Froots & Veg

Beacon, NY · zone 6b

Last frost ~May 12 First frost ~Oct 12 ~150-day season

The year, month by month

January

  • Plan the beds and order seeds while varieties are in stock.
  • Inventory trays, domes, heat mats and lights; clean anything reused.
  • Nothing outdoors.

February

  • Late Feb: start leeks indoors (with onions and scallions if you grow them from seed). These are slow and go in first.
  • Set up and test the seed-starting station.

March

  • Early to mid March: start all peppers indoors (Aleppo, jalapeno, bell, shishito, Jimmy Nardello, poblano, padron, corno di toro). They germinate slowly.
  • Late March: start tomatoes, tomatillo and ground cherry.
  • Prep beds as soil becomes workable; top-dress compost.
  • Late March, weather permitting: direct sow peas, spinach and radish if soil hits about 40F.

April

  • Early April: start basil, spring kale, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli indoors.
  • Mid April: direct sow carrots, spinach, peas, lettuce, radish, arugula and scallions once soil is workable.
  • Mid to late April: start zucchini, cucumber, winter squash and pumpkin in peat pots.
  • Plant asparagus crowns and horseradish cuttings in their permanent spots.
  • Install trellises and cages before plants need them.

May

  • Early May: harden off warm-season transplants over 7 to 10 days.
  • After May 12 to 15 (past frost): transplant tomatoes, peppers, tomatillo, ground cherry and basil.
  • Late May: direct sow bush beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, cucumber, zucchini, winter squash and pumpkin.
  • Continue succession carrots and lettuce; mulch and set up watering.

June

  • Transplant any remaining warm-season crops.
  • Cut garlic scapes from last fall's planting to fatten the bulbs.
  • Harvest spring spinach, lettuce, radish and early kale before heat bolts them.
  • Mid to late June: start fall brassicas indoors (Brussels, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale).
  • Stake tomatoes and Brussels; prune tomato suckers; scout for squash bugs and cucumber beetles.

July

  • Harvest ramps up: zucchini, cucumbers, early tomatoes, beans, basil.
  • Mid July: harvest garlic when lower leaves brown; cure 2 to 3 weeks in a dry, airy, shaded spot.
  • Direct sow fall carrots and fall kale; run the last bean succession early in the month.
  • Late July: transplant fall brassicas.
  • Keep watering consistent to prevent blossom end rot.

August

  • Peak harvest: tomatoes, peppers, tomatillo, ground cherry, cucumbers, zucchini, beans, shishito.
  • Early to mid Aug: direct sow fall spinach, lettuce, arugula, salad turnips; early August is the last good window for fall carrots.
  • Preserve the surplus; order garlic seed.

September

  • Harvest tomatoes, peppers, tomatillo and the first winter squash (delicata) and pumpkins.
  • Sow a last quick round of spinach and arugula early in the month.
  • Pull spent summer plants and plan the garlic bed.

October

  • Before first frost (~Oct 12): harvest all winter squash and pumpkins and cure them; pick remaining peppers and tomatoes (ripen green tomatoes indoors).
  • After frost, Brussels and kale sweeten, so leave them in.
  • Mid to late Oct: plant garlic cloves and mulch with straw; dig horseradish roots after frost.
  • Sow cover crop on empty beds; clean and store tools and empty bags.

November

  • Harvest cold-hardy crops: Brussels, kale, leeks and mulched carrots.
  • Mulch the garlic bed heavily.
  • Protect leeks and carrots with straw for winter pulling; compost disease-free plants.

December

  • Harvest leeks, Brussels and kale from under the snow as needed.
  • Review the season's notes and plan next year.

The crops

Each strip is one year: orange while seeds are inside, green once they are out, red when there is something to pick. Tagged someday: not growing yet, maybe next year.

seed indoors outside harvest

Peppers

Aleppo pepper

5–7 gal

Pick red and dry for flakes.

Indoors
8 to 10 wk (mid Mar)
Outside
Transplant after frost
Where
Grow bag or raised bed
Harvest
Aug to Oct, red-ripe

Jalapeno

5–7 gal

Pick green or let them go red.

Indoors
8 wk (mid Mar)
Outside
Transplant after frost
Where
Grow bag or raised bed
Harvest
Jul to Oct, green or red

Bell pepper

5–7 gal

Sweeter left to fully color.

Indoors
8 to 10 wk (mid Mar)
Outside
Transplant after frost
Where
Grow bag or raised bed
Harvest
Jul to Oct, green or colored

Shishito

5–7 gal

Prolific, pick young for blistering.

Indoors
8 wk (mid Mar)
Outside
Transplant after frost
Where
Grow bag or raised bed
Harvest
Jul to frost, small green

Jimmy Nardello

5–7 gal

Sweet frying pepper.

