# data[].attributes.body
I will use this information to divide and deliver seeds and starts to classrooms as they are ready to be planted.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hey all! I am working on sorting starting seeds for classroom gardens! To help me with numbers, please let me know if you are wanting any seeds and/or starts. Starts are seeds that are started indoors and later transplanted into your garden when they are ready! If you select school provided starts, they will be delivered when they are ready to plant into the ground. If you want to grow your own starts, but still want school provided seeds, these seeds will come in little packets when they are ready to be started indoors. Direct sow seeds are planted directly into the ground outside, and will come in little packets. If you want school provided direct sow seeds, these will come to you around when they are ready to be planted in the ground.
If you have any questions, you can include that on this form, or you can always reach me by email or in person! Happy growing!

# data[].attributes.body
We are in zone 6b

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Planting by USDA Plant Hardiness Zone is a good starting point to get a handle on what you should be thinking of planting and when. If you pair this overview of gardening tasks by zone with experience, local knowledge, and good year-to-year note taking then you should have an effective annual gardening calendar!

The game in January is to keep your perennials alive and prepare for the coming growing season. There are some basic steps you can take to make sure you stay on top of the garden during the winter!

Watch for and brush off ice and snow from tree and shrub limbs to prevent breakage.

Use tree wrap on trunks of newly planted trees as well as those species with thin bark like linden, ash, mountain ash, and maple.

Use this time to give your indoor houseplants a good cleaning. Dust settles on leaves and clogs "pores," hindering light penetration as well as gas and moisture exchange. Wipe off leaves with a rag soaked in water with diluted scent-free soap.

Check all house plants closely for insect infestations. Quarantine holiday gift plants until you determine that they are not harboring any pests.

As the season quickly approaches it's time to get prepared! Take the steps you need to get ready for the growing season. A little proactive planning can really help you as the garden season progresses.

If you aren't a carpenter, now is a good time to try a straw bale cold frame.

When deciding on landscape plants, consider ordering trees and shrubs which provide cover and small fruits for our feathered friends. Consider species such as crabapple and hawthorn which can help lure hungry birds from cultivated fruits if planted on the opposite side of the yard.

It's go time! Getting your seeds started on time means you can take full advantage of the growing season. It may seem like a lot to do all at once but we promise you'll thank us once your garden is full, blooming, and beautiful!

If you haven't already, now is a great time to prune your fruit trees, berry bushes, and other woody ornamentals on your property. You want to complete this while they're still dormant and before spring growth begins.

The longer days and shorter nights will stimulate your houseplants to start growing again. Now is a good time to repot them if needed and give them a good fertilizing.

Avoid the spring rush and take your lawn mower and any other mechanized tools you use in for service.

On nice days, turn your compost pile. Resist working your garden soil! Working soil when it is still too cold and wet creates compacted clots.

Clean up any leftover dried debris from garden beds and toss in the compost pile.

Fertilize grapes, raspberries, and blueberries before growth resumes.

Place birdhouses built this winter outdoors this month. Birds will begin looking for nesting sites soon.

Don't get too excited about the warm weather just yet! Keep tender plants inside for a little while longer, though you can slowly start the process of hardening off. Direct sow your cool weather crops outside.

May is the month that Zone 6 has its average last frost. After the last frost date it is generally considered safe to plant tender seedlings outdoors. Last frost dates are estimates, so while you can anticipate the last frost, your best bet is to rely on the weather forecast or local recommendations!

Plant any new trees and shrubs by the end of the month.

Keep "hilling up" potatoes.

Have a trellis system in place for your tomato patch before the plants begin to sprawl.

By the end of this month, it should be safe to plant almost everything outdoors. Houseplants, too, can be moved to a shady spot in the yard for their summer vacations.

Keep up with that seeding! As the weather warms up, direct sow outside in successions to make sure you extend your harvest all season long. It's also important to keep an eye out for pests! Learning to identify and control pest infestations early on can make things way easier on you this season and for the years to come. Our Pest Watch Guide can help you know where to look and how to identify these bugs! Learning pest control basics can also help ensure things don't get too out of hand with those pests that love to munch.

Cover Brassica crops with floating row cover to protect from cabbage moth and flea beetle damage if these little critters have been a problem in the past.

