Month-by-month — what to gather, plant, dry, and brew. Based on temperate Northern Hemisphere; adjust for your climate (Southern Hemisphere reverses by 6 months).
Conifer needles (vitamin C), last rose hips, sleeping roots if ground unfrozen
Order seeds. Start tomatoes, peppers indoors late month.
Check stored herbs from autumn — replace anything losing color or scent
Respiratory, immune. Elderberry, thyme, mullein. Rest deeply.
Emerging cleavers in warm climates; chickweed; willow bark from pruned trees
Start seedlings indoors; direct-sow peas and cold-hardy greens in mild climates
Nothing this month — focus is storage, not production
Still winter work. Fire cider. Adaptogens as energy returns.
Dandelion root before flowering; nettle tops; chickweed; violets begin
Direct-sow peas, lettuce, radishes; plant calendula and chamomile
Early nettle for tea; dry in small bunches out of sun
Spring liver support. Bitter greens. Gentle cleanse.
Nettle tops (before flowering), cleavers, violets, plantain leaves emerging
Echinacea, mint family, borage, most annual herbs go out
Nettle, cleavers (fresh-tincture instead), violet leaves
Allergy season prep. Mineral-rich tonics. Spring walking.
Early elderflowers, hawthorn flowers, red clover blossoms
Last frost past in most zones — everything goes in
Elder flower (separately from berry harvest later), hawthorn flower
Flower season. Lymphatic movement. Cleavers tincture now.
St. John's Wort flowers at solstice (classic red-oil harvest), calendula begins
Succession plant greens, continue flowers
St. John's Wort flowers (or make oil immediately), chamomile, lavender
Summer solstice harvests. Skin herbs. Travel kits ready.
Peak harvest — calendula daily, mullein leaves, raspberry leaf, peppermint, tulsi
Fall greens can be started late month in hot climates
Everything — hang bunches upside down in dry shade; daily calendula picking
Cooling herbs, hydration, bug-bite salves. Hot weather protocols.
Summer squashes, elderberry begins, calendula continues, mullein flowers
Fall brassicas, cover crops
Mullein flowers separately for ear oil; finish summer herb drying
Late-summer "dampness" — digestive herbs. Elderberry syrup prep.
Elderberries (ripe blue-black), hawthorn berries, rose hips green-to-red, seeds
Garlic bulbs for next year, overwinter greens in cold frames
Elderberry syrup made + frozen portion; rose hips, hawthorn berries
START building immunity now — don't wait for cold season.
Rose hips after first frost, remaining berries, roots of biennials
Garlic (if not done), final garden clean-up
Roots — dig, wash, slice, dry slowly. Label everything.
Adaptogen protocols begin. Fire cider 4-week macerate starts now.
Last rose hips, conifer needles, bracket fungi if foraging experienced
Mulch everything. Bring in any tender perennials.
Finish any remaining roots; start chopping kindling for kitchen fires
Deep warming herbs. Respiratory preventive care. Holiday stress adaptogens.
Evergreen needles, any last hawthorn still on trees
Rest. Seed catalogs arrive — dream.
Nothing. Organize stored herbs. Replace old stock.
Deep rest. Reishi, ashwagandha. Holiday-season immune support.
