Vegetable garden planning is the first of many processes related to growing your own vegetable garden. Planning your garden is important because you will need to figure out which plants you want to plant, which plants grow best in your area, and how your vegetable garden will look.
The Vegetable Garden Planning Process

It's that time of year when starting a vegetable garden is on our list of projects. This is the perfect time to get going with your ideas and thoughts for the vegetable garden planning process.

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image: vegetable garden with cartRemember that planting and designing a vegetable garden does not happen over night and the best gardens are those that have been planned with thought and care. There is no doubt that the end result of a vegetable garden is what really counts. That is, you want to have beautiful, homegrown vegetables showing up on your dinner table—nutritious vegetables that you can share with family, friends, and neighbors.
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If you know what kind of vegetables you want to plant, the actual planning of the physical garden can be a lot easier. When deciding what kind of vegetables you will be planting, taste, cost, and personal preference will be among the first considerations.

What vegetables do you and your family usually eat on a regular basis and what other vegetables would you like to plant in your garden? Once your have a list of what vegetables you are considering on planting, you need to think about how much time you want to put into your garden.

Obviously, the more time you can dedicate, the bigger and the more complex the garden can be. Conversely, if your time is limited, then you probably should consider planting a smaller garden.

After you have identified your time constraints and the vegetables you would like to plant, it is time to do a little research on which plants will grow best in your area and what time of the year these plants should be planted. Basing your plant selection on your research findings will pay off down the road with less plant maintenance and fewer crop failures.

When doing vegetable garden planning make sure to ask yourself what would probably work best for you and for your plot of land. For instance, it probably wouldn’t be the best idea to grow particular vegetables if you do not have the room or the proper soil, sunlight, temperature, or time. Indeed, if you are planting a garden for the first time and are inexperienced, keep to the basics.
Selecting Your Vegetables

image: cabbage in vegetable garden
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The basic vegetable of most vegetable gardens is the tomato. Although the tomato is actually a fruit, it has become the most popular plant for gardens. Tomatoes are easy to grow and easy to take care of and harvest. They come in many varieties, are inexpensive, and easy to find at your local Kmart, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and garden centers.

Other vegetables that work well for a typical garden include, peppers, squash, onions, parsley, eggplant, and lettuce. Of course you can plant your favorites but try to stick with vegetables that will not only grow well but also those that you are going to eat.

You don't want to be disappointed with your results and any vegetable garden planning should include an evaluation of what is going to be served at the dinner table and what will grow with success. You must also consider how much time you are going to spend in your garden. Some vegetables take a lot of tender loving care while others almost grow on their own.
The Garden Design

Another step in vegetable garden planning is deciding upon your garden design. You have several options. For instance, you can grow your garden in rows, in beds, in a mixed flower, vegetable, and herb bed, or in containers.

image: green plants in a vegetable gardenMany home gardeners now plant their vegetables in beds rather than traditional rows. As a result, when you are doing your vegetable garden planning consider using beds. Beds seem to work much better than traditional rows especially when adding compost to the bedding area. The beds allow for a minimum loss of compost to the concentrated areas as opposed to rows. Beds also work better if you can elevate them just a little. Drainage is much better and the beds stay warmer for your plants.

Containers provide another way that you can plant your vegetables. Containers provide a compact way to plant your garden, especially if this is your first garden and you are not quite sure that you really want to dedicate the time and a part of your yard required for a large garden project. Container vegetable gardening also works extremely well for people who want to have a garden but who don’t have a backyard, such as people who live in apartments.

Regardless of what plants you decide to plant or how you plant your garden, it is certainly a rewarding hobby. Not only this, but you will discover that fresh vegetables taste far better than those you find in grocery stores. Planning and planting a garden is also a great way to teach children where their vegetables come from. And no matter where you live, with a little bit of creativity, you can have some type of vegetable garden. All it takes is a little vegetable garden planning.
Vegetable Garden Planning: Conclusion

If you do a little vegetable garden planning you will experience great results. Plan your crops, prepare the soil, fertilize, water properly, rotate your plants, and add some good care, sunshine, and warm air, and you will enjoy the fruits, (in this case the vegetables) of your labor. Don't be afraid to ask for help and get some good tips and advice but most of all enjoy your vegetable garden.

Copyright 2009 - Denny Soinski. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, and give the author credit.