Get the Most From Your Garden: Planting Through the Seasons

Investing into gardening and farming requires time and for some money. In order to get the most out of it, extending your planting season is important. By doing this you can experiment with new crops and enjoy your harvests for longer.

To make your research a little bit easier, I have included a list of suitable plants for each season in the Seattle area (USDA zone 8b). 

Starting with spring you might find yourself searching to update your gear, if you live in the local Seattle area check out these favorite spots!

• Swansons

• Sky Nursery

• Urban Earth Nursery & Garden Services

Spring

Vegetables:

• Peas (early March)

• Lettuce

• Spinach

• Kale

• Radishes

• Beets

• Carrots

• Potatoes

• Onions (sets or starts)

• Broccoli

• Cabbage

• Chard

Herbs:

• Cilantro

• Dill

• Parsley

• Chives

Flowers:

• Pansies

• Snapdragons

• Sweet peas

• Calendula

• Marigolds (late spring)

• Nasturtiums

Summer

Summer offers a wide variety of plants, don’t be discouraged if your spring harvest didn’t go to plan. Summer offers a chance to try again and improve your skills! While the extra sun and heat can be a challenge, it also provides the necessary ingredients to growing some fantastic plants.

Vegetables:

• Tomatoes (start indoors or buy starts)

• Peppers

• Eggplant

• Zucchini

• Cucumbers

• Beans (bush and pole)

• Corn (early June)

• Winter squash (early summer)

• Basil

Herbs:

• Basil

• Oregano

• Thyme

• Rosemary

Flowers:

• Sunflowers

• Zinnias

• Cosmos

• Petunias

• Dahlias

• Marigolds

Fall

Fall is a good time to get ahead by planting and planning for the next year. The list below provides fall harvestables as well as crops to plant for the next year. In Seattle the mild fall allows for a longer summer harvest, enjoy the fruits of your labor, and prepare for the heartier foods of fall and winter.

Vegetables:

• Garlic (plant in October for next summer)

• Shallots

• Overwintering onions

• Spinach

• Kale

• Arugula

• Mâche (corn salad)

• Mustard greens

Cover Crops:

• Crimson clover

• Winter rye

• Fava beans

Flowers:

• Spring bulbs (plant daffodils, tulips, crocuses in October)

• Violas

• Chrysanthemums

Winter

While winter seems like a waiting game, there is still plenty that can be done. Planning and maintenance are a great way to spend time, get inspiration from youtubers like Life by Mike G or look through your pantry to see what you are using the most of. When winter winds down seeds can be started for the spring. Keep your eye on the last frost date so it doesn’t sneak up on you!

Planning & Maintenance:

• Order seeds for spring

• Build raised beds, amend soil with compost

• Prune fruit trees (January-February)

Indoor Starts (late winter):

• Tomatoes

• Peppers

• Broccoli

• Cabbage

• Onions (from seed)

Cold-Hardy Greens (with cover or greenhouse):

• Kale

• Mâche

• Spinach

• Arugula

Even without a greenhouse or a warm climate there are still lots of gardening and farming activities to be done throughout the off-seasons. I like to spend time finding inspiration and trying new things. Don’t be discouraged, there is so much opportunity to learn more and hone your craft!

Chat with others or learn more here!