Plan better beds. Solve problems faster. Grow more from every season.

**Diagnosis: Early Blight (Alternaria solani)** Your tomato plant is showing classic signs of early blight — dark, concentric rings on lower leaves with yellowing around the spots. This is one of the most common tomato diseases and is treatable if caught at this stage. **What's happening:** The fungus thrives in warm, humid conditions and typically starts on the oldest leaves closest to the ground. Overhead watering and crowded spacing make it worse by keeping foliage wet longer. **Treatment plan:** 1. **Remove affected leaves** — prune all leaves showing spots, especially those touching the soil. Bag and trash them (don't compost). 2. **Apply copper fungicide** — spray remaining foliage with a copper-based fungicide every 7–10 days. Bonide Copper Fungicide or Southern Ag Liquid Copper work well. 3. **Mulch heavily** — add 2–3 inches of straw or wood chip mulch around the base to prevent soil splash onto lower leaves. 4. **Water at the base** — switch to drip irrigation or water at the soil line in the morning so leaves dry quickly. 5. **Improve airflow** — if plants are crowded, thin out interior growth to increase circulation. **Prevention going forward:** - Rotate tomatoes to a different bed each year (3-year cycle minimum) - Stake or cage plants to keep foliage off the ground - Apply preventive copper spray before symptoms appear in humid weather - Choose resistant varieties like 'Iron Lady' or 'Mountain Magic' for next season

**Personalized Watering Schedule — Denver, CO (Zone 5b)** Based on your garden layout and crops, here's your weekly watering plan: **Raised Bed 1 — Tomatoes & Peppers** - Water deeply 2–3× per week (1 inch per session) - Morning watering preferred — reduces disease pressure - Mulch 2–3" deep to retain moisture - During 90°F+ heat waves: check soil daily, may need daily watering - Signs of underwatering: wilting in afternoon that doesn't recover by morning **Raised Bed 2 — Lettuce, Spinach & Herbs** - Water lightly every 1–2 days (½ inch per session) - Greens prefer consistent moisture — don't let soil dry out completely - Basil: water at base only, avoid wet leaves - Cilantro: keep evenly moist, bolts fast if stressed **Raised Bed 3 — Squash & Cucumbers** - Deep watering 2× per week (1.5 inches per session) - Water at base — wet leaves invite powdery mildew - Mulch heavily around squash to retain moisture and suppress weeds **Container Herbs (Patio)** - Check daily — containers dry out fastest - Water when top inch of soil is dry - Feed with diluted liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks **Monthly reminders:** - April: Start hardening off seedlings, light watering as beds warm - May–June: Increase frequency as temperatures rise - July–August: Peak watering — monitor daily during heat waves - September: Reduce frequency as temps cool, watch for overwatering

**2026 Planting Calendar — Denver, CO (USDA Zone 5b)** Last frost: ~May 7 | First frost: ~Oct 5 | Growing season: ~151 days **🥬 Lettuce** - Start indoors: March 15–30 - Transplant outside: April 20–May 5 (can handle light frost) - Direct sow: April 15–May 10 - Succession sow every 2 weeks through September 1 - Harvest window: May 25–October 15 **🍅 Tomatoes** - Start indoors: March 10–25 - Transplant outside: May 15–June 1 (after last frost) - Harvest window: July 15–October 1 - Note: Choose short-season varieties (65–75 days) for best results at altitude **🌶️ Peppers** - Start indoors: February 25–March 15 - Transplant outside: May 20–June 5 (need warm soil, 65°F+) - Harvest window: July 25–October 1 - Tip: Use black plastic mulch to warm soil faster **🥒 Cucumbers** - Direct sow: May 15–June 10 (soil must be 60°F+) - Or start indoors: April 25–May 10 - Transplant outside: May 20–June 5 - Harvest window: July 1–September 15 **🎃 Winter Squash** - Direct sow: May 20–June 10 - Or start indoors: May 1–15 - Harvest window: September 1–October 5 - Note: Needs full 90–100 days — plant on time **🫘 Green Beans** - Direct sow: May 10–July 1 - Succession sow every 3 weeks for continuous harvest - Harvest window: July 1–September 30 **🧄 Garlic** - Plant cloves: October 1–20 (fall planting!) - Harvest: July 1–15 next year - Mulch heavily before first hard freeze

**Soil & Fertilizer Plan — Based on Your Garden** **General Assessment:** For raised beds in Denver (Zone 5b) growing tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, herbs, and squash, you need a balanced approach. Colorado soils tend to be alkaline (pH 7.5–8.5), so even raised beds filled with purchased soil will drift alkaline over time from tap water. **Soil Mix Recommendation (new raised beds):** - 40% quality topsoil or garden soil - 30% compost (aged, screened) - 20% peat moss or coconut coir (helps lower pH and retain moisture) - 10% perlite (drainage, especially important at altitude) **Fertilizer Schedule:** **At planting (all beds):** - Mix in 2–3 inches of compost - Add granular all-purpose organic fertilizer (4-4-4 or similar) per bag directions - For tomatoes/peppers: add a handful of bone meal per plant for calcium (prevents blossom end rot) **Monthly feeding (May–August):** - Tomatoes & peppers: Side-dress with compost + tomato-specific fertilizer (higher calcium) every 3–4 weeks once fruiting - Leafy greens: Light nitrogen boost every 3 weeks — fish emulsion or blood meal - Squash & cucumbers: Side-dress with compost monthly, liquid feed every 2 weeks once flowering - Herbs: Light feeding only — too much nitrogen reduces flavor intensity **Fall soil care (October):** - Top-dress all beds with 2" compost - Plant cover crop (crimson clover or winter rye) or mulch heavily - Add garden lime ONLY if soil test shows pH below 6.5 (unlikely in Colorado) **Key tips for your zone:** - Get a soil test annually ($15–30 through CSU Extension) — don't guess on pH or nutrients - Colorado tap water is alkaline — consider adding sulfur annually if pH climbs above 7.5 - Altitude means stronger UV — mulch is critical to prevent soil from baking dry