Garden planning may initially appear daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right approach, it can be a fulfilling process that leads to a vibrant and productive garden. Here are five key principles to guide your garden planning journey, as shared by Ben Van Heems, the editor of Groveveg.com.
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1. Location Selection:
Vegetables flourish in locations with abundant sunlight, which boosts their growth and resistance to pests and diseases. However, if you lack sunny spots, consider crops that tolerate shade, like leafy salads and greens. Certain cool-season crops like peas may even appreciate summer shade in hot climates.
The quality of soil in your chosen location is equally important. Ensure it is fertile, can retain moisture, but is also well-drained. Improve the soil by adding well-rotted compost, either by digging it in or leaving it on the soil surface between your crops.
2. Prioritize Your Preferences:
It’s crucial to grow fruits and vegetables that you enjoy eating. This not only motivates you to take care of your crops but also ensures that nothing goes to waste. By growing your own food, you have the luxury of choosing varieties known for their exceptional flavor and quality.
If your garden space is limited, prioritize crops that are prolific or expensive to buy, such as most herbs, fruits, leeks, zucchinis, and climbing beans. Many varieties can thrive in containers, which are perfect for transforming an empty terrace or balcony into a green space.
3. Optimize Space with Garden Planner:
With the aid of a garden planner, you can maximize your available space. The planner shows how many plants of each vegetable or fruit you can grow without overcrowding them. It is an effective tool for maintaining accuracy in planting, ensuring a well-organized and predictable process.
4. Choose Low-Maintenance and Suitable Varieties:
Some vegetables require more maintenance than others. If your time is limited, opt for easy-to-grow vegetables like perennial herbs. Seek out pest and disease-resistant varieties for easier care.
The proximity of your vegetable garden to your house can simplify tending and harvesting. Regularly used herbs can be placed right outside your back door for convenience. Also, ensure there’s a water source near your garden, and install water barrels to collect rainwater. Make sure paths between beds are wide enough for a wheelbarrow, and beds are sized right for easy maintenance and crop rotation.
5. Stagger Your Harvest:
Spread out your harvest by planting quick-growing crops little and often. This encourages more produce to follow and extends your harvest season. The garden planner can help plan this type of succession cropping by showing you where and when gaps appear in your garden, allowing for the efficient use of space and continuous crop production.
By following these golden rules, you can make your garden planning process more manageable, and your garden more successful. Do explore the topic further and feel free to share your own golden rules in the comments.
