The snow has blanketed the ground and now is mostly melted, the signs of spring are emerging from the cool soil surfaces. It brings excitement and joy knowing the days are getting longer and life is coming back into all the plants that have been dormant for so long.
These signs only remind us that just around the corner it will be time to set the seeds into the ground and plant the spring bulbs. It is time for the garden planning to begin. I like to take this time of the year to reflect on what worked last year and what didn’t, the new things I would like to try and the discoveries that need to be changed. If there is a new section of the land that I want to transform into a beautiful, planted landscape or a garden that needs to be returned to grass.
When you have a garden plan it eliminates the guessing and allows you to create a beautiful atmosphere for you, the family, and friends to enjoy throughout every month of the year that follows. By taking the time to walk through the property at this time of the year allows you to see the bear truth of the land. The structures and trees are predominant which creates the base of the garden. From the base of the garden, you can create the internal structure the flowers and filler plants. Whether you are growing a vegetable garden or a flower garden you will always have a base to work off.
As we walk through the yard, we create a list of goals of what we would like to achieve, what worked and what we would like to change and chat about time frames for these goals to be completed by. Kind of a garden wish list, some years we can achieve all the goals that we set for ourselves and some time the goals get rolled into the next year or changed as the year passes by. The best part of doing this is that there are the goals for us to target and work off. When the time comes around, we have direction and can plan to have the needed material on hand for the free time that we can work on the goals.
Once we have the goals in place we can focus on the planting. We note what is there and what we would like to add or take away. If there is a perennial that is not working in a certain area of the yard, we can dig it up and move it to another portion of the yard or give it away. A garden is meant to bring joy to you when you spend time in it. If it is full of plants that you truly do not like or if it is not working in an area or maybe you just are ready to try something new, don’t feel guilt for digging up a plant to move it or change a garden around.
Once you have your base add the filler plants in, whether that be annuals (live for one year) or perennial plants (comes back year after year) or even a mix of both. When thinking of the plant to put into the spot take note of the full height and width the plant will grow. Think of the colors the plant will have in relation to the surrounding plants, the same goes with selecting the flowers. And lastly think of succession and companion planting, if you have a spot that the plant takes a few months to grow to full height, may be try planting a fast growing annual that you can enjoy until the other plant grows up then you can remove the annual and compost it while you enjoy the other plant.
For vegetable gardening succession and companion planting is a great tool to have in your back pocket. Don’t worry to much about all of this it will take time to learn how fast plants grow, what they like for soil types and when to plant. The more you get your hands into gardening whether it be flowers, shrubs, or vegetables the more you will know and be able to experiment with what you grow.
One way I keep everything organized is I draw out the garden layout, noting the size of the beds and paths. Note what permanent structures are in the area or note anything that I want to achieve. Then I put in the perennials, trees or shrubs that are in the area. Next, I note where the sun is or shade, this I do by lightly shading any spots of the garden that has shade throughout the day. This helps greatly when trying to pare up the area with the type of plants that can grow in the areas. Next, I print out a picture of the plants and lay out the plants that I want to grow by size they will grow and their needs, ie full sun, part sun/shade or full shade and any other major things that need to be considered. This way I can easily place the plant into the section of the garden that I want to fill and will get a visual of what it will look like when the garden is in full bloom.
I note on the calendar when the last frost is, when the seeds need to be planted or when certain plants need to be planted into the garden. When I have an idea of what I want in the garden, I can be prepared for what that plant needs are or how the ground may need to be prepared before the plant gets planted. I can make sure there are garden structures in place before planting the tomatoes or dahlia instead of trying to put something into place when the plant is falling over and needing support. At this point I can space out the things needing to be done during the upcoming months and make them work with our family schedule. I find this works well, we become more prepared of the needs of the yard and can stay on top of everything easier instead of everything coming to head all at once.
Over the years I have found that good planning makes the season more enjoyable and allows me to be able to find little spots in the garden that I can try out new plants or methods that I would normally not try. Every year I try out a new plant or growing method. The more I try new things the more I learn and grow as a sustainable gardener.
The most important thing is to have fun with the process whether it be big or small enjoy each stage the garden brings. Happy growing friends!