Month by month

January

The quiet month. Wet and cold on the west side, frozen east of the Cascades. Good for planning, ordering and pruning. What to plant in January

Plant and sow

• Nothing goes in the ground yet. Leave wet soil alone so it keeps its structure.

Start indoors

• Late in the month, start onions and leeks from seed under lights if you want big bulbs. West-side valleys

Harvest

• Pick kale, leeks, collards and overwintered carrots as needed. West-side valleys
• Use stored squash, potatoes and onions, oldest first.

Garden care

• Order seeds while catalogs have full stock. Pick short-season and cool-summer varieties.
• Sketch this year's beds and rotate crop families so none sits in the same spot two years running.
• Check stored squash, potatoes and onions, and remove any that are going soft.
• Check seed packets you already have. Most stay good two to three years if kept cool and dry.

Pests and problems

• Look over overwintering brassicas for aphid colonies tucked into the leaves. West-side valleys

Fruit, berries and flowers

• Prune dormant apple and pear trees on dry days between rains.
• Prune blueberries: take out a few of the oldest canes at the base.
• Cut fall-bearing raspberry canes to the ground.

Read next: Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors: A Northwest TimelineWhat Your Last Frost Date Really Means

February

Days are lengthening. West-side gardeners can start the first seeds indoors; everyone else is still waiting on frozen ground. What to plant in February

Plant and sow

• Plant bare-root fruit trees, berries and rhubarb whenever the soil isn't waterlogged. West-side valleys
• Plant onion sets and shallots late in the month in raised beds that drain well. West-side valleys

Start indoors

• Start onions and leeks indoors if you didn't in January.
• Start broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and lettuce indoors late in the month. West-side valleys

Harvest

• Keep picking hardy greens and leeks. West-side valleys
• Purple sprouting broccoli planted last summer starts sending up shoots. West-side valleys

Garden care

• Clean and sharpen tools, and wash old pots and seed trays in soapy water.
• Stay off wet soil. If a squeezed handful drips or stays in a tight ball, it's too wet to dig.
• Set up a seed-starting shelf with a shop light hung a few inches above the trays.
• Turn under or cut down winter cover crops a few weeks before you plan to plant those beds. West-side valleys

Pests and problems

• Put out slug traps around early greens and emerging bulbs on mild nights. West-side valleys

Fruit, berries and flowers

• Finish pruning fruit trees before buds break.
• Prune summer-flowering shrubs and roses late in the month. West-side valleys
• Spread compost around rhubarb and asparagus beds.

Read next: Starting Vegetable Seeds Indoors: A Northwest TimelineSoil pH in the Northwest: Testing, Lime and When to Leave It AloneRaised Beds for Rainy Northwest Gardens

March

The real start of the season on the west side and coast. East of the mountains, prepare beds and start seeds indoors. What to plant in March

Plant and sow

• Sow peas, radishes, spinach and arugula once the soil can be worked. West-side valleys
• Plant onion sets, potatoes (late in the month) and asparagus crowns. West-side valleys
• Sow peas and fava beans as soon as the soil dries out. Coast

Start indoors

• Start tomatoes, peppers and eggplant six to eight weeks before your warm-crop planting date.
• Start broccoli, cabbage and kale indoors. East-side valleys
• Start onions and leeks indoors. High desert and Inland Northwest

Harvest

• Pick overwintered kale before it flowers; the flower buds are good to eat too. West-side valleys
• Cut the first rhubarb stalks late in the month. West-side valleys

Garden care

• Spread an inch or two of compost on beds ahead of planting.
• Buy a soil thermometer. It tells you when crops can go in better than the calendar.
• Test soil pH if you haven't for a few years.
• Harden off cool-crop seedlings for a week before planting them out.

Pests and problems

• Northwest slugs wake up hungry. Bait with iron phosphate or use traps around seedlings. West-side valleys
• Cover radishes, turnips and brassicas with row cover at planting to keep root maggot flies off.

Fruit, berries and flowers

• Plant strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. West-side valleys
• Feed blueberries with an acid fertilizer as buds swell.
• Divide crowded perennials and chives.

Read next: Why Northwest Gardeners Should Plant by Soil TemperatureHow to Control Slugs in a Northwest GardenHow to Harden Off Seedlings Before Planting OutGrowing Peas in Oregon, Washington and Idaho

April

Busy and changeable. West-side cool crops go out in force; the eastern valleys catch up; the high desert can still see hard frost. What to plant in April

Plant and sow

• Set out broccoli, cabbage, kale and lettuce starts. West-side valleys
• Sow carrots, beets, chard and more lettuce and radishes every couple of weeks.
• Sow peas, spinach and radishes and plant potatoes. East-side valleys
• Sow peas, radishes, lettuce and spinach late in the month. High desert and Inland Northwest
• Plant potatoes and onion sets. Coast

Start indoors

• Start tomatoes and peppers now if you haven't. High desert and Inland Northwest
• Start cucumbers, squash and melons indoors three to four weeks before planting out.
• Pot tomato seedlings up into bigger containers so they don't stall.

