicken wire.

As colder weather approaches, make sure to empty and store garden hoses and to drain outdoor bird baths to prevent damage from freezing temperatures.

For potted perennials, consider burying them in a vacant section of your vegetable patch or insulating them with a generous amount of straw to ensure their survival over the winter months.

Now is an excellent time to gather soil samples for analysis, which will guide your fertilization strategy for the coming year. It's important to take separate samples from different areas of your garden, such as distinct plant beds or varying lawn sections, to account for their unique soil conditions and sunlight exposure.

For perennials that bloom in spring and summer, proceed with dividing and replanting them now. Ensure to trim back the foliage, replant the divisions, and water them thoroughly. For those that flower later in the summer or fall, plan to divide them in the spring instead. Hold off on adding fresh mulch for winter protection until the cold season is well underway.

Keep an eye on weather forecasts and be prepared to harvest any remaining summer vegetables, such as beans, eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes, to salvage them from potential damage due to an imminent hard frost.

Preserve your surplus herbs by either drying them out or by freezing them to maintain their flavor for future use. Once the asparagus foliage has turned yellow and perished, it should be cut down, chopped up, and added to your compost pile. Hold off on applying mulch to the area until the colder months of winter arrive.

To collect seeds from self-fertilizing, open-pollinated flowers, such as marigolds, allow the blooms to fully mature on the plant. Afterward, remove the seeds and spread them out on a sheet of newspaper, turning them frequently to ensure they dry evenly. Once dried, store the seeds in airtight containers like glass jars or sealed envelopes, placing them in an area that is cool, dry, and void of light to preserve their viability.

It's beneficial to keep a record of the performance of various vegetable varieties you've grown, noting which ones thrived and which did not meet expectations. This record will be invaluable when it comes time to plan and select crops for the next growing season.

Provide a natural food source for birds during the colder months by leaving the seed heads of plants like asters, sunflowers, and cosmos intact in the garden.

If you have an abundance of leafy greens such as kale, chard, and spinach that you do not intend to keep through the winter, thin them out. These trimmings are not only good for the health of the plants but also make for a nutritious addition to your meals.

Finally, take steps to protect your broccoli and cauliflower plants from the damage frost can cause by covering them on nights when temperatures are expected to drop.

NOVEMBER

Now is the time to plant your spring-flowering bulbs if you haven't done so already. Ensure your planters are devoid of soil, clean them, and store them in a location where they will remain dry throughout the winter. For those using rain barrels, remember to empty them and invert them to prevent water accumulation during the colder months, and reattach your downspouts to divert snowmelt and rain away from your home's foundation.

Frost has a sweetening effect on cole crops such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, collards, and kale, so continue to harvest these vegetables for as long as the weather permits. To extend their growing season, consider employing a cold frame or erecting a low tunnel.

For your late-season, less frost-resistant crops like carrots, beets, leeks, rutabagas, turnips, winter radishes, chard, Chinese cabbage, and leaf lettuce, leave them in the ground. Protect them with a generous layer of straw to delay freezing. For leaf lettuce, place a floating row cover over it before adding straw to keep your greens clean and extend their viability.

Regularly inspect your indoor houseplants for any pests that might have hitched a ride inside. As the month progresses and temperatures consistently drop, begin layering 2 to 4 inches of protective mulch in your garden beds.

Enrich your garden soil by spreading manure, decomposed sawdust, rotted straw, and shredded leaves, then work them into the soil. This addition of organic material will significantly enhance your soil's fertility, structure, and moisture retention.

Properly prepare and store your gasoline-powered tools, such as lawn mowers and leaf blowers, by changing the oil and housing them safely for the off-season. Since equipment repair services are currently experiencing a lull, it's an opportune time to get your tools serviced, including tuning engines and honing blades.

Now is also the ideal moment to request seed catalogs for your garden's future layout, with a particular focus on suppliers that offer a selection of heritage, uncommon, or native wildflower seeds.

Plant seeds for flowers like poppies, hollyhocks, and cornflowers (bachelor's buttons) to ensure a vibrant and colorful garden.

When winter carrots have reached a sufficient size, begin harvesting them. Continue your garden's productivity by picking your bunching onions and then sowing new ones in a different location.

Don't miss the window to plant garlic – it's your final opportunity before the season changes.

Lastly, have protective covers like blankets at the ready to shield semi-hardy vegetables such as lettuce from the damage of the season's first intense frost.

DECEMBER

During the holiday season, gift memberships to botanical gardens, arboretums, or nature centers make for generous and meaningful gifts. Not only do they offer a unique and enduring experience for your loved ones, but they also provide invaluable support to these vital cultural and educational institutions.

For the protection of young trees during the winter, it's essential to wrap their trunks. Use chicken wire or hardware cloth to shield multi-stemmed trees and shrubs, ensuring the barrier is firmly anchored and tall enough to deter rabbits.

Maintaining garden tools is also crucial. Clean them with a wire brush, sharpen cutting edges, and apply a light oil coating to prevent rust. For wooden handles, a light sanding followed by linseed oil or a coat of bright paint will not only preserve them but also make them easier to locate in the garden.

Before storing your lawn mower or tiller for the winter, make sure to empty the fuel tank. This will help to prevent any issues when you start the machine again in the spring.

Applying a layer of mulch to your planting beds is an excellent way to protect your perennials during the colder months. When dealing with ice on sidewalks and driveways, opt for less harmful de-icing materials like calcium chloride or potassium chloride instead of rock salt, which can damage plants. For added traction, consider using sand, kitty litter, or wood ashes in moderation.

Take this time to refine your garden notes, which will be an invaluable resource when planning next year's garden. Harvest cold-hardy vegetables like Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, and collards. Mulch root vegetables like carrots and parsnips to keep them insulated.

Prepare beds for early spring crops by spreading mulch, which will protect them from the winter cold. Give your compost pile one final turn before covering it with a tarp to preserve nutrients. Additionally, now is the time to dig up, divide, and replant any overcrowded bulbs.

Continue planting hardy annuals and perennials, ensuring they are protected with cloches or placed in cold frames to shield them from the cold weather.