Colorado potato beetle adults, eggs, and larvae can be hand-picked to remove or sprayed with an organic insecticide. The adults are yellow-and-black-striped beetles. The eggs are yellow and laid in groups on the undersides of leaves. The larvae are humpbacked and red. Look for them on the stem tips. They are present almost all season.

Also keep an eye out for striped and spotted cucumber beetles. They transmit bacterial wilt to squashes and melons. Adults and eggs can be hand-picked throughout the season.

Watch out for Mexican bean beetles. To be on the safe side, you can cover the entire crop with floating row cover as soon as seedlings emerge.

Aphids of all types show up on a range of host plants as soon as the warm weather arrives. Look for them in newly unfurling foliage, and sticky leaves are also a sign of their presence since they secrete a 'honeydew.' While it can be alarming, the honeydew itself doesn't damage the leaves. Aphids, however, do damage the plant. Spray leaves with a strong jet of water to dislodge most of them. Insecticidal soap is an organic approved product that provides pretty good control as long as the insects are wet enough. A second and third treatment to kill newly hatched eggs may be needed in five to seven days.

Squash vine borer adults are one inch long, orange and green day-flying moths that are emerging from the soil about now. They lay brown, button-shaped, 1/16 inch eggs at the base of the vines of summer and winter squashes. Examine stems daily and remove eggs by hand to prevent burrowing of larvae as they hatch. Wrap lower 6-12 inches of stems with aluminum foil or floating row cover to prevent egg laying.

The beginning of June is an excellent time to take softwood cuttings of shrubs to start new plants. Some shrubs which can be propagated in this way are spirea, lilac, and viburnum.

Stay out of the garden when the vegetable plant leaves are wet. Walking through a wet garden spreads disease from one plant to another.

After your vegetable garden is well established, it is best to water it thoroughly once a week rather than giving it a light watering every day. That way, a deeper root system is encouraged to develop, which will later help the plants tolerate dry weather.

Keep a close eye on the quality of your spring crops. Hot weather causes lettuce to bolt and become bitter. Plant a warm season crop as soon as the spring vegetables are harvested.

Weed the garden regularly to keep the task easy and manageable.

It's time to stay on top of the harvest! As vegetables start to produce, be sure to check regularly so crops don't rot on the vine, get too big, or become snagged by pests before you can get to them! It's also a great idea to stay on top of succession planting, watering, and deadheading.

Watch the leaves of your tomato plants for signs of leaf spot diseases.

Continue monitoring for pests listed in the June task list.

Garden flowers, whether annuals or perennials, benefit from "deadheading" after flowering. By removing the spent flower heads, energy is used to produce more flowers or foliage and roots. Many will produce another flush of blooms.

Divide and transplant bearded iris using the vigorous ends of the rhizomes. Discard the old center portion. Cut the leaves back to about six inches.

Control mosquitoes by eliminating all sources of stagnant water. Consider installing a bat house to encourage bat habitats - they eat mosquitoes!

A garden needs one inch of rain or water each week. Early morning is the best time to water. Evening watering is less desirable because plant leaves that remain wet through the night are more susceptible to fungal diseases. Mulch plants to reduce water losses and improve yields.

Check the soil moisture of container-grown vegetables and flowers daily. As the temperature rises, some plants may need water twice a day.

Harvest onions and garlic as the tops dry and fall over. Braid garlic tops and hang in a cool, dry place. Cut onion tops back to one inch and dry thoroughly before storing. Use any damaged produce immediately.

It's a marathon, not a sprint. Keep doing that great work of weeding, watering, deadheading, and pest control. Start clearing out fading crops for fall plantings.

Continue your bug removal and pest damage inspections! Remove and treat as needed.

After the last raspberry harvest for the year, prepare for next year while also avoiding diseases by pruning out old flowering canes leaving only three to four young canes per foot of row. Wait until spring to prune back shoot tips.

Avoid pruning trees and shrubs since doing so this late in the season can stimulate new growth that will not harden off in time for the cold winter weather ahead. Delay pruning until the end of the dormant season early next spring.

This is a good time to order and plant spring flowering bulbs for next year's early flower display. Plan for different flowering times to extend the season.

Continue deadheading flowers which will allow plants to use energy reserves for a final flower display.

Some perennial flowers and bulbs will start to go dormant this month. Marking their location with a painted popsicle stick or drawing out a map of your bed is helpful come spring so you don't forget where things are.

