Abbott Hill, Wilton NH · Zone 5b · Frost-free: May 15-20
14 beds, 30" wide × 8' long, 19" pathways
Farm style, family scale. Classic garden. Disease prevention is a season-long priority.
Pathways: Winter rye + NZ white clover (frost-seeded March). Living ground cover, mow as needed.
Every crop, one method. No exceptions.
Drop into the garden on any of these dates and this is what you see.
Transplant Day was 10 days ago. Cool-season crops settling in. Warm-season stuff still under lights or hardening off.
| Bed | What You See | Height | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bare prepped soil. Waiting for sweet potato slips (late May/June). | -- | Prepped |
| 2 | 3 lettuce transplants in neat rows. Spinach seedlings with first true leaves. Arugula cuttable for baby greens. | Lettuce 4-5", Spinach 2-3", Arugula 3-4" | Early growth |
| 3 | Kale transplants sturdy, blue-green. Thyme/sage not planted yet (buying in May). | Kale 5-7" | Establishing |
| 4 | Seed potatoes just planted or going in this week. | -- | Planting |
| 5 | Carrots: nothing visible yet (slow to germinate). Parsley transplants settling in. Onion spikes 4-6". Parsnips invisible. | Parsley 3-4", Onions 4-6" | Establishing |
| 6 | 2 broccoli, 2 cabbage, 1 cauliflower transplants under row cover. Shallots 3-4" green spikes. | 5-7" | Establishing |
| 7-9 | Spring radishes and arugula (gap crop). Waiting for frost-free for tomatoes/peppers. | Radish 2-3" | Gap crop |
| 10, 13 | Oats + peas just sprouting, thin green rows. Pea trellis section on bed 10. | 2-3" | Emergence |
| 11-12 | Bare prepped soil. Waiting for frost-free. Trays on the porch. | -- | Empty |
| 14 | Bare prepped soil. Beans/beets not until late May. | -- | Empty |
| Paths | Winter rye 6-8", clover seedlings filling gaps. | 6-8" | Growing in |
Mostly bare earth with islands of green. A promise. Cover crop on beds 10 and 13. Radish gap crops on 7-9 while tomato trays harden off on the porch. You can still see the bones of the bed layout. Smells like cold soil and fresh growth.
Two weeks past frost-free. Every bed has something growing. Cool crops hitting stride. Warm crops small but visible.
| Bed | What You See | Height | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sweet potato slips just planted or going in this week. Bare soil with small green tufts. | 3-4" | Establishing |
| 2 | Lettuce in waves: first transplants nearly heading, later sowings staggered. Spinach bolting. Arugula flowering. | 4-12" (waves) | Mixed maturity |
| 3 | Kale 14-18", big textured leaves. First harvest ready. Thyme + sage transplants 3-4", low and spreading. | Kale 14-18" | First harvest |
| 4 | Potato plants 8-12", hilling soil around stems. Strong dark green growth. | 8-12" | Vegetative |
| 5 | Carrots: feathery tops showing. Parsley bushy. Onions 8-10" with thickening bases. Parsnips barely visible. | 3-10" | Growing |
| 6 | Broccoli 18-20", heads forming. Cabbage tightening. Cauliflower curds forming. Shallots 6-8". | 18-20" | Heading |
| 7 | Black Prince, Brandywine, Sun Gold, Supernova Grape 15-20", staked and caged. Basil 6-8" between cages. | 15-20" | Vegetative |
| 8 | San Marzano, Roma VF, Moskvich, New Girl F1 12-18". Moskvich already setting flowers. | 12-18" | Vegetative |
| 9 | 5 peppers 8-12", compact and dark green. Basil border 6-8", bushy. | 8-12" | Vegetative |
| 10, 13 | Oats 18-24" with peas climbing through, tendrils reaching. Peas on trellis (bed 10) producing. | 18-24" | Vigorous |
| 11 | Squash/zucchini transplants 6-10", huge leaves unfurling. | 6-10" | Establishing |
| 12 | Cucumber transplants 4-8", tendrils reaching for trellis. Oregano 4-6" spreading. | 4-8" | Starting to vine |
| 14 | Bush beans 4-6". Pole beans on trellis. Edamame sprouting. Beets with 4-5" greens. Cilantro 4-6". Dill 6-8". | 4-8" | Seedling |
Green everywhere. No bare soil left. Cool beds (2, 3, 5, 6) mature and productive. Warm beds (7-9, 11-12, 14) young and optimistic. Potatoes and sweet potatoes on beds 4 and 1 filling in. Oats-and-peas on beds 10 and 13 with pea trellis section producing. Bees working clover paths.
