A Reformed Slacker’s Guide to Garden Planning

As a beginning gardener, my “garden planning” consisted of heading to the garden centre on the first sunny day in March, choosing the prettiest of the seed packets, then sowing seeds wherever there was room and whenever I found the time. 

As my thumbs greened, I discovered that this approach had me missing out on many of the more interesting varieties of edibles (not to mention that it led to an excess of seed packets containing edibles I didn’t have room to grow or a desire to eat). So I started ordering my seeds online at the beginning of the season in an attempt to prevent impulse shopping and to force me to plan ahead. Ordering online, I found, provided more selection and endowed me with more restraint than was possible when standing in front of a seed packet display (though, of course, it wasn’t always foolproof). 

Next, I realized that actually planning when and where to plant these edibles—in advance, instead of in the garden, trowel in hand—would greatly improve my yield. Reading up on a small-space gardening technique known as succession planting, I learned that I could harvest a succession of crops—a cool-season edible followed by a warm-season edible, followed again by a cool-season edible—all from one container or plot. It was a revelation.

Never again would I find myself with an empty pot in the middle of the growing season! I could plant arugula in early March, be eating it by mid-April, and, by June, as the heat-sensitive little plants started to reach skyward, I could boot them out and replace them with a heat-lover such as cucumber (started indoors, of course, and ready to transplant at just the right time) and therefore make the most of my very limited space. I was sold.

More: Download this free succession planting chart to plan your garden

That winter, I got serious about garden planning. I drew out sketches of my balcony and community garden plot, detailing what would be planted where, and when. I made charts and lists. I added seed-starting dates to my iCal and set automated reminders. Pencil crayons may have been used. If I went a little overboard, it was only in the name of getting my hands on as much fresh, organic produce as possible. People have done crazier things for love.

Of course, it didn’t quite go as smoothly as my optimistic notations suggest. (“Plant out tomato seedlings,” says an old June 1 calendar reminder, oblivious to the reality of the unseasonably cold weather that year.) Seeds failed to germinate. Plants took longer to mature than expected. The weather conspired to keep me paying for my produce. That said, the results were far better than my previous by-the-seat-of-my-pants approach to planting, so I’ve continued the habit of making plans for garden greatness during the winter months. If nothing else, it’s nice to dream about the coming growing season. And let’s face it: a garden is always its most productive and pest-free on paper.

A garden checklist for winter

• Peruse seed catalogues and sites and make a list of everything you’d like to grow. Note how long each edible takes to mature, and when it should be planted (details listed on the seed packet). If you are growing warm-season crops from seed, note when these will need to be started indoors, as well as the projected transplanting date. Note these dates in your calendar, or use this free downloadable seed starting planning worksheet.
• Using your list, figure out where you’ll plant each edible (or any annual, really. This technique also works wonderfully for planning your cut-flower garden). One way to start is by finding a place for warm-season crops (tomatoes, zucchinis, and beans, for example) and slotting in cool-season growers like lettuce, peas, or arugula in for spring and fall.

Related posts:

Welcome to the warm season Why you should plant your winter garden in summer Planning for a year-round harvest (or How I went from slacker to Serious Planner) Vegetable seeds to sow in early spring