Check the moisture levels of hanging baskets and container plantings daily.

Pick summer squash and zucchini every day or two to keep the plants producing.

Remove old plants that have stopped producing to eliminate a shelter for insects and disease organisms.

Every weed that produces seed means more trouble next year. Control weeds before they go to seed.

Dig, divide, and move daylilies after they have completed their bloom.

Harvest cantaloupe when the stem separates from the fruit with gentle prodding.

September is a great time to start thinking about where you're going to keep your storage crops, what your to-do list is for the rest of the season, and what you can do to make your life easier come spring!

Keep inspecting for pests, particularly bean beetles as they can make a second strong showing this time of year.

Houseplants that have been "vacationing" in the backyard this summer should be brought in. Give them a good blast of water all over before bringing them in to help remove freeloading insects. Insects in the soil are probably not damaging but more of a nuisance when brought indoors. For the first couple of weeks after the move inspect your plants daily for any emergent insects and treat as needed.

Make preparations for mulching your beds for the winter. Bagged mulch is always available, but getting a truckload delivered is very economical. If you don't think you can use a whole truckload, ask your neighbors if you can split a load.

Pumpkins, summer squashes, and gourds you want to store should be harvested before the first frost. Pumpkins that have begun showing color will continue to ripen after harvest. Use great care not to nick the rind during harvest since this will lead to more rapid deterioration.

Keep harvesting second plantings of the cool season vegetables including radishes, lettuce, cabbage, Swiss chard, spinach, broccoli, and the other cole crops. Some such as parsnips, peas, Brussels sprouts, and kale actually have enhanced flavor after a frost.

Allow plants to finish the summer growth cycle in a normal manner. Never encourage growth with heavy applications of fertilizer or excessive pruning at this time of year. Plants will delay their dormancy process that has already begun in anticipation of winter in the months ahead. New growth can be injured by an early freeze.

Fall is a good time for improving your garden soil. Add manure, compost, and leaves to increase the organic matter content. Wood ashes contain phosphorus, potassium, and calcium. They can be placed on vegetable gardens and flower beds as a top dressing that will feed into the soil all winter.

Be sure to keep strawberry beds weed-free. Every weed you pull now will help make weeding much easier next spring.

Most likely your last major planting of the season is happening now. Get those garlic, shallots, and flower bulbs in the ground. You may even be able to fit in one more round of loose-leaf lettuce if you practice some season extension! Keep an eye on the weather. Finish up your harvests, store your crops, and save your seeds!

Plant spring flowering bulbs.

Drain the hoses and empty the bird baths before a hard frost.

Potted perennials can be buried in an empty part of the vegetable garden or surrounded with a thick layer of straw to get them through the winter.

Collect soil samples now for testing to prepare for next year's fertilization of the lawn, the vegetable garden, the shrub border, and flower beds. Submit separate samples for distinct areas used to grow different types of plants and where growing conditions are different for the same plants. A shady lawn area on a slope should be a different sample than a sunny lawn area.

Dig and divide spring and summer flowering perennials now. Late summer and fall flowering plants can be done in the spring. Cut foliage back, replant, and water well. Wait until winter is in full-swing to add new mulch for protection during their first winter.

Keep an eye on the weather and harvest any remaining summer produce like beans, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes before a hard frost rolls in.

Remove, chop, and compost asparagus tops after they have yellowed and died for the season. Wait until the ground has frozen to mulch.

from favorite self-pollinating, non-hybrid flowers such as marigolds by allowing the flower heads to mature. Lay seeds on newspaper and turn them often to dry. Store the dry seeds in glass jars or envelopes in a cool, dry, dark place.

Make a note of any particularly productive or unsatisfactory varieties of vegetables that you planted this year. Such information can be very useful when planning next year's garden.

Leave seed heads on asters, sunflowers, and cosmos for the birds to eat throughout winter.

If you want to explore season extension this year, experiment with those cold-tolerant greens! Mini hoop houses, cold frames, and repurposed milk jugs can all be used to extend your season.

If you haven't already, get your new spring flowering bulbs planted now.

Empty, clean, and store planters where they will be dry for the winter.

If you are using a rain barrel or two to conserve water and reduce stormwater runoff, they should be emptied and turned over to keep them dry during the winter months. Reconnect your downspout to direct the snowmelt and winter rain away from your foundation.