Peak. Everything producing or about to. This is the portfolio photograph. Almost overgrown, alive, abundant.
| Bed | What You See | Height | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sweet potatoes: vines spreading, large leaves covering soil. Growing vigorously in summer heat. | Vines 2-3 ft | Growing |
| 2 | Lettuce in 3-4 waves: some heads ready, some mid-size, some just sprouted. Jericho & Nevada varieties now. Spinach/arugula sections cleared and resown. | 2-12" | Rolling harvest |
| 3 | Kale 24-30", tall and dramatic like small palm trees. Thyme + sage in full flower, covered in bees. | 24-30" | Full production |
| 4 | Potatoes 18-24", bushy green tops. Hilled twice. Flowering. | 18-24" | Tuber formation |
| 5 | Carrots: 12-15" feathery tops, orange shoulders at soil line. Parsnips: 8-10" tops. Onions: bulbs swelling, greens starting to flop. | 12-16" | First harvest |
| 6 | Broccoli main heads harvested, side shoots producing. Cabbage: tight heads ready. Cauliflower: white head ready. Shallots swelling. | 20-24" | Post-main harvest |
| 7 | Black Prince, Brandywine, Sun Gold, Supernova Grape 3-4 ft. Dense jungle in cages. Green clusters everywhere. Sun Gold showing first orange. Basil 14-18". Bottom 12" of leaves pruned. Suckers removed. | 3-4 ft | Fruiting |
| 8 | San Marzano, Roma VF, Moskvich, New Girl F1 2.5-4 ft. Moskvich ripening reds (earliest!). Roma compact and loaded. San Marzano tall with green plums. New Girl setting heavy clusters. Bottom leaves removed. | 2.5-4 ft | Fruiting |
| 9 | 5 peppers 18-22" with white flowers and small green fruit. Basil border 14-16", pinched bushy. | 18-22" | Flowering |
| 11 | Zucchini/squash: massive 3-4 ft spread, dinner-plate leaves, yellow flowers, first fruits picked daily. | 3-4 ft | Producing |
| 12 | Cucumbers vining 4-6 ft on trellis, first cukes hanging. Oregano 8-12" in full flower. | 4-6 ft | Producing |
| 10, 13 | Oats+peas mowed and incorporated. Buckwheat just sown or barely sprouting. Fresh-worked soil with tiny green specks. | 0-1" | Just sown |
| 14 | Beans in 3 waves: bush 18-20" with pods (harvest!), pole beans climbing trellis. Edamame pods plumping. Beets ready to pull. Cilantro 6-8" (2nd sowing). Dill 18-24" with umbrella heads. | 6-24" | Rolling harvest |
The garden feels bigger than it is. Tomato beds are green walls with first color breaking through. Kale stands like sentinels. Squash creeps into paths. Basil and oregano perfume the air. Sweet potato vines on bed 1, potato flowers on bed 4. The bean bed tells the whole succession story in one glance. Buckwheat just sown on beds 10, 13 -- the quiet reset. This is the photograph.
The garden is shifting. Peak harvest but season bending toward fall. Determinates finishing. Disease-prevention pruning visible. Already thinking garlic and cover crops.
| Bed | What You See | Height | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sweet potato vines sprawling, lush green mat covering entire bed. Tubers forming underground. | Vines 4+ ft | Growing |
| 2 | Buttercrunch and Pandero Romaine coming back as cool nights return. Some gaps. Spinach resown Sep 1 will fill in next month. | 3-10" | Transitioning |
| 3 | Kale 30"+, still going strong. Leaves tougher but producing. Thyme + sage woody, done flowering. | 30"+ | Late production |
| 4 | Potato tops starting to die back. Harvest time approaching (Aug-Sep). | Declining | Maturing |
| 5 | Late carrots 4-6" tops. Parsnips still growing (harvest after frost). Earlier sowings pulled. Onions mostly harvested. | 4-6" | Winding down |
| 6 | Brassicas spent. Fall turnips + bok choy sown. Shallots harvested. Prepping for October garlic. | Mixed | Transition |
| 7 | Black Prince & Brandywine cut back hard. Diseased leaves pulled. Sun Gold still producing. Supernova still setting. Basil flowering. Bottom half stripped bare. | 3-5 ft (cut) | Disease mgmt |
| 8 | Moskvich done, pulled. Roma VF final flush. San Marzano still producing (until frost). New Girl still setting. Half active, half cleared. | Varies | Mixed |
| 9 | Peppers at peak! Fruit coloring: reds, yellows, oranges. Prime pepper harvest. Basil seeding. | 20-24" | Peak harvest |
| 10, 13 | Buckwheat in full bloom, white flowers, buzzing pollinators. Ready to mow before seed set. | 2-3 ft | Flowering |
| 11 | Squash/zucchini pulled or pulling. Fall turnips + arugula going in. | Clearing | Transition |
| 12 | Cucumbers slowing, vines yellowing. Fall radishes + arugula going in. Oregano woody. | Declining | Winding down |
| 14 | Final bean sowing (Aug 4) coming up. Pole beans still producing on trellis. Edamame harvest. Last beets ready. Cilantro gone. Dill going to seed. | Mixed | Wrapping up |
August tiredness. Still abundant -- peppers peaking, tomatoes ripening daily, beans coming -- but you can see the end. Sweet potato vines lush on bed 1, potato harvest approaching on bed 4. Fall crops going into freed beds 11 and 12. Buckwheat mowed on 10 and 13. Not sad, strategic. The cool-season comeback is starting in bed 2. The garden is turning a corner.
