Planning garden beds
Deep in the middle of February, when snow still blankets the ground, you will find me at my desk, seed catalogs in hand, sorting through the options and making my list of which plants and variations I will attempt to grow in my garden in the spring. Well before the last frost is when you will want to beginning the planning for your dream summer garden.
I start with a basic graph sheet that I designed (see image above) that I use to plot out where my garden beds lay in my back yard. After I have drawn them out to scale (see last image below), giving myself a rough idea of space I can allot to planting, I next write out a "wish list" of plants I would like to try this year:
I start with a basic graph sheet that I designed (see image above) that I use to plot out where my garden beds lay in my back yard. After I have drawn them out to scale (see last image below), giving myself a rough idea of space I can allot to planting, I next write out a "wish list" of plants I would like to try this year:
I then plot out those plants onto my Garden Bed Planner, rearranging as needed (I always work in pencil and print out multiple copies as I invariably need to make adjustments...as they say, the eyes are bigger than the stomach...) until I get my garden right where I want it to be!
Next step...
Determining growth method for each plant in my garden.
What to consider?
For those starting seeds indoors, check out this article: Indoor Seed Starting
Next step...
Determining growth method for each plant in my garden.
What to consider?
- Date of last frost
- Days to germination
- Days to bloom (flowers) or harvest (edibles)
- Light needs (full sun / partial shade / full shade)
- Start by seed or transplant?
- Start indoors or directly sow into garden bed
For those starting seeds indoors, check out this article: Indoor Seed Starting
*Sample Garden Bed Planner*