Starting a vegetable garden can seem overwhelming, especially if life is already busy enough. Creating a small garden even in a raised bed or pots is such a rewarding experience. Vegetable garden planning will allow you to get as much vegetables as you have time for and experience the joy of growing fresh ingredients in your own backyard.
As you start to think about your garden, think about what kind of experience you want to have there. Ok, that sounds a little weird but picture yourself working in the garden? It will take a little time to get your garden planted. After that, how much time do want to spend gardening a week? You may just want to spend 10 minutes in the evening to decompress after work, pick some herbs and a tomato for dinner. With planning, you can easily do that.
Before anything else, choose a sunny spot as close to your back door as possible. Make sure it drains well (it doesn’t puddle after a rain shower). Your goal is to make this garden as enjoyable as possible. Keeping it close to the house will make it a lot easier to water with a hose or watering can. It will be easier to remember to water and pick weeds as you see them.
Start Small with Vegetable Garden Planning
A small garden can produce a lot of food for your family. A bigger garden means more weeding, watering, and harvesting. Keeping it small will give you fresh produce without the extra work you don’t have time for.
Grow Your Favorite Vegetables
Vegetable garden planning will help you decide which variety of that vegetable will grow best for you and your garden. There are so many options out there now. Some varieties are beginner friendly and work well in small spaces.
Vegetable Garden Planning Will Extend the Life of Your Garden
You can have your garden for three quarters of the year with a little planning. Know when to plant peas and kale in the Spring. Then harvest and replace with tomatoes and zucchini in the summer. In the fall you could try carrots and other root vegetables. Recording planting and harvest dates will let you know when to plant and harvest.
Have some seating by the garden. Grow a few flowers to attract pollinators in pots or around the edge of your garden. Create an environment that you look forward to coming out and enjoying. A garden will lure the entire family outdoors to see what’s growing and enjoy the butterflies and birds it attracts. You won’t scare them off by asking them to help weed, if the garden is manageable.
Happy gardening!
