The Woodbury Community Garden is officially in season. Plots have been tilled, markers are in the ground and raised beds have been open since May 1. For gardeners across Woodbury, whether you have a community plot, a backyard bed or a few containers on the deck, this week is the time to start planning and planting.
What’s happening this week
Nights in Woodbury are still running cool, with lows in the low-to-mid 40s through May 10 when our in-ground plots open for planting. That temperature range is ideal for cold-tolerant crops like lettuce, kale, spinach, radishes, carrots and herbs like parsley and cilantro. All of those can go in now.
Tomatoes, peppers, basil, zucchini and cucumbers are a different story. These warm-weather plants need overnight lows consistently above 50 degrees. Planting them too early stunts root development and can set a plant back weeks. After May 15, lows are expected to be above that threshold, making it the right time to transplant everything heat-loving.
What to watch for
Keep an eye on the forecast through the end of May. If overnight lows dip below 40°F, cover tender seedlings with row cover or a light cloth. Even cold-tolerant crops can struggle with a hard frost this late in spring.
Tasks to do
This week, prepare beds, loosen soil and add compost if needed. If you have a plot in the community garden, this has been done for you already. Direct sow cool-season crops such as lettuce, spinach, kale, radishes, carrots, peas, parsley and cilantro. If you plan to grow tomatoes, peppers, basil, zucchini or cucumbers, now is a good time to purchase healthy seedlings from a local nursery, but wait to transplant them until nights are warmer.
One important note: our growing season is short. Tomatoes and peppers need 60 to 80 days to produce well. Starting from seed now risks running out of summer before a real harvest arrives. Purchasing seedlings puts you weeks ahead and significantly improves your odds of a productive season.
In-ground beds at the community garden open May 12, timed to align with the safer overnight temperatures expected mid-month. Gardeners with those plots have time now to finalize plans, source seedlings and get ready.
How many to plant and where to put it all
The most common mistake is over-planting in a rush of early-season enthusiasm. A good rule of thumb is one to three plants per person for fresh eating, doubling that if you plan to preserve or freeze. Tomatoes need 24 to 36 inches between plants. Lettuce can be spaced every six to eight inches and succession-planted every two weeks to keep greens coming all summer. Zucchini is one of the most productive plants in any garden; one or two plants is genuinely enough for most households.
Crowding plants does not produce more food. It reduces airflow, encourages disease and ultimately shrinks yields. When in doubt, give each plant a little more room than the seed packet recommends.
Layout matters just as much as spacing. Sketching a bed plan before planting day helps catch spacing mistakes early, balance sun exposure across the bed and think through which crops to group together. Tall plants like tomatoes, for example, should go on the north side of a bed so they do not shade shorter neighbors.
Woodbury Garden Plot Layout Tool
To help Woodbury gardeners plan visually, the community garden has made a free interactive Garden Plot Layout Tool available online. Drag and drop crops onto a customizable grid and experiment with different arrangements before committing to a layout. No account is needed.
Questions about spacing, timing, or what to grow? Send them to [email protected]. And if you use the layout tool, share a screenshot, it is a great way to get feedback from fellow Woodbury gardeners before planting day arrives.
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