Indoors
8 wk (mid Mar)
Outside
Transplant after frost
Where
Grow bag or raised bed
Harvest
Aug to Oct, red-ripe

Poblano / ancho

5–7 gal

Green = poblano, dried red = ancho.

Indoors
8 to 10 wk (mid Mar)
Outside
Transplant after frost
Where
Grow bag or raised bed
Harvest
Aug to Oct

Padron

5–7 gal

Blistering pepper, pick young and often.

Indoors
8 wk (mid Mar)
Outside
Transplant after frost
Where
Grow bag or raised bed
Harvest
Jul to frost, small green

Corno di Toro

5–7 gal

Long sweet Italian frying pepper.

Indoors
8 wk (mid Mar)
Outside
Transplant after frost
Where
Grow bag or raised bed
Harvest
Aug to Oct, red or yellow

Fresno someday

5–7 gal

Ripens red, meatier than jalapeno.

Indoors
8 to 10 wk

Cayenne someday

5–7 gal

Easy to dry and grind.

Indoors
8 to 10 wk

Habanero someday

5–7 gal

Needs the longest warm run.

Indoors
8 to 10 wk

Tomatoes & friends

Tomato (heirloom, roma, cherry)

10–20 gal

Stake or cage, prune suckers on indeterminates.

Indoors
6 to 8 wk (late Mar)
Outside
Transplant after frost
Where
Grow bag, raised bed, or in ground
Harvest
Jul to frost

Tomatillo

7–10 gal

Plant 2+; self-incompatible.

Indoors
6 to 8 wk (late Mar)
Outside
Transplant after frost
Where
In ground, raised bed, or large grow bag
Harvest
Aug to Oct, husk splits

Ground cherry

5–7 gal

Ripe when husks drop and turn tan.

Indoors
6 to 8 wk (late Mar)
Outside
Transplant after frost
Where
Raised bed, grow bag, or in ground
Harvest
Late Jul to frost

San Marzano someday

Paste tomato for sauce.

Sungold cherry someday

Widely rated the best tasting.

Eggplant someday

5–7 gal

Japanese or Fairy Tale.

Indoors
8 wk

Okra someday

Direct sow late May, warmest spot.

Beans & peas

Bush beans (snap)

7–10 gal

Direct sow late May; succession every 2 to 3 wk through early Aug.

Outside
Direct after frost, late May
Where
Raised bed, in ground, or grow bag
Harvest
50 to 60 days, pick young

Kidney beans (dry)

15+ gal

Direct sow late May, soil 60F+; dry on plant.

Outside
Direct after frost, soil 60F+, late May
Where
In ground or raised bed
Harvest
Sep to Oct, dry on plant

Pinto beans (dry)

15+ gal

Bush type, ~90 to 100 days to dry.

Outside
Direct after frost, soil 60F+, late May
Where
In ground or raised bed
Harvest
Sep to Oct, dry on plant

Borlotti / cranberry beans someday

More flavorful and productive than kidney or pinto. Direct sow after frost, in ground.

Sugar snap / snow peas someday

Direct late March, trellised, harvest June.

Squash & cucumbers

Zucchini (summer squash)

15–20 gal

Hungry plant, pick often.

Indoors
3 to 4 wk in peat pots (late Apr)
Outside
Direct after frost, late May
Where
In ground or raised bed
Harvest
45 to 55 days, pick small

Winter squash (incl. delicata)

in ground

Cure before frost.

Indoors
3 to 4 wk (late Apr)
Outside
Direct late May to early Jun
Where
In ground (vining)
Harvest
Sep to Oct, hard rind

Cucumber

5–7 gal

Trellis to save space.

Indoors
3 wk in peat pots (late Apr)
Outside
Direct after frost, late May
Where
Grow bag with trellis, or raised bed
Harvest
50 to 70 days, pick young

Pumpkin

in ground

Full-size types want the ground.

Indoors
3 wk (late Apr)
Outside
Direct late May to early Jun
Where
In ground (needs space)
Harvest
Sep to Oct, hard rind

Brassicas

Kale (incl. Dino)

5–7 gal

Cut outer leaves; best after frost.

Indoors
6 wk (early Apr) spring; July for fall
Outside
Transplant
Where
Raised bed, grow bag, or in ground
Harvest
Continuous, best after frost

Broccoli

5–7 gal

Main head then side shoots; fall crop is cleaner.

Indoors
6 to 8 wk (late Mar) spring; mid Jun for fall
Outside
Transplant
Where
Raised bed, in ground, or grow bag
Harvest
60 to 85 days

Cabbage

5–7 gal

Spring and fall crops.