Cole crops like Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, collards, and kale are made sweeter by frost, so don't pull them out yet. Harvest them as long as possible. You can also put up a low-tunnel to extend the season.

Instead of harvesting less hardy late season crops, leave them in the garden and tuck them in with a thick layer of straw so they don't freeze as early. This includes carrots, beets, leeks, rutabagas, turnips, winter radishes, Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage, and leaf lettuce. Cover the leaf lettuce first with floating row cover fabric which breathes but will keep the straw out of your salad.

Spread manure, sawdust, straw, and shredded leaves over the garden and plow them under; you'll be surprised at the difference this organic matter will make in the fertility, physical structure, and water-holding capacity of the soil.

Continue to check houseplants for insects that may have come indoors as you brought the plants inside.

If your soil has frozen to at least an inch thick, now is the time to start applying a two to four inch layer of protective mulch.

Oil and store gas-powered equipment like lawn mowers and leaf blowers. Repair shops are in a slow period (at least until the snow blowers need repairs) so arrange for a tune-up and blade sharpening now.

Order seed catalogs now for garden planning in January. For variety, consider companies that specialize in open-pollinated and heirloom varieties .

Oh, sweet December. As the year comes to a close, consider what worked and didn't work this year, what you'd like to try again, what you can change, and what experiments are on the docket for next season. The possibilities are endless in December!

Consider gifting memberships to local botanical gardens, arboretums, or nature centers for the holidays. They are dual purpose gifts, supporting the organization while providing thoughtful, lasting gifts to your family and friends.

Protect trunks of young trees by wrapping. Surround multi-stemmed and low-branching trees and shrubs with chicken wire or hardware cloth held securely against the ground. It should be low enough to protect branches and high enough that a rabbit can't hop over it.

Clean garden tools with a wire brush and apply a light coat of oil to protect them from rusting. Sharpen edges of hoes and spades. Clean, readjust, and sharpen the blades of pruning tools. Lightly sand handles and then apply a coat of linseed oil, or paint your handles a bright color like red or orange which will make them easier to spot should you lay them in the grass.

Drain the fuel tank of the lawn mower or tiller before putting the machine away for the winter.

If you haven't already, apply a layer of much on all of your planting beds, especially around your perennials.

A thick layer of straw over root crops like parsnips, carrots, leeks, and beets will protect them long enough to harvest them a little at a time well into the winter.

Avoid rock salt, which is sodium chloride, to melt sidewalk and driveway ice. Products made of calcium chloride or potassium chloride cause less damage to plants. For traction, sprinkle sand, kitty litter, or wood ashes sparingly. Mix with a little melting compound if more than just traction is needed. Minimize de-icing and traction products to reduce pollution in storm sewers and streams.

Start reviewing and expanding your garden notes to help with next year's plans.

This article was updated on 2/14/24.

Article Written by: Angie Lavezzo

About the Author: Angie Lavezzo is the former general manager of Sow True Seed. Beyond her professional role at Sow True, Angie's passion for gardening extends into personal hands-on experience, fostering plants and reaping bountiful harvests.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Zone 6 - Monthly Garden Calendar: Chores and Planting Guide

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A full garden and planting guide for Zone 6! Planting by USDA Zone is a good starting point to get a handle on what you should be thinking of planting and when. If you pair this overview of gardening tasks by zone with experience, local knowledge and good year on year note taking then you should have a pretty good annual gardening calendar!

# data[].attributes.headline
Plant Care Instructions - Variety Specific

# data[].attributes.subject
Plant Care Instructions - Variety Specific

# data[].attributes.body
This is a resource I created a number of years ago. This does not list every variety we have available here, but has some good information about a good number of plants!

# data[].attributes.body
This is another resource I created for my farm a while ago. Some information might not be applicable, but I thought it would be a nice resource for folks who have no experience in starting seeds.

# data[].attributes.body
This farm does so much good cultural and farm work. They have a list of resources on their site that serve as a practical guide for gardening, as well as some cultural connections to farming.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We lean on each other to make greatness happen. Below find a variety of resources, guides, video series, and other sources of knowledge on food justice, dismantling racism, and liberation written and developed by our team.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We lean on each other to make greatness happen. Below find a variety of resources, guides, video series, and other sources of knowledge on food justice, dismantling racism, and liberation written a...