Vol. III — No. 24“A place for beginners”June 13, 2026

Organic Gardening Collective

✦ The Beginner's Almanac of Soil, Seed & Season ✦

right now, in your garden —

June

never miss a month —
Featured Guide · Seasonal Planting

Can I Plant Any Vegetables in August? 6 Crops You Can Still Sow

August is not the end of your growing season, it is the start of a second one. Bush beans, oakleaf lettuce, even potatoes: six fast finishers that turn those empty beds into a late-season harvest — with the sow-by math for your frost date.

Read the Guide   Save to My Path

Gardener sowing bush bean seeds into a cleared raised bed beside young lettuce and squash
bean seeds going into an empty August bed ♡
our free companion app —

Meet Tended: your garden journal, with eyes

Snap a photo of any plant and our AI tells you what's thriving, what's struggling, and exactly what to do this week — tuned to your zone and the season. Free for your first 10 plants, no app store needed.

Installs straight from your browser · works on iPhone, Android, tablet & desktop
The Tended app on a phone showing an AI plant check-up with care advice

Field Notes & Guides

All guides →
your learning path

The Beginner's Curriculum

Eight short lessons, one growing season, zero jargon. Finish the path and earn your First Harvest seal.

Lesson 1 is open to everyone — a free account saves your progress

Start Lesson 1 (10 min)

1Know your zone & first frost10 min
2Soil 101: the squeeze test12 min
3Seed starting for complete beginners15 min
4Compost: browns, greens & the 3:1 rule16 min
5Mulching magic for winter protection12 min
6Watering without guesswork9 min

Letters to the Collective

Ask a question →
“My compost smells awful — did I ruin it?”
You didn't! That ammonia smell means too many greens. Fork in dry leaves or shredded cardboard and it'll sweeten within a week…
— answered by James, with 12 replies from members
“Can I really grow garlic in a bucket on a balcony?”
Absolutely — one clove per 6 inches, planted by Halloween. Three members posted balcony harvests last July…
— 8 replies, 3 photos
“What's eating holes in my kale overnight?”
Classic cabbage moth caterpillars. Check leaf undersides at dusk — then meet your new best friends: row covers…
— 15 replies, solved ✓

The Weekly Almanac

One seasonal task, one deep guide, one member win. Every Sunday morning, free.