Indoors
6 to 8 wk spring; June for fall
Outside
Transplant
Where
Raised bed, in ground, or grow bag
Harvest
70 to 100 days

Cauliflower

5–7 gal

Blanch heads by tying leaves; fall is more reliable.

Indoors
6 to 8 wk spring; June for fall
Outside
Transplant
Where
Raised bed, in ground, or grow bag
Harvest
60 to 85 days

Brussels sprouts

7–10 gal

Pick bottom up; frost sweetens.

Indoors
4 to 6 wk spring, or mid Jun for fall
Outside
Transplant
Where
Raised bed, or in ground (stake)
Harvest
Oct to Dec after frost

Romanesco someday

Striking; spring and fall.

Kohlrabi someday

3–5 gal

Fast, mild, unusual.

Roots & tubers

Carrot

10–15 gal

Never transplant.

Outside
Direct Apr to Jul, succession
Where
Raised bed, or deep grow bag
Harvest
60 to 80 days, fall sweetest

Potatoes someday

10–15 gal

Plant April, hill, harvest summer.

Beets someday

Spring and August sowings; roots plus greens.

Salad turnips (Hakurei) someday

Fast and sweet.

Radish someday

Quick succession filler.

Florence fennel someday

For roasting; best as a fall crop.

Celeriac someday

Long season.

Indoors
10 wk

Onions & garlic

Leek

10+ gal

Hill to blanch the shank.

Indoors
10 to 12 wk (late Feb)
Outside
Transplant spring
Where
Raised bed, in ground, or deep grow bag
Harvest
Sep to Dec, very hardy

Scallions (bunching)

2–3 gal

Direct Apr onward; pull anytime; often overwinters.

Outside
Direct Apr onward
Where
Raised bed, grow bag, or in ground
Harvest
60 to 80 days, pull anytime

Garlic

10+ gal

Plant cloves Oct; scapes Jun, bulbs mid Jul. Hardneck for 6b (Music, German Extra Hardy).

Outside
Plant cloves in Oct
Where
Raised bed, in ground, or deep grow bag
Harvest
Scapes Jun; bulbs mid Jul

Greens & herbs

Basil

2–3 gal

Pinch flowers to prolong. A 5 gal bag fits a cluster.

Indoors
6 wk (early Apr)
Outside
Direct after soil warms, late May
Where
Grow bag, container, or raised bed
Harvest
Continuous, Jun to frost

Spinach

3–5 gal

Bolts in summer heat; spring and fall crops.

Outside
Direct Apr, then Aug to Sep
Where
Raised bed or grow bag
Harvest
40 to 50 days

Swiss chard someday

Tolerates heat and light frost; cuts all season.

Malabar / NZ spinach someday

Thrives in July to August when true spinach bolts.

Arugula someday

Fast succession.

Collards someday

Heat and cold tolerant BBQ side.

Cilantro & dill someday

Succession sow; both bolt in heat.

Parsley someday

Start 8 wk.

Thyme, oregano, chives & sage someday

Perennial here.

Rosemary someday

In a pot, overwintered indoors.

Mint & lemongrass someday

Bags only; they spread.

Perennials

Asparagus

in ground

Crowns in Apr, permanent bed. No harvest yr 1, light yr 2, full yr 3+.

Outside
Plant crowns in Apr, permanent bed
Where
In ground, or deep raised bed
Harvest
Spears Apr to Jun

Horseradish

10+ gal

Root cuttings in Apr; vigorous, contain it.

Outside
Plant root cuttings in Apr
Where
Grow bag, or buried bin (contain)
Harvest
Roots late fall after frost

Rhubarb someday

Harvest from year two.

Strawberries someday

Bags or a bed.

Flowers & companions

Companion flowers: pest control, pollinators, and something to look at. All someday.

Nasturtium someday

Edible; aphid trap crop.

Marigold someday

Pest deterrent among tomatoes and peppers.

Borage someday

Pollinators; great with cucumbers and squash.

Calendula someday

Edible petals, easy.

Sunflowers someday

For the birds and the view.

Grow bag sizes

Fabric pots, one plant unless noted.

2 to 3 gal

Basil (single), spinach, scallions, arugula, lettuce, radish, herbs

5 to 7 gal

All peppers, ground cherry, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, cucumber (with trellis), determinate tomato

7 to 10 gal

Tomatillo, Brussels sprouts (staked), bush beans (several), basil cluster

10 to 15 gal

Carrots (deep), leeks (deep), garlic, potatoes, cherry/determinate tomato, horseradish (to contain)

15 to 20 gal

Zucchini, indeterminate tomato

20+ gal

Bush winter squash, pie/mini pumpkins, sweet potatoes