This planting guide reflects some of the changes occurring in the modern garden. With the rise of raised beds, intensive planting, vertical gardening and no-till methods, planting charts of yesteryear are less useful. In this chart you’ll find these improvements:
• Planting dates are geared toward the Salt Lake Valley, not all of Utah (see “Salt Lake City area—first and last frost dates” for even more useful detail).
• Fewer seeds to plant per foot (resulting in less thinning).
• More plants remaining after thinning (more intensive planting, possibly to accommodate vertical strategies).
• The space between rows is less (less unnecessary space to weed, more space for gardening).
• Based on the assumption that the gardener is using raised beds.
• Offers interplanting suggestions. Fred Montague says interplanting makes fuller use of garden resources (e.g. shallow-rooted plants with deep; short shade-loving plants with tall sun-loving ones). It also offers some protection and encourages plant yield.
Download the printable planting guide here: 2017 Planting Guide
References and influences:
Fred Montague, Gardening: An Ecological Approach (Mountain Bear Ink)
Mel Bartholomew, Square Foot Gardening (Rodale)
Toby Hemenway, Gaia’s Garden:
A Guide to Homescale Permaculture (Chelsea Green)
Louise Riotte, Carrots Love
Tomatoes (Storey)