This is an idiosyncratic but very public calendar of the seasonal tasks at Longleaf Breeze. Click here for data on location, climate, etc. Because we’re beginners, this calendar will begin incomplete, and we will add to it and change it as we become smarter about how to do this.

January.

Plant fruit and nut trees. Prune all dormant trees and flowers.

Set out cabbage and other cold-hardy veg.

February.

Pull out and clean t-posts and make sure they’re ready for the growing season. Make sure heavy pruning is complete on fruit trees.

March.

Prepare for planting season. Get the household chores out the way, because there won’t be time to do them in April. Walk in the woods all you can, for the same reason.

April.

Plant heat-loving vegetables (corn, tomatoes, beans, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, and peppers).

May.

Time to open stack windows. Move firewood from front-and-center position. Heating season is over. Get all firewood for next winter under roof. Make sure firewood for the winter after that is cut, split, and stacked.

June.

Stay after the weeds. Watch for signs of erosion and get them stopped as soon as possible.

July.

Introduce 10-25% shade cloth on the tomatoes to keep them from splitting.

Start seeds for fall crops.

Put up peaches. Begin watching for the sales at garden supply stores. In particular, watch for native perennials that attract native beneficial pollinators and predators.

August.

Continue watching for sales at garden supply stores.

Compost the zucchini plants in early August and the Sweet 100 tomatoes in mid-August.

Plant cover crop wherever the summer garden is shutting down.

Look for ripe muscadines by late August.

Make sure any new trees are protected from deer. They’ll be desperately hungry in the fall.

September.

Plant daikon radishes.

October.

Raise a glass. You’ve survived the summer!

November.

December.

Mid-day shadows are long this month. Great time to drop a plumb bob at solar noon on a clear day wherever we need to find true south.

Make sure you go into January with most humanure buckets empty. No fun messing with them in January.

Plant wheat.