Do you want to have an awesome garden this year?  If your answer is yes than now is the time to start mentally planning for the garden season.  Although it’s too early to be working the soil, it’s not too early to plan.  So if you are relatively new to gardening, how do you go about planning for the gardening season?  You can plan your garden in three easy steps.  These steps can help you to set the stage for your best garden ever.

Here are the steps that I take to plan the perfect garden…

Step 1:

Take time to dream about what your garden could be like.  Spend an afternoon looking through garden magazines, books and Pinterest.  These can be wonderful sources of inspiration.  Be sure to jot down any ideas that stand out to you.  Will you be able to accomplish everything?  Probably not, but it gives you a direction to get started.  What things should you be looking at?  Here are some ideas for you to consider.

• Garden Structure…Do you have any hard structures that need to be changed.  Is this the year to build a garden shed or green house?  Is it time to put in new pathways?  Have you considered adding any raised beds?  Are you wanting to create any new “garden rooms”?  Think through your existing garden structures and plan any changes that need to be made.  Make a list of everything you want to add or change this year.  Now pick your top 2-3 areas to work on.
• Garden Plants…What do you currently grow in your garden?  This could be your entire yard or your flower and vegetable gardens.  Are you wanting to replace any existing plants?  Are there any new plants that you want to grow or focus on?  Do you like a cottage style garden or are you the modern garden type?  This can impact the types of plants you grow.
• Garden Uses…How do you use your garden?  Is it just strictly for food or do you entertain a lot? Is your garden a wonderful retreat for you or a place for the kids to play?  How you use your garden can impact what you will want to change.  For example, you don’t want to be planting any delicate perennials if you have kids and dogs running around.  Unless you can plant them in an enclosed area.

Step 2:

Begin to actually plan for your growing season.  Now is the time to start planning for the changes.  Take your 2-3 areas you want to work on and create a step by step action plan.  Break the job down into smaller, more manageable tasks.  Make a list of what you need to purchase as well.  Getting an early start  can help you to budget for any major projects.  You can also use a calendar to create a timeline for the gardening jobs.  You  might want to use my Garden Planning Printable to organize your garden projects.

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Here are some things to plan for…

• Vegetables to Grow…What vegetables do you want to grow this season?  How much?  You might want to look back at last years growing season to remind yourself of what worked and what didn’t work.  We had an heirloom seed garden last year that was a bust.  So we know this year that we are okay with hybrid plants.  Did you have way too much zucchini and not enough tomatoes?  Did you plant a small amount of beans that you liked and wanted more?  Answering these questions can help you decide what you need before you head out to the garden center next month.
• Flowers to Plant…Again we want to determine what we need now before the growing season begins.  Assess how many pots you need to fill.  How many plants does it takes for a full display?  What would you like to grow in your cutting garden? Are there perennials or shrubs you want to buy?  Are you wanting to add in more bulbs for next Fall?  What type and how much?  You can actually place an order now for fall bulbs so that you get the best options.  If you wait too late in the season the selection can drop.

Step 3:

There are a number of free online tools that you can use to plan your garden.  Here are a few easy-to-use garden planners that you might be interested in. These are certainly optional but you might enjoy a visual perspective when planning your garden.

• Kitchen Garden Planner from Gardeners.com
• Plan-a-Garden at BHG.com
• My Garden Planner at Gardena.com

Growing a wonderful garden each year takes some planning.  Taking the time now to determine your goals and what you want to plant can help you to be more successful when the season actually begins.  Although winging it can work, you won’t always end up with the right choices.  So while it is still winter outside, take time to imagine and plan for the perfect summer garden!