kitchen garden coaching
One-on-one help for your garden. Whether you're starting from scratch or tending an established space, if you're ready to elevate your kitchen gardening practice, start here.
On-Site kitchen garden CONSULTATION
$250
Begin with a 60-minute on-site session to assess your space, discuss your growing goals, and answer your gardening questions. During our visit, we may walk your existing garden or look at your property together to determine the best location and setup for a new kitchen garden. I’ll offer practical guidance to help you move forward with clarity and confidence.
Your consultation may include:
Sun analysis
What does “full sun” really mean? We’ll look at how much sun your garden receives and how to work successfully with your conditions.Structural setup
We’ll assess your raised beds, fencing, and pathways and discuss practical next steps.Soil education
Healthy soil is the foundation of a productive garden. We’ll talk about building soil health using locally sourced compost and amendments.Support structure advice
Vertical growing adds beauty and maximizes production. We’ll explore ready-to-buy and DIY trellising options.Irrigation options
Best practices for both hands-on and low-maintenance watering.Crop planning for the Northeast growing season
Our season runs from April through November. We’ll discuss which crops you’d like to grow and how they fit into our planting and harvesting windows.Q and A time
Email summary of our session
Planting Plan Package
Mary’s planning and planting techniques, custom-fit to your garden
$275
Spend less time guessing and more time enjoying the process of planting, growing, and harvesting. My Planting Plan package includes:
Grow list
Planning begins with deciding what you want to grow. Together we’ll hone in on the vegetables, herbs, fruits, and flowers best suited to your schedule, garden setup, and our local growing conditions. You’ll start by filling out my crop checklist to get the conversation going, followed by a call where we refine your selections for the season ahead.
Custom crop layout
Using your grow list and garden specifications, I’ll design an illustrated map of what goes where in your garden—demonstrating proper placement and spacing for each crop. You’ll see just how much you can grow using vertical growing, succession planting, and my high-intensity approach.Planting calendar
An indispensable tool customized to your garden and our Northeast Zone 6b region. You'll know which crops to sow from seed and which to purchase as starter plants, when to get them in the ground, and how long each crop takes to mature.Sourcing guide
Guidance on purchasing seeds and starter plants, including preferred local nurseries, online sources, favorite varieties, and how many plants to buy.
1:1 planting session
Plant your garden with Mary
$150 per 60 minute session
Feel confident that everything is planted in the right place, at the right time. During this hands-on session, Mary will demonstrate best-practice techniques for direct seeding and transplanting each crop.
Timing
Most gardeners book two sessions for their spring and summer garden:
April session: Planting cool-season crops such as lettuce, kale, and peas. These crops thrive in cool temperatures and benefit from being planted early.
• May session: Planting warm-season crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers once the risk of frost has passed.
• August session: A second round of cool-season planting for a fall harvest.
Sourcing
You’ll source seeds and starter plants ahead of time. (The Planting Plan Package is available if you’d like guidance.)
1:1 garden coaching
Let’s meet in the garden
$150
A 60-minute mid-season garden coaching session with Mary. We’ll talk through how everything is going and what comes next in your garden.
Crop by crop, I’ll advise on planting, pruning, tying and trellising, organic pest and disease control, harvesting techniques, and upcoming garden tasks.
Bring a notebook so you can capture recommendations and next steps.
Virtual garden coaching
Let’s Zoom in on how your garden’s going
$125
A 60-minute one-on-one virtual session with Mary for gardeners anywhere. We'll discuss your goals, questions, and concerns.
Start here if you’re interested in the MKG Planting Plan or if you’re looking for general or targeted kitchen gardening advice.
Bring a notebook so you can capture recommendations and next steps.