Gardening Guide
Spacing, Harvest Tips, and
Quick Reference Guide
{updated for 2022}
Have gardening questions? We put together this guide to answer the most common questions we get about our seedlings. For our flower spacing guide, see below or go straight to the Flower Guide.
We want your garden to be successful, so we ensure that every seedling is healthy and ready to go into your garden on the day you pick it up.
This is by no means an exhaustive guide, but it should be a good start. It covers spacing for vegetables, and harvest tips for flowers and vegetables.
Happy gardening - peace and plants!
Herbs:
Spacing: 6”-12”
Sun: full sun to part shade
Most herbs will be happy in the ground or in a container
Water: Most herbs in summer like to dry out just a bit, then get a deep drink. Water when top 1”-2” of soil is dry or when plants look ‘thirsty’ (wilted)
Harvest:
Parsley, cilantro: snap or cut largest stems as needed throughout summer
***cilantro will eventually bolt (go to flower), the plant is still delicious and if you let it go to seed you can harvest the seeds as green coriander!
***What’s that yellow, green and black caterpillar that loves my parsley? A Black swallowtail! These caterpillars (while they may eat some parsley) are harmless and turn into a beneficial insect - so if you’re willing to share a little let them be!
Basil, Tulsi: cut stems just above a leaf set; cut back any flowers that appear for extended harvest
Thyme, Sage, Oregano: cut fresh branches through summer, then cut all of plant and hang to dry for winter use before first frost. These 3 can tolerate a bit of underwatering, but don’t forget about them completely.
These plants can become perennials in our climate. Mulch with leaves or straw in the fall.
Flowers:
Spacing: varies by variety - check out our new flower spacing guide
Sun: full sun
Water: keep soil moist
Harvest: cut flowers when sun is low in the sky, in early morning or late evening, or on a cloudy day. For longest vase life, harvest most at ‘bud break’ or when just opening. Strip lower foliage and re-cut stems under water before placing into a sparkling clean vase.
If you want to deep dive on growing flowers, you should check out Floret Flower Farm’s Growing Resources .
Other notes:
To encourage branching and longer stems, “pinch” flower buds (aka pull them off) when plants are still short (under 12” tall). This will put more energy into growth and branching before flowering begins, leading to more blooms and longer harvest window.
Tomatoes and Tomatillos:
Spacing: 2’ apart - a trellis is highly recommended
Sun: full sun
planting tip: Tomatoes root from their stems, so they can be planted deeply to support the floppy stems - up to the first set of ‘true’ leaves - ‘true’ meaning the leaves that look like mature tomato leaves.
Water: minimal - water in thoroughly after transplant, then water only if soil is dry (tomatoes hate wet feet); avoid watering foliage
We recommend pruning your tomatoes if you like a tidy garden, but it is not necessary for a crop!
Harvest:
Tomatoes are ripe when fully colored and slightly soft if you press. Store “shoulders down” (upside down) on the counter - do not refrigerate!
Tomatillos are ripe when their husk splits open
Other notes:
tomatoes are heavy feeders and benefit from feeding when they are getting ready to set fruit - flowering stage. Fertilizer ‘numbers’ indicate the ratio of NPK - Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (K) . Choose a fruiting-plant specific fertilizer with higher P and lower N.
Phosphorus, calcium, and potassium all help with fruit set. Blossom end rot on tomatoes is caused by insufficient calcium.
Trellising is highly recommended; tomatoes are vines and will grow along the ground if not trellised. Trellising also increases air flow and ease of harvest.
Bell Peppers and Eggplant:
Spacing: 18”
Sun: full sun
Water: minimal - water in thoroughly after transplant, then water when soil is dry
Harvest: we recommend using pruners or sharp snips
Peppers: good to eat both green and red, red is sweeter. Chopped peppers freeze great too!
Eggplant: ripe when fruits are shiny and the size you prefer. 12”-14” max. Ping Tung Long Eggplant looks like this when it’s ready.
Store at 55F or in your fridge crisper drawer; consume within 7 days
Other notes:
Peppers and eggplants can benefit from a dose of Phosphorus if you see a very leafy plant and few flowers by midsummer, and Calcium if the fruits are soft on one end.
Hot (includes Shishito!) Peppers:
Spacing: 12”-15”
Sun: full sun
Water: minimal, water in thoroughly at planting and water when soil is dry
Harvest:
Shishito: harvest when still green, 3”-5” long. Most are mild; occasionally individual peppers are spicy. Grill, roast, or blister in a pan for best flavor.
Jalapeno: ripe when green and desired size
Habanada: ripe when orange
Cayenne and Thai Chile: ripe when red (ps these are very hot peppers, wash your hands after harvest and avoid touching your face) - both of these are great dried!
Poblano: harvest dark green for mild pepper or wait until red for hotter
Zucchini (summer squash) and Cucumber:
Spacing: 24”-36” (these vines will spread!!)
Sun: full sun - part shade
Water: moderate, water in well at transplanting and keep soil moist but not wet
Harvest:
Zucchini: best when 6”-8” long. Larger means a spongier, seedier ‘fruit’.
Zucchini fruits famously grow VERY quickly. One day can make a huge difference in size and leave you with a garden full of baseball bats!
Cucumber: ripe when fruit reaches desired size, typically ridges have disappeared and fruit has somewhat rounded sides
Other notes:
Cucurbits are pest prone - if you notice little yellow and black bugs (cucumber beetles) munching, using an insect net or cloth barrier while plants are small can mitigate pest damage
Winter Squash:
Spacing: 24”-36” (another vining plant that will spread out)
Sun: full sun to part shade
Water: moderate - water in well at transplanting and keep soil moist
Harvest: Harvest when fruits are colored and your nail doesn’t leave a dent in the fruit (typically early/mid august)
Winter squash gets better with age - “curing” the fruits increases sugar content, taste, and storability. Leave fruits in a warm spot with good airflow for up to 1 month to cure.
Delicatas can be eaten fresh out of the field; get sweeter with curing, but should be consumed within about 2 months before they get spongy and soft.
Kale :
Spacing: 12”-15”
Sun: full sun to part shade
Water: moderate - water in well at transplanting and keep soil moist
Harvest:
Kale: wait until plants have grown considerably and harvest the biggest outer leaves - making sure to leave a good amount on the plant so it can continue photosynthesizing - every 1-2 weeks through the summer.
Kale doesn’t like the heat of summer very much - sometimes plants will stop growing in the heat, but will start up again as weather cools into fall
Lettuce:
Spacing: 4-6”
Sun: full sun to part shade
Water: keep soil moist
For Head Lettuce: thin to 1 plant per ‘plug’. Harvest when heads reach desired size (typically 6-8” across) and before they begin to bolt (aka send up a flower stalk - you can tell when this is about to happen if you poke the middle and is starting to feel very dense)
For Leaf Lettuce: allow to grow to 4-6” across, then cut the outer ring of leaves (leaving the center to power regrowth) 2-3 times (waiting 2 weeks between each cutting)
Scallions, Leeks, Cipollini, Onions
Spacing: 4” (scallions, leeks and cipollini can be planted in bunches 3-4 plants per ‘plug’ or individually for slightly larger plants)
Alliums can be slow growers, so keep weeded or mulch with straw for a weed barrier.
Water: keep soil moist when plants are young; water when top 1”-2” of soil is dry after the first month
Harvest:
Scallions when they are pencil thick, or size desired.
Broccolini:
Spacing: 12”-24”
Sun: full sun
Water: keep soil moist by watering consistently
Harvest florets as they size up, before the florets pop open.
