7 Steps to Start Planning Your Garden

Planting a garden requires more than simply hoeing a few rows of dirt and dropping seeds in the soil. We’ll help you find the right tool to organize it all, plus walk you through the following steps:

• Picking a spot
• Deciding the type of garden
• Testing the soil
• Choosing what to plant
• Getting tools
• Managing the size
• Using a spreadsheet

While garden planning is just the first step before even planting a single seed, it’s also an important part of the process to help ensure that your garden is set up for success.

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Pick the spot for your garden.
The location of your garden will determine the size and shape of your garden. Make sure to give your garden enough room for your plants to grow without impeding the space in your yard. You’ll also want to make sure the area gets plenty of sunlight. If you have an area that receives limited sunshine throughout the day because it’s next to a fence or wall, you probably won’t want to plant your garden there. Decide on the best location for your garden and start preparing by cutting out some grass, tilling the soil, or measuring for garden boxes.

Decide how you want to build your garden.
Now that you’ve picked a spot for your garden, you need to decide how you want to plant it. Will you plant it directly in the ground? Build boxes? Use hanging baskets? Whatever you decide, remember that you won’t want the rows to be too wide or you’ll have a hard time watering and harvesting. It’s best to limit your rows to three to four feet across. This makes it easier to reach the middle of the row from either side. If you plant your garden directly into the ground with multiple rows, make sure to leave space between the rows where you can walk without trampling the plants.

Get your soil tested.
An often-overlooked step in garden planning is having your soil tested to find out the pH level, nutrient, and mineral makeup of your soil. Some homeowners might find that they have contaminants in their soil from street runoff or lead from old paint on their houses. Your soil could determine what you can or can’t plant. You can buy a soil testing kit online to perform a quick test without having to send a vial away to a lab and wait weeks for results. If your ground soil isn’t ideal for planting a garden, consider using garden boxes. You can create the perfect ecosystem for whatever you decide to plant.

Think about what you can plant.
It’s easier to decide how to plan your garden if you know what to grow in a garden. Some plants are easier than others to grow because they don’t require as much maintenance or space. Some foods that are easy to grow from seed include:

• Carrots
• Peas
• Beans
• Lettuce

Others are easier to grow from seedlings such as:

• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Brussels sprouts

Remember to only grow what you want to eat so your plants don’t go to waste. Make a list of what you want to grow, then consider creating a blueprint of how you want everything to grow so you have a plan for planting.

Get your gardening tools.
Like most hobbies around the house, gardening requires specific tools. The basics include things like a garden hoe, dirt rake, hand tools like a trowel, gloves, and a knee pad. You’ll also want to think about things that you need to manage your garden day to day. How do you plan on watering your garden? Consider whether your sprinkler system reaches the garden, you can use the hose, you’ll need to water by hand using a watering can, or you want to install a dripline. Each has its own pros and cons, so consider what works for you and your budget.

Don’t get too big too fast.
It’s easy to get excited about planting a garden and wanting to make it huge with every vegetable you can think of. But if you’re starting out, it’s important to temper your excitement somewhat and start small. You don’t want to plant a bigger garden than what you know how to manage. Remember that gardens attract critters of all sizes, so you’ll notice that you have more bugs in your yard. Depending on where you live, you might start seeing animals like mice, rabbits, and even deer munching on your plants if you plant more than you can harvest. Be sure to manage the size of your garden while also taking precautions like proper fencing or enclosures.

Use a spreadsheet to track it all.
Finally, the best way to manage your garden long term is to create a spreadsheet that lets you log information about all your plants, including important things like watering schedules, care instructions, soil types and beyond . Play around with different spreadsheet views, like Kanban or Gantt views, to gain better insight into your gardening plan.

Garden planning is a great way to get started before you ever put a seed in the ground. You’ll have a solid plan that helps to set you up for success with delicious, home-grown foods.