Seasonal Planting Guide

Seasonal Planting Guide

Plan your garden with region-specific planting schedules for every month.

Quick Start

See what to plant this month

seasonal_planting.py now --zone "8a"

Get planting calendar for a month

seasonal_planting.py month --month "april" --zone "6b"

Get full year calendar

seasonal_planting.py year --zone "7a"

Search for plants

seasonal_planting.py search "tomato"

Get plant details

seasonal_planting.py show "tomato"

Add custom plants to your calendar

seasonal_planting.py add "tomato" --planting "april,may" --zone "6a,6b,7a,7b,8a,8b"

Usage Patterns

For new gardeners

# Check what to plant right now
seasonal_planting.py now --zone "7a"

# Get full calendar for your zone
seasonal_planting.py year --zone "7a"

# Learn about specific plants
seasonal_planting.py show "lettuce"
seasonal_planting.py show "tomato"

For experienced gardeners planning ahead

# Check what to plant next month
seasonal_planting.py month --month "may" --zone "7a"

# Plan succession planting
seasonal_planting.py month --month "april" --zone "7a"
seasonal_planting.py month --month "june" --zone "7a"

# Add your local varieties
seasonal_planting.py add "local-corn" --planting "may,june" --zone "7a" --notes "Silver Queen variety"

For small farmers

# Get full production schedule
seasonal_planting.py year --zone "6b" > planting-schedule.txt

# Plan staggered planting
seasonal_planting.py month --month "march" --zone "6b"  # Early crops
seasonal_planting.py month --month "april" --zone "6b"  # Main crops
seasonal_planting.py month --month "may" --zone "6b"   # Late crops

# Export calendar for team
seasonal_planting.py year --zone "6b" --export "~/farm-calendar.md"

For container/indoor gardeners

# Search for container-friendly plants
seasonal_planting.py search "lettuce"
seasonal_planting.py search "herbs"

# Check planting windows
seasonal_planting.py show "basil"

Planting Zones

Understanding your USDA Hardiness Zone helps plan correctly:

How to find your zone:

• Search online for "USDA hardiness zone [your city]"
• Most garden resources reference zones
• Use neighboring zone if unsure

Plant Categories

Cool-Season Crops

Plant in spring (March-May) or fall (August-October):

• Lettuce, spinach, kale, arugula
• Peas, radishes, carrots
• Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts

Warm-Season Crops

Plant after last frost (May-June):

• Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant
• Beans, corn, squash
• Cucumbers, melons, zucchini

Herbs (Year-Round or Seasonal)

• Perennial: Rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, chives
• Annual: Basil, cilantro, dill, parsley

Root Vegetables

• Early spring: Radishes, turnips
• Mid-season: Carrots, beets, parsnips
• Late season: Garlic (fall planting), onions

Examples

Spring garden planning

# Zone 6b - April
seasonal_planting.py month --month "april" --zone "6b"
# Output: tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, cucumbers

# Zone 8a - April
seasonal_planting.py month --month "april" --zone "8a"
# Output: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, corn, okra (earlier start)

# Plan succession planting
seasonal_planting.py month --month "april" --zone "6b"
seasonal_planting.py month --month "may" --zone "6b"
seasonal_planting.py month --month "june" --zone "6b"

Fall garden planning

# Zone 7a - August (fall crops)
seasonal_planting.py month --month "august" --zone "7a"
# Output: lettuce, spinach, kale, radishes, peas

# Zone 5a - September (fall crops)
seasonal_planting.py month --month "september" --zone "5a"
# Output: lettuce, spinach, kale, garlic (for overwintering)

Year-round planning

# Get full calendar for your zone
seasonal_planting.py year --zone "7a"

# Export for reference
seasonal_planting.py year --zone "7a" --export "~/garden-calendar-2026.md"

Adding local knowledge

# Add your region-specific advice
seasonal_planting.py add "corn" --planting "may,june" --zone "7a" \
  --notes "Silver Queen variety best, plant in blocks for pollination"

# Add heirloom varieties
seasonal_planting.py add "heirloom-tomato" --planting "april,may" --zone "6b,7a" \
  --notes "Brandywine, Cherokee Purple - start indoors 6 weeks before last frost"

Search Features

• Find plants by name or category
• See planting windows for each plant
• Get zone-specific recommendations
• Find similar plants (e.g., "tomato" finds all tomato varieties)

Security

Path Validation

The export function validates output paths to prevent malicious writes:

• ✅ Allowed: ~/.openclaw/workspace/, /tmp/, and home directory
• ❌ Blocked: System paths (/etc/, /usr/, /var/, etc.)
• ❌ Blocked: Sensitive dotfiles (~/.bashrc, ~/.ssh, etc.)

Data Storage

• Planting calendar stored in: ~/.openclaw/workspace/planting_calendar.json
• Custom plants tracked alongside built-in database
• JSON format makes it easy to backup or extend
• Zone-specific recommendations for each plant

Best Practices

1. Know your zone - Determines planting windows
2. Watch last frost date - Zone is guide, local weather matters
3. Plan succession planting - Stagger plantings for continuous harvest
4. Use plant-tracker - Combine with plant-tracker skill for full garden management
5. Add local knowledge - Customize calendar with regional varieties
6. Export for reference - Keep planting schedule handy

Companion Planting Tips

Combine with companion planting for better results:

Related Skills

• plant-tracker - Manage individual plants, care schedules, harvest tracking
• garden-layout-planner (planned) - Design your garden layout

Use together for complete garden management!