Now is the perfect time to map out your vegetable garden for the upcoming growing season. Basically, for newbies, you just literally draw out your space, and decide what vegetables to grow, where you want to grow them, and if you want to get fancy when you plan on planting {that way, you know if you can use the space for something else later in the growing season. Make sure to include container gardens in your plans.
Mapping everything out will save you from going overboard ordering seeds, because you’ll know exactly how much space you have to work with. Plus, it gives you time to think about companion planting, water schedules, sunlight vs. shade, soil conditions and crop rotation.
This year, I am starting from scratch. My new garden space has a lot of shade, but I’m up for the challenge.
To start, grab a tape measure and measure out your space. Now grab a ruler or straight edge {you can free hand it, if you want, but please don’t tell me about it. I like the nice crisp lines}, a pencil {pens are way too permanent} and a blank piece of paper or even better, graphing paper. Yes, we are going to nerd out, and it is going to be awesome.
Decide on some sort of scale for your measurements. Like, an inch for every foot, or whatever else floats your boat. Draw it all up, nice and neat like. Now, on a separate piece of paper, write out what you would like to grow and how many of each plant. If you are like me, this is where you find out that you don’t have the space for all the stuff you’d like to try. 😉 Start placing them into the map, keeping lighting, soil, space, etc. in mind. I usually end up with quite a bit of eraser marks–it’s like my own personal Sudoku game.
Once you have it all mapped out, you can order your seeds, and then stare longingly out the window, while you focus on your body’s obvious vitamin D deficiency…or you can redraw a final copy with no eraser marks and color coding {not that I would ever do that, it is merely a suggestion for passing the gray dull days :)}.
Happy mapping,
~ Mavis
Want a little help planning out your garden? Groundbreaking Food Gardens is awesome and gives you 73 amazingly designed garden plans! The best part, is that their is a design for every space.
Becky says
Now is a great time to make seed tape if you need something garden related to do.
Cheryl says
And the key to this is actually sticking to what you plan!!!
Tisha says
Mavis, much of your advice is spot on, but I am afraid that the only thing that keeps me from going overboard on seed ordering is insufficient funds! Gardening is an optimistic practice and I often think there is a chance I can fit something in somewhere! I mean, doesn’t everybody sneak cabbages among perennials, etc?
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes, yes they do. 😉
Madam Chow says
Too late. I went overboard. Waaaaay overboard!
Melissa says
I have such a hard time with crop rotation. I understand it. I know I should do it. But, I really only have two raised beds that would be close to full-sun and the others are partial. So, I think I have resolved to have to plant only shade and partial shade plants in the raised beds and do ALL of my tomatoes in 3 and 5 gallon buckets. We did that 3/4 of the way last year and the ones in pots that I could move into the sun every day did so much better than the tomatoes in the full-sun raised bed and the partial-sun raised beds. Sigh…those pots are heavy but tomato harvest is too good to pass up.
Melanie says
Melissa– can you rig some kind of caster method for easier rotation of those tomatoes?
Or even plant them in a plastic garden cart that has wheels on it to begin with.
As I get older I am learning to love casters/ furniture dollies, etc.
Renay says
I have been doing this for YEARS. I like that I can see what I planted, and even (if I remember) make notes about how it did. Also, it makes you start thinking about what you plant now and what you plant later and how you take into account what is growing up and what is growing out. I love doing this! Garden On Girls!!!
Courtney t says
I use dry erase marker on my slider door that overlooks space with a running to do list and list of seeds I need to get. Granted growing year round and dug out the entire lawn lol so I’m a bit extreme. I use Instsgram as a timing point and journal. It’s worked for 3 yrs so far.
Raymond Dean White says
Mavis, most companion planting guides will tell you that peas don’t like onions or garlic planted next to them. My own experience backs this up. Broccoli however loves onions and garlic.