The Harvest to Table Garden Almanac Hub
Welcome.
I write these monthly garden almanacs from my garden in Sonoma Valley, where vegetables and herbs grow year-round and the seasons unfold gradually rather than abruptly.
This Garden Almanac is a month-by-month record of what I’m doing in the garden, what I’m observing, and how I make decisions—based on more than 30 years of growing vegetables and herbs using no-till, regenerative practices.
Rather than chasing trends or rigid planting calendars, the Almanac follows the natural rhythm of the year: light, temperature, soil life, and plant response.
You can read each month on its own, or follow along throughout the year.
How to Use the Garden Almanac
Each monthly Almanac includes:
- What I’m doing in my own garden
Real tasks, real timing, and real decisions—not idealized checklists. - What you can do in your garden
Adaptable guidance for different climates, focused on readiness rather than rushing. - Soil care and observation
How I protect and feed the soil, especially during quieter months. - Seasonal notes
Changes in day length, weather patterns, and plant behavior that influence every choice.
These posts are meant to be practical, calm, and grounded—something you can return to each year.
The Monthly Garden Almanacs
🌱 January Garden Almanac
Planning for spring, reading seed catalogs with intention, and protecting soil while days slowly lengthen.
January Vegetable Garden Zone-by-Zone
Seed-Starting Vegetables in January
January Flower Garden Tips Zone-by-Zone
🌱 February Garden Almanac
Preparation without rushing—organizing, watching soil temperatures, and getting ready to start seeds at the right moment.
February Vegetable Garden Zone-by-Zone
Timeless Garden Tips for February
Seed Starting Vegetables in February
February Flower Garden Tips Zone-by-Zone
🌱 March Garden Almanac
Where winter and spring overlap: cool-season planting, bed preparation, and careful timing.
Vegetable Garden Tips for March
March Vegetable Garden Zone-by-Zone
Seed Starting Vegetables in March
March Flower Garden Tips Zone-by-Zone
🌱 April Garden Almanac
Patience matters. Soil warmth, spacing, and restraint guide early warm-season decisions.
April Vegetable Garden Zone-by-Zone
April Seed Starting Veggies Zone-by-Zone
Vegetable Garden Tips for April
April Flower Garden Tips Zone-by-Zone
🌱 May Garden Almanac
Planting with intention—spacing, succession planning, and setting crops up for long-term success.
May Vegetable Garden Things To Do
May Vegetable Garden Zone-by-Zone
Seed Starting Vegetables in May
May Flower Garden Tips Zone-by-Zone
🌱 June Garden Almanac
Helping plants settle in: watering, mulching, feeding, and observing early stress signals.
June Vegetable Garden Things to Do
June Seed-Starting Vegeables & Planting Guide
June Vegetable Garden Tasks: What to Do Beyond Planting
June Flower Garden Tips Zone-by-Zone
🌱 July Garden Almanac
Maintenance over expansion. Harvesting, heat protection, and staying ahead without overworking the garden.
July Vegetable Garden Things To Do
July Vegetable Garden Tasks: Keeping the Garden Productive in Summer
Vegetable Seed Starting in July
July Flower Garden Tips Zone-by-Zone
🌱 August Garden Almanac
Preparing for the turn toward fall—soil prep, fall seed starting, and quiet planning.
August Vegetable Garden Things To Do
August Vegetable Garden Tasks: Managing Heat and Preparing for Fall
Vegetable Seed Starting in August
August Flower Garden Tips Zone-by-Zone
🌱 September Garden Almanac
Often a second spring: fall planting, warm soil, and cooler air working together.
September Vegetable Garden Tasks: Transitioning the Garden for Fall
Seed Starting Vegetables in September
September Flower Garden Tips Zone-by-Zone
🌱 October Garden Almanac
Finishing the season well—removing spent crops, covering soil, and preparing for winter.
October Vegetable Garden Seed Starting
October Flower Garden Tips Zone-by-Zone
🌱 November Garden Almanac
Protection and reflection: mulching, frost readiness, and reviewing the season’s lessons.
November Planting and To-Dos Zone-by-Zone
November Vegetable Garden Seed Starting & Planting Guide
November Flower Garden Tips Zone-by-Zone
🌱 December Garden Almanac
Closing the year gently. Crops remain in the ground, the solstice passes, and the light begins to return.
December Vegetable Garden Zone-by-Zone
December Vegetable Garden Seed Starting & Garden Care Guide
December Flower Garden Tips Zone-by-Zone
About My Approach
I grew up gardening with my parents in California’s Central Valley. In my life-long gardening journey, I’ve had gardens in Massachusetts, Iowa, Florida, and now garden year-round in Sonoma Valley, California. I garden in raised beds, mounded beds, and containers.
My approach is inspired by historical vegetable gardeners and grounded in the NEW method—Narrow bed, Equidistant planting in Wide rows—combined with no-till, regenerative practices that prioritize soil health. You can read about my NEW method in my book The Vegetable Garden Grower’s Guide.
I also teach and share this work through:
- University of California programs
- Master Gardener talks
- Workshops at Sonoma Garden Park
Everything in this Almanac comes directly from hands-on experience, not theory.
Stay Connected
If you’d like these monthly garden notes delivered by email, you can sign up here.
I share what I’m doing, what I’m learning, and what I’d do differently—season by season.
If you’re ready to go deeper, I’ve also organized my core methods into step-by-step courses for home gardeners. 👉 Vegetable Garden Grower’s Masterclass
👉 Explore email updates at Subscribe in the Nav bar on the homepage.
