My Kitchen Garden
From our garden to our table
Kitchen Garden Master Plan
Zone 7b · Heated Greenhouse · Hoop, Square, Stone & Creek Beds
Last frost ~ April 15 · First frost ~ Oct 25
This planting and harvest plan is sized for ~8 adults and a preservation buffer.
LEGEND
Bed Stages
A = Early Producer
B = Placeholder / Bridge
C = Summer Anchor
D = Succession Filler
E = Fall Establishment
F = Winter Holding
Crop Role 🥗 Everyday Eating 🙂 Celebration Crop
Kitchen Garden Raised Beds
- HB1, HB2 = Hoop Beds (30 sq ft each)
- SB1, SB2 = Square Beds (60 sq ft each)
- STB1, STB2 = Stone Beds (15 sq ft each)
- CB1, CB2 = Creek Beds (15 sq ft each)
Planting Calendar
(Strict calendar order — greenhouse and direct-seeded actions interleaved)
| When you act | Crop | Start / Sow | 12-cell trays (GH) | GH → Outdoors | Bed(s) | Stage | Plants | Sq Ft | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan (mid–late) | Lettuce (spring) | Start in GH | 18–22 | Feb–Mar | HB1, HB2, SB1, SB2, CB1, CB2 | A | 260–320 | 80–95 | 🥗 |
| Jan (mid–late) | Celery | Start in GH | 4–5 | Apr | CB1, CB2, HB2 | D | 45–60 | 45–60 | 🥗 |
| Jan (late) | Peppers | Start in GH | 4 | May 1–15 | SB1, SB2 | C | 36–42 | 75–90 | 🥗 |
| Feb (early) | Eggplant | Start in GH | 1 | May 5–20 | SB1 | C | 6–8 | 12–16 | 🙂 |
| Feb (early) | Broccoli | Start in GH | 2 | Mar–Apr | SB2, HB2 | E | 20–24 | 35–40 | 🥗 |
| Feb (early) | Cauliflower | Start in GH | 3 | Mar–Apr | SB2, HB2 | E | 28–32 | 60–70 | 🥗 |
| Feb (early) | Brussels sprouts | Start in GH | 1 | Mar–Apr | SB1 | E | 6–8 | 15–20 | 🙂 |
| Feb (mid) | Peas | Direct | — | HB1 edges, CB1, CB2 | A | 160–200 | 40–50 | 🥗 | |
| Feb (late) | Radishes (spring) | Direct | — | HB1, HB2, SB1, SB2, CB1, CB2 | A | 350–500 | 25–30 | 🥗 | |
| Mar (early) | Potatoes (early) | Direct (barrels) | — | Barrels | C | 15–20 | — | 🥗 | |
| Mar (mid) | Potatoes (mid) | Direct (barrels) | — | Barrels | C | 15–20 | — | 🥗 | |
| Apr (early) | Fennel | Start in GH | 2 | Late Apr–May | CB1, CB2 | D | 16–20 | 15–20 | 🙂 |
| Apr (mid) | Tomatoes | Start in GH | 3 | Apr 20–May 5 | SB1, SB2 | C | 28–32 | 110–120 | 🥗 |
| Apr (mid) | Zucchini | Start in GH | 1 | May 5–15 | SB1, SB2 edges | C | 4–6 | 40–60 | 🥗 |
| May (early) | Corn | Direct | — | STB1, STB2 | C | 36–40 | 30 | 🙂 | |
| May (mid) | Bush beans | Direct | — | STB1, STB2, CB1, CB2 | D | 120–160 | 40–45 | 🥗 | |
| May (mid) | Okra | Direct | — | STB1, STB2 | C | 24–28 | 30 | 🥗 | |
| May (late) | Pole beans | Direct | — | STB1 | C | 24–32 | — | 🥗 | |
| June (early) | Cantaloupe | Start in GH | 1 | Mid–late June | SB1, SB2 edges | C | 6–8 | 30–40 | 🙂 |
