10 Steps to Planning your Dream Garden

If you haven’t planned your 2023 garden yet, put it on your schedule!

Get your planning done now so that when planting time comes, it’s smooth sailing through the busy and exciting spring season.

Spring will be here soon.

Here are the 10 steps to planning your dream garden:

1. Put it in your schedule.

   Give yourself ample time to plan. Take care of yourself by giving yourself quiet time to sit, think, and plan. I like to give myself 60-90 minutes of “focus time” for projects like this. After 60-90 minutes I need a break!

2. Write out all the plants you’d like to grow.

   How do you decide? If growing veggies and herbs, grow ones your family already loves to eat. If growing flowers, choose ones that complement where you are expereince-wise. Grow beginner flowers (link to blog) if you’re newer to gardening. Grow harder ones if you want more challenge.

3. Get real about what you will be growing this season.

   Now it’s time to whittle down the above list into a manageable “Core Crop” list. For starters go for 5 veggies, 5 flowers and 2-3 herbs.

4. Pick your varieties.

   Now is the fun time! Once you have your “Core Crop” list, you can dig out those gorgeous seed catalogues and get specific about what you’re growing. Pick varieties that do well in your climate and growing location. Read the descriptions carefully so you get all the information.

5. Plan your seeding dates.

   This is the most challenging part of your planning. I like to create a spreadsheet for this. That way each year I can make adjustments or just do what I did last year.

   Need more guidance on this, GET ON MY EMAIL LIST to get notified when The IncrEdible Garden Course opens again - this is my signature online course that teaches you everything you need to know to grow a highly successful backyard oasis filled with food and flowers your family will love.

6. Plan for succession planting.

   In other words, don’t plant all your broccoli seeds at once! Plan to seed accordingly so that you have crops continuously all season.

7. Draw your gardens.

   Use grid paper to draw all your gardens.

8. Draw in your crops.

   I like to make note of all my planned seeding dates (if direct seeding) or all my transplant dates (if seeding indoors) right there on my garden drawing (or map).

9. Put your first seeding date in your planner or calendar.

   Plan for success by having all your tools and supplies ready to go so on your first seeding day, you can get right to work.

10. Start your garden journal.

    This can be a note on your phone (I use Evernote) or a paper journal where you write down everything you notice, see, or experience in your garden. It’s where you write down your failures and your successes. There’s nothing worse than failing at the same thing twice because you forgot to take note of it. This is how you become a better garden!