Regardless of your level of experience when it comes to gardening, having a plan is crucial to your success. Even before you order any seeds or plants, it is important that you think through what you want your space to look like. This step can actually be quite fun, and no matter how many times you have already done it, skipping it typically leads to problems. The following information will give you a few things to consider as you go through the planning process.
Think about what you want from the garden. Are you just looking to have a bit of fun? Do you want to grow flowers that you can cut for others to enjoy? Or, are you interested in feeding your family from the work that you do? If food is your goal, also consider whether or not you want to have enough produce to freeze or can; if so, that means taking your garden to an entirely new level. Plant only what you think you will eventually eat (or give away) so that there is minimal waste.
Consider the size of your garden. What do you have to work with? How will that affect how much you can plant? Also, consider your own limitations. Even if you have a large space, it may not be ideal to plant a large garden if you have other responsibilities that will take you away from it (or if you just don’t feel up to the challenge). Create a space that works for you based on the resources that you have.
Carefully determine what and how many seeds you would like to order. This is a big step, because seeds cost a lot of money and you do not want to get too many. Have your family sit down with you and talk about what they liked best about the previous year’s garden and what they would like to see this time around. Do not grow things your family members will not eat unless you know you want to make gifts of the food or use it for another, similar purpose.
Think about how you will address weeds in your garden. Are you fine with using pesticides or would you rather go about the process in a more natural way? If you are interested in natural methods, you may need to do a little research first and see what you will need to do to be successful. Have these materials on hand so you don’t get stuck when a problem begins to present itself.
Planning a garden can be a very enjoyable process. Particularly if you have some experience, it will not take a long time, but it will usually prevent problems down the line. If you are gearing up to start your garden, grab a pencil and a piece of paper and start getting your thoughts organized! If your garden is already in full swing, save this article for next year and get yourself off to a great start.