The ground might still be covered in snow and ice, but it’s officially time to start planning your Spring garden! I’m sharing tips to set your garden up for success.
To be completely transparent, our family doesn’t usually do a great job planning in advance for our Spring garden. We always have great intentions, but then life gets busy. In our defensive, the Spring and Summer months have been a bit hectic – between starting/expanding our homesteading, having babies, and making the decision to move, it’s been busy to say the least! This year, we’re starting the Spring garden planning process a bit early in hopes that we stay more organized. I’m sharing easy tips for planning your Spring garden below!
How much space do you have to allocate for planting? Will you be planting directly in the ground, or in planters? It can be tempting to cram your garden in an effort to plant more in a small space, but that decision will usually backfire. If you don’t give your plants an appropriate amount of space, then they will likely choke each other out, resulting in less harvestable produce. When planning your Spring garden, be sure to check spacing guidelines for each individual plant. Directions are listed on the seed packet or on the adult plant tag.
While planning your Spring garden, it’s imperative to decide if you will be starting seeds indoors or planting adult plants directly outdoors. Pros and cons exist for both. There really isn’t a “right” answer to this question, but it will influence your timeline for planting. If you’re planning to start from seeds indoors, then you will need to plant earlier. Planting seeds saves a significant amount of money in comparison to purchasing adult plants, but it also requires an upfront investment for indoor growing materials. If you plant a Spring garden every year, then the one time cost makes sense. It’s also easier (and again, cost efficient) to purchase organic seeds versus purchasing organic adult plants.
If you plant a smaller garden or if sometimes your schedule doesn’t allow a large time commitment to your garden, the I would recommend starting with adult plants. Purchasing adult plants is usually easier, so it’s a great option if you’re a new gardener!
Remember: when planning your Spring garden, you need to decide seeds versus adult plants. If you decide to start your Spring garden from seeds, then you may want to invest in the below items:
Now that you’ve made a few basic decisions in regards to planning your Spring garden, it’s time to decide what you want to plant! Start by making a list of the essential items that want to include in your garden. Veggies and herbs are great, but perhaps you want to consider adding a few fruit trees or fruit bushes as well. Although it’s tempting to add everything to your list, be sure to keep in mind your specific space limitations, budget, and time restraints. (I aim high with my garden planning, and then my husband pulls me back to reality haha)
Once you make your Spring garden planning list, research where you want to purchase your seeds. If you’re starting your garden from seeds, then there are countless options available online. We purchased a tomato variety seed pack from Sustainable Sprout last year, and we were extremely impressed with the quality. We will definitely be purchasing from them again, but we will likely purchase from another online company as well.
If you choose to use adult plants, then simply visit a local hardware store or nursery when you are ready to plant your garden.
Once you create a Spring garden planning list with everything you want to plant, then it’s time to research and get organized. If you’re starting from seeds, then which ones do you need to start indoors, and which ones do you plant directly outdoors? Which month should you start planting? When should you transplant the plant outdoors? To help stay organized this year, I made an excel doc to keep better track of our planting. Creating a spreadsheet definitely isn’t necessary, but be sure to research and plan accordingly to increase your overall success.
Your spring garden planning is officially complete and it’s time to get planting! Don’t forget to follow the instructions listed on your specific seed packet or adult plant tag. Happy planting!
We haven’t officially ordered our seeds yet, but below is a tentative list. There’s a good chance that we’ll scale back a bit, but we’ll see!
The post Planning your Spring garden appeared first on FRENCHIE FARM.
Planning your Spring Garden
To be completely transparent, our family doesn’t usually do a great job planning in advance for our Spring garden. We always have great intentions, but then life gets busy. In our defensive, the Spring and Summer months have been a bit hectic – between starting/expanding our homesteading, having babies, and making the decision to move, it’s been busy to say the least! This year, we’re starting the Spring garden planning process a bit early in hopes that we stay more organized. I’m sharing easy tips for planning your Spring garden below!
1. Determine your space
How much space do you have to allocate for planting? Will you be planting directly in the ground, or in planters? It can be tempting to cram your garden in an effort to plant more in a small space, but that decision will usually backfire. If you don’t give your plants an appropriate amount of space, then they will likely choke each other out, resulting in less harvestable produce. When planning your Spring garden, be sure to check spacing guidelines for each individual plant. Directions are listed on the seed packet or on the adult plant tag.
2. Seeds versus adult plants
While planning your Spring garden, it’s imperative to decide if you will be starting seeds indoors or planting adult plants directly outdoors. Pros and cons exist for both. There really isn’t a “right” answer to this question, but it will influence your timeline for planting. If you’re planning to start from seeds indoors, then you will need to plant earlier. Planting seeds saves a significant amount of money in comparison to purchasing adult plants, but it also requires an upfront investment for indoor growing materials. If you plant a Spring garden every year, then the one time cost makes sense. It’s also easier (and again, cost efficient) to purchase organic seeds versus purchasing organic adult plants.
If you plant a smaller garden or if sometimes your schedule doesn’t allow a large time commitment to your garden, the I would recommend starting with adult plants. Purchasing adult plants is usually easier, so it’s a great option if you’re a new gardener!
3. Indoor planting necessities
Remember: when planning your Spring garden, you need to decide seeds versus adult plants. If you decide to start your Spring garden from seeds, then you may want to invest in the below items:
4. Make a list & decide where to purchase
Now that you’ve made a few basic decisions in regards to planning your Spring garden, it’s time to decide what you want to plant! Start by making a list of the essential items that want to include in your garden. Veggies and herbs are great, but perhaps you want to consider adding a few fruit trees or fruit bushes as well. Although it’s tempting to add everything to your list, be sure to keep in mind your specific space limitations, budget, and time restraints. (I aim high with my garden planning, and then my husband pulls me back to reality haha)
Once you make your Spring garden planning list, research where you want to purchase your seeds. If you’re starting your garden from seeds, then there are countless options available online. We purchased a tomato variety seed pack from Sustainable Sprout last year, and we were extremely impressed with the quality. We will definitely be purchasing from them again, but we will likely purchase from another online company as well.
If you choose to use adult plants, then simply visit a local hardware store or nursery when you are ready to plant your garden.
5. Research & organize
Once you create a Spring garden planning list with everything you want to plant, then it’s time to research and get organized. If you’re starting from seeds, then which ones do you need to start indoors, and which ones do you plant directly outdoors? Which month should you start planting? When should you transplant the plant outdoors? To help stay organized this year, I made an excel doc to keep better track of our planting. Creating a spreadsheet definitely isn’t necessary, but be sure to research and plan accordingly to increase your overall success.
6. Get planting!
Your spring garden planning is officially complete and it’s time to get planting! Don’t forget to follow the instructions listed on your specific seed packet or adult plant tag. Happy planting!
Our Spring garden shopping list:
We haven’t officially ordered our seeds yet, but below is a tentative list. There’s a good chance that we’ll scale back a bit, but we’ll see!
- Hot Pepper Seeds Variety Pack
- Microgreen Seeds Kit
- Salad Greens Seeds Kit
- Tomato Seeds Variety Pack (We purchased this last year and I highly recommend!)
- Herb Seeds
- Brocolli
- Brussell Sprouts
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Corn
- Pickling Cucumbers
- Yellow Onion
- Sugar Snap Peas
- Bell Peppers
- Beans
- Zuchinni
- Butternut squash
- Acorn squash
- Melon
- Watermelon
- Rhubarb
- Asparagus
- Flower Seeds Variety Pack
Need more Spring garden planning ideas? Check out this post!
The post Planning your Spring garden appeared first on FRENCHIE FARM.