Harvest

• Radishes, spinach and the first lettuce thinnings. West-side valleys
• Asparagus spears from beds three or more years old.
• Rhubarb stalks.

Garden care

• Keep row cover handy. Late frosts are common even after your typical last frost date.
• Harden off seedlings with a few hours outdoors each day, longer as the week goes on.
• Thin seedlings once they have true leaves, so the rest have room.
• Set up drip lines or soaker hoses before plants get big.

Pests and problems

• Keep after slugs; they love new transplants. West-side valleys
• Cover carrot beds with insect netting from sowing on to keep carrot rust fly out.
• Watch for flea beetle holes on arugula, radishes and young brassicas.

Fruit, berries and flowers

• Mulch strawberries and blueberries.
• Plant dahlia tubers late in the month once the soil isn't cold and soggy. West-side valleys
• Sow sweet peas outside early in the month. West-side valleys

Read next: How to Harden Off Seedlings Before Planting OutSuccession Planting: Steady Harvests Instead of All at OnceWhy Northwest Gardeners Should Plant by Soil Temperature

May

Warm crops go out once the soil warms. West of the Cascades that's usually mid to late May; in the high desert it's still risky. What to plant in May

Plant and sow

• Plant tomatoes, peppers and squash once nights stay above 50°F and the soil is warm. West-side valleys
• Sow beans, corn and cucumbers when the soil reaches about 60°F.
• Plant warm crops early in the month. East-side valleys
• Transplant warm crops late in the month with frost cover ready. High desert and Inland Northwest
• Keep sowing lettuce, radishes and carrots every two to three weeks.
• Sow basil outside, or set out basil starts, once nights are warm.

Start indoors

• Start fall broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts late in the month for summer transplanting.

Harvest

• Lettuce, spinach, radishes, peas (late in the month) and green onions.
• Strawberries start late in the month. West-side valleys
• Asparagus until the spears get thin.

Garden care

• Mulch around plants after the soil warms, to hold moisture and smother weeds.
• Thin carrots and beets sown in spring.
• Stake or cage tomatoes at planting time.
• Start regular watering as rain tapers off; water deeply, not often.

Pests and problems

• Cover young squash and cucumbers with row cover until they flower, to stop cucumber beetles.
• Check the undersides of brassica leaves for cabbage worm eggs and caterpillars.
• Hand-pick slugs on damp evenings. West-side valleys

Fruit, berries and flowers

• Pinch out the first strawberry runners so plants put energy into fruit.
• Net blueberries and cherries before they ripen; birds find them fast.
• Plant out dahlias and other summer bulbs.

Read next: Why Northwest Gardeners Should Plant by Soil TemperatureThe Best Tomatoes for Cool Northwest SummersGrowing Vegetables in Containers on a Northwest Balcony or Patio

June

Long days and the start of the dry season. Watering becomes the main job, especially east of the Cascades. What to plant in June

Plant and sow

• Sow a second round of beans, summer squash and cucumbers for late-summer harvests.
• Sow carrots and beets for a midsummer crop.
• Plant warm crops early in the month once frost risk is past. High desert and Inland Northwest

Start indoors

• Start fall broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and kale indoors or in a shaded nursery bed.

Harvest

• Peas, lettuce and spinach before summer heat makes them bolt.
• Garlic scapes on hardneck garlic: snap them off and eat them.
• Strawberries and the first zucchini.
• Early potatoes once the plants flower.

Garden care

• Water deeply about an inch a week, more in the eastern valleys and in sandy soil.
• Keep tying tomatoes and pinching suckers on vining types.
• Side-dress heavy feeders like corn, squash and brassicas with compost or fertilizer.
• Stop cutting asparagus and let the ferns grow.

Pests and problems

• Look for aphids on new growth; a hard spray of water knocks them back.
• Watch for powdery mildew on squash as days warm.
• Keep netting on carrots and brassicas.

Fruit, berries and flowers

• Water blueberries regularly; they're shallow-rooted.
• Deadhead roses and annual flowers to keep them blooming.
• Stop harvesting rhubarb by late June so the plant can rebuild.