| Start Under Lights | Trays | Lead Time | Target Transplant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broccoli | 72-cell, 85F | 6-8 wk | Apr 21 |
| Cabbage | 72-cell, 85F | 6-8 wk | Apr 21 |
| Cauliflower | 72-cell, 85F | 6-8 wk | Apr 21 |
| Parsley (pre-soaked) | 72-cell, 75F | 8-10 wk | Apr 21+ |
| Peppers | 50-cell, 80F, heat mat | 8-10 wk | May 15-20 |
Supplies needed: sterile mix, trays, heat mat, grow lights on timer (14-16 hr), fan, labels.
| Start Under Lights | Trays | Target Transplant |
|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes (all 8 varieties) | 50-cell / 4", 80F | May 15-20 |
| Lettuce #1 (Buttercrunch) | 72-cell, 70F | Apr 21 |
| Kale | 72-cell, 85F | Apr 21 |
| Start Under Lights | Notes |
|---|---|
| Lettuce #2 (Pandero Romaine) | Second transplant round for Apr 28 |
| Action | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Incorporate buckwheat residue | Beds 2, 3, 5-9, 11, 12, 14 | Rake/light work, top few inches |
| Shape/repair raised beds | All 14 beds | ~1.5 ft high |
| Let beds settle | -- | Need 2-3 weeks before transplanting |
| Action | Bed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Begin hardening off brassicas | -- | Outside during day, in at night, 7-10 days |
| Prep row cover/frost blankets | -- | Ready for transplant day |
| Direct seed: Spinach #1 (Winter Bloomsdale) | 2 | Frost tolerant |
| Direct seed: Arugula #1 | 2 | Fast, cold hardy |
| Plant shallot sets | 6 | 6-8 sets, 90-120 days to harvest |
| Direct seed: Radishes (row markers) | 7, 8, 9 | Gap crop before tomatoes/peppers |
| Action | Bed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Direct seed: Spinach #2 (Bloomsdale) | 2 | 7-day succession |
| Start under lights: Lettuce #3 (Red Carpet Mix) | -- | Third transplant for May 5 |
| Direct seed: Arugula #2 | 2 | 10-day succession |
| Sow peas on trellis | 10 | 4ft Hortonova, one section |
The big planting day. Everything started in March goes out (row cover on standby).
| Action | Crop | Bed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transplant | Broccoli (2) | 6 | Row cover ready |
| Transplant | Cabbage (2) | 6 | |
| Transplant | Cauliflower (1) | 6 | |
| Transplant | Kale (4-5) | 3 | |
| Transplant | Lettuce #1 (Buttercrunch) | 2 | |
| Transplant | Parsley (2-3) | 5 | |
| Direct seed | Carrots #1 (Rumba) | 5 | Keep moist, slow germination |
| Direct seed | Parsnips (Hollow Crown) | 5 | 100-120 days, very slow germination |
| Direct seed | Beets #1 | 14 | Soak seeds 24hr. 14-day succession starts |
| Direct seed | Spinach #3 (Matador) | 2 | |
| Direct seed | Arugula #3 | 2 | |
| Sow cover | Oats + Peas | 10, 13 | N-fixing + biomass |
| Buy | Onion transplant bundles (~50) | 5 | Plant same week |
Weekly rhythm. Lettuce every 7 days, spinach every 7, beets every 14, carrots every 21.
| Date | Action | Bed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27 | Start under lights: Basil, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Squash | -- | |
| Apr 28 | Transplant Lettuce #2 (Pandero Romaine). Direct seed: Spinach #4, Arugula #4 | 2 | |
| May 1-10 | Harden off warm-season transplants (tomatoes, peppers, basil, cukes, squash) | -- | |
| May 5 | Transplant Lettuce #3 (Red Carpet Mix). Direct seed: Spinach #5 (last before heat), Beets #2, Arugula #5, Carrots #2 | 2, 14, 5 | |
| May ~4 | Plant seed potatoes | 4 | |
| May 12 | Direct seed: Lettuce #4 (Tom Thumb). Carrots #3 (Rumba) | 2, 5 |
Everything tender goes out.