| July (mid) | Kale (fall) | Start in GH | 4–5 | Aug | HB1, HB2, SB2, CB1, CB2 | E | 45–55 | 30–35 | 🥗 |
| July (late) | Carrots (winter) | Direct | — | HB1, HB2, SB2 | E | 1,200–1,800 | 70–85 | 🥗 | |
| Aug (early) | Lettuce (fall) | Start in GH | 14–18 | Aug–Sept | HB1, HB2, CB1, CB2 | E | 200–260 | 55–65 | 🥗 |
| Aug (mid) | Turnips | Direct | — | All beds | D | 180–260 | 45–55 | 🥗 | |
| Aug (mid) | Pumpkins | Transplant | Late May–June | SB1, SB2 edges | C | 3–4 | 80–100 | 🙂 | |
| Sept (early) | Radishes (winter) | Direct | — | HB1, HB2, STB1, STB2, CB1, CB2 | E | 300–450 | 30–40 | 🥗 | |
| Nov (early) | Garlic | Direct (cloves) | — | Any open bed | F | 220–300 | 60–70 | 🥗 |
Harvesting Calendar
(Food flow + bed occupancy view)
| Harvest window | Crop | Bed(s) | Stage | Plants / Sq Ft | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar–Apr | Lettuce (spring) | HB1, HB2, SB1, SB2, CB1, CB2 | A | 260–320 / 80–95 | 🥗 |
| Mar–Apr | Radishes (spring) | HB1, HB2, SB1, SB2, CB1, CB2 | A | 350–500 / 25–30 | 🥗 |
| Apr–May | Peas | HB1 edges, CB1, CB2 | A | 160–200 / 40–50 | 🥗 |
| May–June | Early potatoes | Barrels | C | 15–20 plants | 🥗 |
| June–July | Broccoli + Cauliflower | SB2, HB2 | E | 48–56 / 95–110 | 🥗 |
| June–Sept | Tomatoes | SB1, SB2 | C | 28–32 / 110–120 | 🥗 |
| July–Sept | Zucchini | SB1, SB2 edges | C | 4–6 / 40–60 | 🥗 |
| July–Aug | Corn | STB1, STB2 | C | 36–40 / 30 | 🙂 |
| July–Sept | Beans (all) | STB1, STB2, CB1, CB2 | D/C | 140–190 / 40–45 | 🥗 |
| July–Sept | Okra | STB1, STB2 | C | 24–28 / 30 | 🥗 |
| July–Sept | Cantaloupe | SB1, SB2 edges | C | 6–8 / 30–40 | 🙂 |
| July–Oct | Peppers | SB1, SB2 | C | 36–42 / 75–90 | 🥗 |
| Aug–Sept | Potatoes (mid/late) | Barrels | C | 15–20 plants | 🥗 |
| Sept–Oct | Turnips | All beds | D | 180–260 / 45–55 | 🥗 |
| Sept–Oct | Pumpkins | SB1, SB2 edges | C | 3–4 / 80–100 | 🙂 |
| Oct–Feb | Kale | HB1, HB2, SB2, CB1, CB2 | F | 45–55 / 30–35 | 🥗 |
| Oct–Feb | Carrots | HB1, HB2, SB2 | F | 1,200–1,800 / 70–85 | 🥗 |
| Oct–Jan | Winter radishes | HB1, HB2, STB1, STB2, CB1, CB2 | F | 300–450 / 30–40 | 🥗 |
| Late May–June | Garlic | Any bed | B | 220–300 / 60–70 | 🥗 |
Our Backyard Chickens
🥚 Egg Production
6 adult laying hens, no supplemental winter lighting
| Season | Eggs per week (total flock) | What this looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | ~24–30 eggs | 2–2½ dozen most weeks |
| Summer | ~18–24 eggs | 1½–2 dozen; heat may cause dips |
| Fall | ~12–18 eggs | About 1–1½ dozen |
| Winter | ~6–12 eggs | Half to one dozen (no lights) |