Read next: How Much to Water Vegetables in a Dry Northwest SummerSuccession Planting: Steady Harvests Instead of All at OnceNative Plants for a Northwest Pollinator Garden

July

Peak summer and the hinge of the year: harvest summer crops while you sow and plant for fall and winter. What to plant in July

Plant and sow

• Sow fall carrots, beets, turnips and kohlrabi. West-side valleys
• Set out fall broccoli, cabbage and kale starts late in the month. West-side valleys
• Sow fall peas and bush beans early in the month. West-side valleys
• Sow lettuce in a spot with afternoon shade so it doesn't bolt.

Start indoors

• Start more brassicas for overwintering west of the Cascades: purple sprouting broccoli, winter cabbage. West-side valleys

Harvest

• Garlic when the lower third of the leaves turn brown. Cure it somewhere shady and airy.
• Zucchini every day or two, before they turn into marrows.
• Beans, cucumbers, early tomatoes and raspberries.
• Onions once the tops flop over. East-side valleys

Garden care

• Water consistently. Uneven watering causes blossom-end rot on tomatoes and splits in cabbages.
• Mulch thickly to keep roots cool.
• Shade new seedlings and transplants during heat waves.

Pests and problems

• Watch for powdery mildew on squash and cucumbers; improve airflow and water at the base.
• Check tomatoes for late blight after any cool, wet spell. West-side valleys
• Spider mites show up on stressed plants in hot, dry weather. East-side valleys

Fruit, berries and flowers

• Cut summer raspberry canes that finished fruiting down to the ground.
• Order garlic seed now for fall planting; good varieties sell out.
• Keep picking flowers; dahlias bloom more the more you cut.

Read next: Fall and Winter Vegetable Gardening West of the CascadesLate Blight on Tomatoes: How to Spot It and Keep It AwayHow Much to Water Vegetables in a Dry Northwest Summer

August

The big harvest month. Nights start to cool late in the month, especially at elevation. What to plant in August

Plant and sow

• Set out fall and winter crop starts: kale, broccoli, cabbage, collards. West-side valleys
• Sow spinach, lettuce, arugula, radishes and bok choy for fall.
• Sow overwintering onions late in the month. West-side valleys
• Sow fall greens early in the month. High desert and Inland Northwest

Start indoors

• Start lettuce and other greens in trays if the ground is too hot for them to sprout.

Harvest

• Tomatoes, peppers, corn, beans and squash. Pick often to keep plants producing.
• Potatoes once the vines die back.
• Onions once the tops fall over; cure them for two weeks before storing.
• Melons when they slip easily from the vine. East-side valleys

Garden care

• Keep watering through dry spells, especially new fall plantings.
• Plan for overwintering crops west of the Cascades, like kale, leeks and overwintering cauliflower. West-side valleys
• Save seed from open-pollinated beans and tomatoes.

Pests and problems

• Late blight risk rises as nights cool and dew gets heavier. West-side valleys
• Keep brassica starts under netting; cabbage moths are at their peak.
• Yellowjackets get bold around ripe fruit; pick fruit promptly.

Fruit, berries and flowers

• Prune summer-fruiting raspberries if you haven't.
• Take strawberry runners to make new plants for next year.
• Order spring bulbs like tulips and daffodils for fall planting.

Read next: Fall and Winter Vegetable Gardening West of the CascadesThe Best Tomatoes for Cool Northwest SummersGrowing Potatoes in Oregon, Washington and Idaho

September

Harvest keeps going on the west side; frost arrives east of the Cascades and in the high desert. Time to put beds to rest. What to plant in September

Plant and sow

• Plant a cover crop, such as crimson clover or cereal rye, in emptied beds.
• Sow spinach and mâche early in the month for overwintering. West-side valleys
• Plant garlic late in the month. High desert and Inland Northwest
• Plant spring bulbs like tulips and daffodils late in the month. East-side valleys

Start indoors

• Sow a tray of lettuce or herbs for a sunny windowsill.

Harvest

• Winter squash once the rind is hard and the stem is dry; cure it somewhere warm for two weeks.
• Tomatoes, peppers, beans and the last corn.
• Fall-bearing raspberries and late blueberries.
• Pick everything tender before the first frost. High desert and Inland Northwest

Garden care

• Pinch off new tomato flowers so the plant ripens fruit already on the vine.
• Cover tender crops on cold nights; watch the forecast. High desert and Inland Northwest
• Cut back watering as days cool, but don't let fall greens dry out.
• Write down what grew well and what didn't while you remember.

Pests and problems

• Pull and bag tomato and potato vines with late blight; don't compost them.
• Slugs come back with the fall rains. West-side valleys

Fruit, berries and flowers

• Plant and divide perennials; fall rain gets them established. West-side valleys
• Plant new strawberry plants or move runners into place.
• Lift and dry onion sets you'll replant.

