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Seasonal Planting Guide

by @johstracke

Provides monthly, zone-specific planting schedules, plant details, and custom entries to help gardeners plan seasonal crops year-round.

Versionv1.0.0
Downloads1,346
Installs1
TERMINAL
clawhub install seasonal-planting-guide

πŸ“– About This Skill


name: seasonal-planting-guide description: Seasonal planting calendar for gardeners. Find what to plant each month in your growing zone. Use when planning your garden, checking planting schedules, or finding plants for the current season. Security: file exports restricted to safe directories. Perfect for home gardeners, small farmers, and anyone planning a productive garden.

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:

| Zone | Temperature | Typical Plants | |------|-------------|----------------| | 3-4 | Very cold | Kale, peas, lettuce, carrots | | 5-6 | Cold | Tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | | 7-8 | Mild | Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, corn | | 9-10 | Warm | Year-round growing, tropical plants | | 11+ | Tropical | Everything year-round |

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:
  • βœ… 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:

    | Plant | Good Companions | Avoid | |-------|----------------|--------| | Tomatoes | Basil, carrots, onions | Cabbage, potatoes | | Lettuce | Carrots, radishes, strawberries | Parsley | | Beans | Corn, carrots, cucumbers | Onions, garlic | | Peppers | Basil, onions, carrots | Fennel, kohlrabi |

    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!

    πŸ’‘ 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"

    πŸ“‹ Tips & 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