| Action | Crop | Bed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transplant | Black Prince, Brandywine, Sun Gold, Supernova Grape | 7 | Basil interplanted |
| Transplant | San Marzano, Roma VF, Moskvich, New Girl F1 | 8 | |
| Transplant | Peppers (5) | 9 | Basil border planted same day |
| Transplant | Basil (Genovese) | 7, 9 | Between tomato cages + pepper border |
| Transplant | Squash + Zucchini (2-3) | 11 | Started indoors late Apr |
| Transplant | Cucumbers (4-5) | 12 | Started indoors late Apr |
| Buy + Transplant | Oregano (2) | 12 | Buy starts |
| Buy + Transplant | Thyme (2-3) | 3 | Buy starts |
| Buy + Transplant | Sage (1-2) | 3 | Buy starts |
| Action | Crop | Bed |
|---|---|---|
| Direct seed | Lettuce #5 (Olga Romaine) | 2 |
| Direct seed | Bush Beans #1 (2 rows) | 14 |
| Direct seed | Beets #3 | 14 |
| Direct seed | Cilantro #1 (Caribe) | 14 |
| Direct seed | Dill #1 (Bouquet) | 14 |
| Direct seed | Edamame #1 | 14 |
| Action | Crop | Bed |
|---|---|---|
| Buy slips + plant | Sweet Potatoes (8-12) | 1 |
The garden is fully planted. Now it's about keeping succession going.
| Date | Action | Bed |
|---|---|---|
| May 26 | Lettuce #6 (Jericho). Carrots #4 (Napoli F1) | 2, 5 |
| Jun 2 | Lettuce #7 (Nevada). Bush Beans #2. Beets #4. Cilantro #2. Dill #2 | 2, 14 |
| Jun 9 | Lettuce #8 (Canasta) | 2 |
| Jun 16 | Lettuce #9 (Summer Mix). Bush Beans #3. Beets #5. Cilantro #3. Dill #3. Carrots #5 | 2, 14, 5 |
| Jun 23 | Lettuce #10 (Jericho) | 2 |
| Jun 30 | Lettuce #11 (Nevada). Bush Beans #4. Beets #6. Cilantro #4. Dill #4 (final) | 2, 14 |
| Late Jun | Mow/incorporate oats+peas. Sow buckwheat SOLO on beds 10, 13. Per Cory: NEVER mix buckwheat. Mow before seed set. | 10, 13 |
| Date | Action | Bed |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 7 | Lettuce #12 (Canasta). Carrots #6 (Napoli F1) | 2, 5 |
| Jul 14 | Lettuce #13 (Summer Mix). Bush Beans #5. Beets #7 (final). Cilantro #5 | 2, 14 |
| Jul 20 | Fall turnips sown (Tokyo Cross 35d, Purple Top 50d) | 6 |
| Jul 21 | Lettuce #14 (Jericho) | 2 |
| Jul 28 | Lettuce #15 (Buttercrunch). Cilantro #6 (final) | 2, 14 |
| Late Jul | Pull zucchini/squash if powdery mildew or production drops. Free bed 11 | 11 |
Late July decisions TBD:
| Date | Action | Bed |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 1 | Fall turnips + fall arugula in freed bed 11 | 11 |
| Aug 4 | Lettuce #16 (Pandero Romaine). Bush Beans #6 (final). Carrots #7 (final) | 2, 14, 5 |
| Aug 10 | Fall radishes + fall arugula in freed bed 12 | 12 |
| Aug 10 | Fall bok choy sown (30-60d, row cover for insects) | 6 |
| Aug 11 | Lettuce #17 (Red Carpet Mix) | 2 |
| Aug 15+ | Cut back indeterminate tomatoes hard. Pull Moskvich (done). Pull Roma VF | 7, 8 |
| Aug 15-31 | Clear bed 6 brassica section. Amend with compost. Rest for Oct garlic | 6 |
| Aug 18 | Lettuce #18 (Olga Romaine) | 2 |
| Aug 25 | Lettuce #19 (Winter Density) | 2 |
August decisions TBD:
| Date | Action | Bed |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 1 | Lettuce #20 (Rouge D'hiver — final). Spinach #6 (Winter Bloomsdale). Arugula #6 | 2 |
| Sep 8 | Spinach #7 (Bloomsdale) | 2 |
| Sep 10 | Arugula #7 (final) | 2 |
| Sep 15 | Spinach #8 (Winter Bloomsdale — final). Pull remaining tomatoes (beds 7, 8). Mow buckwheat on 10, 13 | 2, 7, 8, 10, 13 |
| Sep-Oct | Harvest sweet potatoes before hard frost | 1 |
| Sep-Oct | Harvest potatoes when tops die back | 4 |
September – October TBD:
8 plants across 2 beds. Classic varieties that people recognize and love.
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