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HIGH ELEVATION GARDEN TIMELINE

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FEBRUARY-MARCH

  • (First-Time Garden) Choose your location & garden size
    • Make it expandable for future needs
    • Choose a well-protected spot with at least 8 hours of sun per day

  • Plan what to grow

    • Order seeds
    • Create a calendar of starting dates
  • Get supplies you’ll need
    • seedling supplies, soil block makers
    • fertilizers, amendments
    • fencing supplies (check thrift stores)
    • raised bed supplies (check thrift stores)
  • Map out your garden
    • Make a sketch
    • Number your beds for reference
    • Optional: growveg.com
  • Start making compost & vermicompost
  • Start seedlings as needed
    • onions, leeks, shallots

APRIL

  • (First Time Garden) Prepare your garden site as weather permits
    • Terracing if needed
    • Build raised beds or create in-ground rows
    • Build a fence
    • Prepare soil in raised beds (or on top of ground for in-ground rows)
      • layers of rock-free soil, compost, horse/cow manure (aged 2-3 months), poultry shavings & manure, leaves, kitchen scraps, old hay/straw, coffee grounds (ask your local coffee shops for these)
      • Water well between layers
      • Cover with black plastic, secure from wind
  • Start seedlings indoors as needed
  • Order or buy supplies:
    • shade cloth, plastic, EMT, pvc for clips
    • other supplies

MAY

  • Watch your weather forecast.
    • Throughout the month, keep planning out your next week or two.
  • Prepare your beds with fertilizers & amendments prior to planting:
    • Espoma Bio-Tone or Down-To-Earth Bio-Live (these include mycorrhizae)
    • Eggshells, gypsum (provide calcium)
    • Epsom Salt (provides magnesium)
    • Molasses (horticultural molasses at garden centers is cheaper; dry or liquid)
    • Wood Ash (especially good for root vegetables such as carrots or beets & legumes)
    • Finished compost (if you haven’t already done so)
  • Keep your soil watered, even before planting (if no snow)
  • Transplant cold-tolerant seedlings
    • brassicas, lettuce, spinach, chard, misc greens
    • onions, leeks, shallots
  • Direct-seed cold-tolerant things:
    • parsnips, beets
    • Potatoes may be planted end of May, but watch the weather. Young potato plants cannot handle frost after they’ve sprouted. They should sprout in 2-3 weeks.
  • Keep things watered & covered as needed.

JUNE

  • Start seedlings as needed
    • beans (6 days before expected last frost)
    • brassicas, lettuce for succession plantings
  • Direct seed as needed, based on weather forecast.
    • Carrots, beet, rutabaga, misc brassica seeds
  • Transplant seedlings after expected last frost (be ready to cover if needed):
    • squash, pumpkins, zucchini
    • beans
    • succession plants like brassicas, lettuce, spinach no later than June 30
  • Water as needed
  • Cover as needed
  • Harvest:
    • asparagus, rhubarb, spinach, lettuce, other greens

JULY

  • Water as needed
  • Fertilize as directed per product recommendations (about once a month)
  • Watch for insects; control as needed.
  • Hand-pollinate squashes. Check daily.
  • Prune plants, removing dead portions as needed.
  • Make compost as materials become available
  • July: If you want to plan a vacation, July is the best time to do it. Things are generally growing well and don’t need anything but water. In July, the rain should provide enough of that in Colorado. Be sure your plants are protected from hail!
  • Harvest
    • Lettuce, spinach, other greens, rhubarb, some brassicas

AUGUST

  • See July, do the same
  • Don’t plan much time off
  • Keep making compost
  • Harvest, eat & preserve your veggies
  • Harvest:
    • zucchini, peas, beans, brassicas, lettuces, spinach, other greens, garlic, rhubarb
  • Remove spent plants, add compost and/or manure to empty beds

SEPTEMBER

  • Water as needed
  • Limit watering onions & potatoes; stop near the end of the month
  • Remove spent plants, add compost and/or manure to empty beds
  • Keep making compost
  • Harvest, eat & preserve
  • Harvest before first frost:
    • beans, zucchini, winter squash, pumpkins, tender herbs (basil), celery
  • Can remain in ground after frost:
    • lettuce, spinach
    • brassicas (keep covered)
    • carrots, parsnips, beets, other root vegetables (cut off plants above the root & mulch well)
    • onions, leeks (mulch well)
  • Prepare bed(s) for next year’s garlic. Plant garlic mid-to-late September. Mulch well.

OCTOBER

  • Water as needed
  • Do not water remaining onions or potatoes
  • Harvest prior to ground freezing:
    • potatoes, onions, beets, carrots, parsnips, other root vegetables
  • Remove any remaining plants, add compost and/or manure to empty beds
  • Keep making compost
  • Remove garden supplies such as plastic, shade cloth

NOVEMBER

  • Whew! Look at what you did and be satisfied with your good work.
  • Enjoy all your garden produce. (Make a fresh pumpkin pie!)
  • Evaluate the season & make notes for next year’s garden:
    • What went well?
    • What needs to improve?
    • Other vegetables you’d like to try