Palatino Garden Adventures

ate May is when tomatoes finally go outside in the Pacific Northwest. A practical guide to planting them for a real harvest, plus why to grow elderberry, slug control, a watering note, and what is happening at the garden in June.

Mid-May is the real opening of the PNW kitchen garden season. A practical guide to what goes in now, how to feed a mixed berry bed, what to do about slugs, and how to read a fruit tree that looks rough.

Three things are happening at Palatino Garden Adventures this May: a herb planter you can order for Mother's Day, a year-round herb workshop, and a community kitchen garden tour. Here is what each one is, who it is for, and how to sign up.

Most of the medicinal herbs worth growing in the Pacific Northwest are also beautiful, useful in the kitchen, and easy for bees. Here’s where to start if you’re adding this lane for the first time.

April in the PNW kitchen garden has about thirty things you could do, and most online lists pile them on without telling you what actually matters this week. Here are the eight tasks that move the needle right now in Seattle: soil temperature, what to direct sow, what to transplant, what to hold off on (yes, that includes tomatoes), and the fastest way to plan your warm-season layout before May hits. Plus a 5-item to-do list for the week of April 27. Zone 9a, real numbers, no

If your spring planting feels chaotic, the problem started in February. Most gardening guides are written for climates that don't look like Seattle — and none of them answer the question that matters most: how many plants do you actually need? This post covers why PNW garden planning is different, where the yield math fits in, and how to get a clear picture of your season before you're already behind.

People think a medicinal garden is a summer thing. Big calendula blooms in July, lavender drying in August. The truth is it runs all year. Right now in April my calendula is in full bloom, the mint and lemon balm are ready to cut, and the bergamot is sending up new leaves. Here is what I am already harvesting from my Seattle medicinal garden, what is still waking up, and the one plant I am putting in the ground this week for a summer root harvest: Ashwagandha.

I have been hilling every potato I have ever grown, and it turns out half of them did not need it. Here is what I learned about determinate vs. indeterminate varieties and what it means for your PNW garden.

In Germany, where I grew up, gardening was a school subject. We learned how to grow food every year, right alongside math and reading. When I moved to Seattle, I realized most people never learned this basic skill. That's the reason I started Palatino Garden Adventures.

I've written a lot about when to plant and when to wait. This is the hands-on companion: a month-by-month guide to what actually goes into the ground from March through June in Seattle, Zone 8 to 9a. Specific crops, real timing, and lessons from getting it wrong more than once. Plus a link to the PNW Crop Planner Pro for 40+ crops with live planting timelines.

Most kitchen gardens don't fail from neglect. They fail because three decisions got made wrong before anything was planted. Not which seeds to buy or how often to water, but the decisions that determine whether your garden actually fits your kitchen, your schedule, and your climate. Get those right and everything else gets easier. Get them wrong and no amount of effort makes up for it. Here's what they are and how to get them right in the Pacific Northwest.

That warm March afternoon is lying to your garden. The sun is lower, the days are shorter, and your soil is colder than you think. Here's how to read your PNW garden's real sun exposure before you plant a single seed, which crops to start now, and which ones to hold off on until summer.

It's not a hobby. It's a system. Why more Pacific Northwest leaders are growing food - and making better decisions because of it.

March Kitchen Garden Planning: What to Do Before the Season Starts This bed isn't behind. It's waiting for a plan. There's a version of spring gardening that starts with good intentions and ends in a chaotic July. You know how it goes. A warm Saturday arrives in late March or early April, it feels like it's finally time, and you end up at the nursery making decisions based on what looks good in the moment. You come home with a flat of starts, find a spot for them, and feel li

Low-maintenance gardening isn’t about easy plants or shortcuts. It’s about design choices made before anything goes in the ground. Learn how to plan a vegetable garden that fits real life in the PNW.

A practical PNW planting guide explaining why your neighbor’s planting dates don’t apply - and how to choose the right time for your garden based on sun, soil, and real conditions

A practical guide for timing spring planting in the Pacific Northwest 🌿 Get the Spring Garden Checklist → FREE! your guide to know exactly what to plant - and when February in Seattle: When your garden is getting more rain than it needs - and your soil is telling you to wait Every January and February, I hear the same question from PNW gardeners: "Should I be planting already?" Seed catalogs arrive in the mail. Instagram fills with spring garden content. Garden centers sto

These raised bed ideas focus on what actually works in wet springs, small yards, and real-life schedules 🌱 Plan your raised beds with confidence - Get the PNW Spring Garden Checklist : → FREE: your guide to know what to plant — and when Starting a garden shouldn't feel overwhelming. Raised bed gardens offer the perfect solution - they bring your plants within easy reach, give you complete control over soil quality, and naturally discourage pests. Whether you're working with

A realistic January kickoff for PNW winter kitchen garden planning If January feels confusing, you don’t need to do more - you need a clearer plan. I help PNW gardeners design kitchen gardens that fit real schedules and real seasons. 👉 Book a 1:1 consultation session January is when many people want to start a kitchen garden. Yet, it's also when many get stuck before they ever plant a thing. Seed catalogs arrive in the mail. Instagram feeds fill with thriving garden photos.

Fall gardening is just the beginning of year-round harvests in the Pacific Northwest. Learn how to transition your garden from fall crops into winter greens with the right crops, succession planting, and protective covers. Pair these tips with my Fall Gardening Guide and Winter Kitchen Gardening post to keep your raised beds productive and enjoy fresh vegetables all season long.