Read next: Winter Cover Crops for Northwest Vegetable BedsWhen and How to Plant Garlic in Oregon, Washington and IdahoFall and Winter Vegetable Gardening West of the Cascades

October

Garlic month. The first fall frost reaches most west-side valleys between late October and late November, so finish harvesting tender crops. What to plant in October

Plant and sow

• Plant garlic cloves, pointed end up, about 2 inches deep. West-side valleys
• Plant shallots and overwintering onion sets.
• Plant tulips, daffodils and other spring bulbs.
• Sow fava beans and cover crops in empty beds. West-side valleys

Start indoors

• Pot up a few herbs like parsley and chives to grow on a windowsill.

Harvest

• Winter squash and pumpkins before a hard frost, then cure them somewhere warm.
• Green tomatoes before frost; many will ripen indoors in a paper bag.
• Carrots, beets, leeks and fall greens. Carrots sweeten after a light frost.
• The last potatoes, on a dry day.

Garden care

• Rake leaves onto beds or into a compost pile as winter mulch.
• Lift dahlia tubers after frost blackens the leaves, or mulch them heavily where winters are mild.
• Spread compost or lime on empty beds so winter rain works it in.
• Clean and store tomato cages and stakes.

Pests and problems

• Clear out squash and cucumber vines with mildew.
• Keep slug traps out around fall greens. West-side valleys

Fruit, berries and flowers

• Plant fruit trees and shrubs in the fall rains. West-side valleys
• Mulch strawberries after a few frosts.
• Cut back asparagus ferns once they turn yellow.

Read next: When and How to Plant Garlic in Oregon, Washington and IdahoWinter Cover Crops for Northwest Vegetable BedsGrowing Dahlias in the Northwest

November

Wet and dark west of the Cascades, frozen to the east. Protect what's still growing and put the rest to bed. What to plant in November

Plant and sow

• Finish planting garlic early in the month. West-side valleys
• Plant bare-root roses and fruit trees when they arrive at nurseries. West-side valleys

Start indoors

• Nothing to start yet. Take stock of leftover seed and note what to reorder.

Harvest

• Kale, leeks, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and root crops as needed. West-side valleys
• Bring in the last carrots and beets before the ground freezes. East-side valleys

Garden care

• Mulch garlic and overwintering crops with straw or leaves.
• Drain and store hoses before hard freezes. East-side valleys
• Test soil pH. Most Northwest soils run acidic and benefit from lime spread over winter. West-side valleys
• Cover bare beds with leaves, a tarp or a cover crop so rain doesn't compact them.

Pests and problems

• Clean up diseased plant debris; don't compost blighted tomato vines.
• Check stored squash and potatoes every couple of weeks for rot.

Fruit, berries and flowers

• Mulch blueberries, raspberries and perennials before hard freezes.
• Wrap young fruit tree trunks to keep voles and rodents off. East-side valleys

Read next: Soil pH in the Northwest: Testing, Lime and When to Leave It AloneWinter Cover Crops for Northwest Vegetable BedsRaised Beds for Rainy Northwest Gardens

December

Rest and review. Pick hardy greens on mild days and enjoy the stored harvest. What to plant in December

Plant and sow

• Nothing to plant outside. Bare-root season starts at nurseries late in the month. West-side valleys

Start indoors

• Grow microgreens or pea shoots on a sunny windowsill.

Harvest

• Kale, leeks and other hardy crops as needed. West-side valleys
• Stored squash, potatoes, onions and garlic.

Garden care

• Cover winter greens with row cover on nights below the low 20s. West-side valleys
• Review this year's notes: what thrived, what failed and which varieties to repeat.
• Clean, oil and store tools.
• Shake heavy snow off shrubs and cold frames. East-side valleys

Pests and problems

• Check stored produce for rot and mice.

Fruit, berries and flowers

• Wait to prune fruit trees until late winter, when the worst cold has passed.
• Water evergreens and containers before a hard freeze if the soil is dry. East-side valleys

Read next: Fall and Winter Vegetable Gardening West of the CascadesWhat Your Last Frost Date Really Means

What to plant each month

• What to plant in January
• What to plant in February
• What to plant in March
• What to plant in April
• What to plant in May
• What to plant in June
• What to plant in July
• What to plant in August
• What to plant in September
• What to plant in October
• What to plant in November
• What to plant in December

Region tags: West-side valleys are the Willamette Valley, Puget Sound and southern Oregon valleys; Coast is the outer coast; East-side valleys are the Columbia Basin, Yakima Valley, Boise's Treasure Valley, Lewiston and other low valleys east of the Cascades; High desert and Inland Northwest covers Central Oregon, the Klamath Basin, the cold eastern valleys, Spokane, north Idaho, the Magic Valley, eastern Idaho and Idaho's mountain towns. Each town calendar names its region. Jobs without a tag apply everywhere, a few weeks later the colder your garden is.