Weeks 1–3 · The site
Sun hours, drainage and where the bed should actually go.
The programs, in detail
Four programs of 6 to 16 weeks, timed to your growing season and your local frost dates.
Program 01 · From lawn to harvest
Your first vegetable bed
New gardeners plant too much, too close, and water too little but too often. We start with one bed sized to what you'll maintain, choose crops suited to your climate and your patience, and set a watering routine that goes deep twice a week instead of a daily sprinkle.
Weeks 4–6 · Building
Bed construction, filling it, and what soil to buy.
Weeks 7–11 · Planting
Sowing and transplanting on your local dates.
Weeks 12–16 · Keeping it alive
Watering, feeding and picking at the right time.
Weeks 1–2 · Testing
Getting a real test rather than guessing from leaf color.
Weeks 3–5 · Structure
Compost, mulch and stopping the tilling habit.
Weeks 6–8 · Feeding
What to add, when, and reading the label properly.
Weeks 9–10 · Long term
Cover crops and building soil over seasons.
Program 02 · Where yields come from
Soil & feeding
Most disappointing harvests are soil problems wearing a disguise. We start with a proper test — usually through your county extension service, which is cheap and accurate — then fix structure with compost and mulch, and feed only where a test says it's needed.
Program 03 · Something to pick every week
Season planning
A well-planned small garden beats a large chaotic one. We build a calendar from your frost dates, stagger sowings so harvests spread out, and plan rotation so the same family isn't in the same bed every year.
Weeks 1–2 · Your calendar
Local frost dates and what that means for each crop.
Weeks 3–4 · Succession
Sowing in waves for a continuous harvest.
Weeks 5–6 · Space
Planting at mature spacing, even when it looks empty.
Weeks 7–8 · Rotation
A simple four-bed rotation you'll actually follow.
Weeks 1–2 · Looking properly
Leaves, stems, soil and time of day — what to photograph.
Weeks 3–4 · Common culprits
The dozen problems that account for most garden trouble.
Weeks 5–6 · Prevention
Spacing, airflow and watering that avoid the problem next year.
Program 04 · Diagnose before you spray
Pests & problems
Yellow leaves have a dozen causes and most sprays treat none of them. We diagnose from photographs, work through the likely causes, and start with the least drastic response. Anything you do apply must follow its label and your local rules — we'll say so every time.
What do you want to grow?
Twenty minutes on your space, your climate and what's realistic this season. Free.