Temperature
Keep a steady forced-air temperature; small sustained changes matter more than brief ones.
A field guide for growing
Small beginnings, tended with care.
A practical companion for gardeners, homesteaders, and hobby farmers—following an egg toward hatch day and a seed through the seasons.
Incubation scheduler
From setting day to the first small crack.
Choose the eggs and the day they entered the incubator. Candling, lockdown, and the expected hatch window will move with them automatically.
General guidance: temperature and humidity vary by incubator, elevation, ventilation, egg condition, and breed. Follow your incubator manufacturer and experienced breeder when their guidance differs.
Your Chicken schedule
Expected Aug 30, 2026
Set Aug 09, 2026- Candle 1Day 7: check development gentlyAug 16, 2026
- Candle 2Day 14: check development gentlyAug 23, 2026
- LockdownDay 18: stop turning and avoid openingAug 27, 2026
- Hatch windowWatch quietly; resist helping too soonAug 30, 2026
Incubation
99.5°F
45–55% RH
Lockdown
99–99.5°F
65–70% RH
Temperature
Humidity
Measure consistently. Air-cell growth and egg weight can help tell whether moisture loss is on track.
Turning
Turn regularly until lockdown so the embryo develops in a healthy position.
Candling
Work quickly with clean hands in a dark room, and return eggs without unnecessary cooling.
Keep a copy nearby
Email this schedule to yourself
Register with your name and email. This is a one-time schedule email, not a newsletter signup or a reminder service.
Seasonal planting calendar
Let the frost dates lead.
Choose a USDA zone for a planning starting point, then replace the frost dates with your local extension or weather-station averages. Every window below moves automatically.
Zone 8a is context, not a frost forecast. USDA zones measure average annual extreme winter cold. The dates above are editable planning presets; local microclimates and this year’s weather will vary.
Vegetables
12 plants
| Plant | Start indoors | Direct sow | Transplant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatowarm Transplant after nights are reliably warm. | Jan 23, 2026 – Feb 06, 2026 | — | Mar 27, 2026 – Apr 10, 2026 | May 29, 2026 – Jul 18, 2026 |
| Pepperwarm Warm soil and steady nights matter more than rushing. | Jan 09, 2026 – Jan 23, 2026 | — | Apr 03, 2026 – Apr 17, 2026 | Jun 13, 2026 – Aug 07, 2026 |
| Cucumberwarm Direct sow once the soil has warmed. | Feb 27, 2026 – Mar 06, 2026 | Mar 27, 2026 – Apr 17, 2026 | Mar 27, 2026 – Apr 10, 2026 | May 14, 2026 – Jun 18, 2026 |
| Bush beanwarm Sow small successions for a longer harvest. | — | Mar 27, 2026 – Apr 24, 2026 | — | May 14, 2026 – Jun 18, 2026 |
| Sweet cornwarm Plant in blocks for better pollination. | — | Mar 27, 2026 – Apr 17, 2026 | — | Jun 03, 2026 – Jul 08, 2026 |
| Lettucecool Use shade and fall sowings when summers are hot. | Jan 23, 2026 – Feb 13, 2026 | Feb 13, 2026 – Mar 13, 2026 | Feb 20, 2026 – Mar 13, 2026 | Apr 04, 2026 – May 14, 2026 |
| Carrotcool Keep the seedbed evenly moist until germination. | — | Feb 20, 2026 – Apr 03, 2026 | — | Apr 29, 2026 – Jun 13, 2026 |
| Garden peacool Peas prefer cool soil and fade as heat arrives. | — | Feb 06, 2026 – Feb 27, 2026 | — | Apr 14, 2026 – May 24, 2026 |
| Broccolicool For fall, count back from first frost and protect from heat. | Jan 09, 2026 – Jan 30, 2026 | — | Feb 13, 2026 – Mar 06, 2026 | Apr 24, 2026 – Jun 03, 2026 |
| Spinachcool Cold tolerant; often overwinters with protection. | — | Feb 06, 2026 – Mar 06, 2026 | — | Mar 30, 2026 – May 09, 2026 |
| Kalecool Flavor often sweetens after cool weather. | Jan 23, 2026 – Feb 06, 2026 | Feb 20, 2026 – Mar 27, 2026 | Feb 20, 2026 – Mar 20, 2026 | Apr 19, 2026 – Jun 18, 2026 |
| Radishcool Sow every week or two while weather stays cool. | — | Feb 13, 2026 – Mar 27, 2026 | — | Mar 10, 2026 – Apr 24, 2026 |
Flowers
8 plants
| Plant | Start indoors | Direct sow | Transplant | Bloom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zinniawarm Cut often to encourage more flowers. | Feb 13, 2026 – Feb 27, 2026 | Mar 27, 2026 – Apr 17, 2026 | Mar 27, 2026 – Apr 10, 2026 | May 14, 2026 – Jul 03, 2026 |
| Sunflowerwarm Succession sow for a longer season. | — | Mar 27, 2026 – May 01, 2026 | — | May 24, 2026 – Jul 13, 2026 |
| Marigoldwarm Deadhead to keep plants flowering. | Jan 30, 2026 – Feb 13, 2026 | Mar 27, 2026 – Apr 17, 2026 | Mar 27, 2026 – Apr 10, 2026 | May 04, 2026 – Jul 18, 2026 |
| Cosmoswarm Lean soil usually produces sturdier, flowerier plants. | — | Mar 27, 2026 – Apr 24, 2026 | — | May 19, 2026 – Jul 23, 2026 |
| Nasturtiumcool Best before intense summer heat. | Feb 20, 2026 – Mar 06, 2026 | Mar 06, 2026 – Mar 27, 2026 | Mar 13, 2026 – Mar 27, 2026 | Apr 24, 2026 – Jun 13, 2026 |
| Snapdragoncool Young plants tolerate light frost. | Dec 26, 2025 – Jan 23, 2026 | — | Feb 20, 2026 – Mar 13, 2026 | Apr 14, 2026 – Jun 08, 2026 |
| Pansycool A cool-season flower; winters vary by local conditions. | Jul 28, 2026 – Aug 18, 2026 | — | Sep 15, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026 | Oct 06, 2026 – Dec 15, 2026 |
| Sweet peacool Provide support and sow while soil is cool. | — | Feb 06, 2026 – Feb 27, 2026 | — | Apr 19, 2026 – Jun 08, 2026 |
Northern-Hemisphere USDA planning guide. Frost dates are averages, not guarantees; elevation, wind, buildings, soil, and the current year’s weather create local differences. Southern-Hemisphere calendars require different seasonal anchors and are not included yet.