Planning for next year’s garden: 5 ways to make it a great year

I know, I know, it seems too early…But I had my copy of the Westcoast Seeds Gardening Guide dog-eared and was ready to order my seeds last month! I can’t be the only one…

Whether you’re a long-time gardener or a first-time grower, getting ahead of planning and organizing in the fall and winter months can lead to a fantastic garden in the coming year… Which means that now is the perfect time to start planning!

So as I’m going through these steps myself, I thought I’d share what I consider each year to prepare for the coming season.

This post contains affiliate links. By clicking on these links, we may earn a small commission on applicable purchases. This is done at no extra cost to you. We are a part of the Amazon Associates program as well as other affiliate programs. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy & Disclaimers page.

1. Reflecting on past years’ gardens

Before diving into planning for the coming year, I tend to think through what I liked about the past year, what plants worked well, what locations seemed to be productive. In past years I’ve grown plants that seemed like a good idea (chard, beets) but we don’t actually seem to eat them. I’ve also tried to grow onions, potatoes, and radishes, but they tend to be really affected by pests in our yard and soil, unfortunately.

Last year I focused quite a bit on flowers (which I’ve ignored in the past) and we loved it! The yard was so cheery and for most of the growing season I could produce lovely bouquets for gifts.

Though it’s probably good to keep a garden journal or notes to track observations, I generally don’t – aside from the blog! This past year dahlias became a bit of an obsession, so my family decided to support my addiction and got me a dahlia tracker for Christmas, which I’ll try out this year.

2. Choosing plants

Now the for the exciting part: Consider your goals for next year’s garden—are you growing for food, flowers, or both? Do you want to focus on new varieties or stick with your favorites?

Vegetables & Herbs: If growing food, plan your vegetable and herb choices based on climate, growing zone, and available space. Research the best varieties for your local region and consider planting more disease-resistant or pest-tolerant varieties if you had issues in the past. For easy and productive shade crops, my favourites are lettuces, kale, or spinach as they tend to be easy to use up in salads or soups. If you have a sunny location try some cherry tomatoes – they’re great for fresh eating, sauces, or in soups!

Flowers & Perennials: If you enjoy flowers, plan for blooms throughout the growing season and consider adding perennials that will return year after year. I’ve also been adding a consideration of colour to my flower planning – I had lots of lovely blooms last year, but sometimes the colour palette wasn’t quite what I was hoping. As a result, I’m intentionally changing up some of the varieties and colours from what I grew last year. For an easy and productive flower, try growing snapdragons – mine are still blooming in January! Cosmos are another good choice – the package said ‘they seem to thrive on neglect’ and I would agree with that assertion.

It’s good to go with what you know in terms of varieties, but also super fun to experiment with a few new varieties. Of course, check to ensure that the selection is right for your climate zone, soil type, and light!

3. Plan a productive garden layout

How a garden is organized can make a significant difference in its success. Important planning factors include size of the space, sunlight, and growing needs of plants. Draw a garden plan on paper or using an app to determine the best location for chosen plants, while considering:

Crop Rotation: If you’re growing vegetables, rotate crops each year to prevent soil depletion and reduce the risk of pests and diseases. Avoid planting the same type of plant in the same spot for consecutive years. For example, garlic really depletes soil, so it’s best to move plantings of garlic each year.

Sunlight: Make sure you know where the sun hits your garden at different times of day. Place sun-loving plants like tomatoes, peppers, and herbs in the areas that receive the most direct sunlight. Shade-loving plants like lettuce or spinach can be placed in cooler, shadier spots. There are several apps that can be used to provide this information at a glance, or observation works well too!

Spacing: Ensure appropriate plant spacing, which is generally noted on the seed package. Another approach to spacing is square foot gardening though this method has some very specific requirements for it to work.

4. Consider starting seeds indoors

Many plants like flowers and warm-season vegetables need to be started indoors before they can be planted outside. Plants such as tomatoes, peppers, or herbs will need to be started indoors a few weeks before the last frost date in your local zone.

Prepare seed trays and biodegradable pots with a high-quality seed-starting mix. Consider using grow lights and possibly a heat mat if you don’t have a sunny, warm spot in your home. Many seeds require a minimum soil temperature to germinate, and a heat mat can take the guesswork out of this. I’m excited for a couple of new tools in my toolkit this year – a soil blocker and cedar seed trays. That’s right – I’m taking the seed pots and trays (plastic or otherwise) out of my seed starting process!

5. Consider Sustainable Gardening Practices

If you’re looking to make your garden more eco-friendly, now is a great time to plan for sustainability. Some ideas include:

Water Conservation: Consider installing a rain barrel to collect rainwater, which can be used for irrigation. You might also plan for drip irrigation systems or soaker hoses to ensure water goes directly to the roots where it’s needed most.

Native Plants: Incorporating native plants into our gardens can attract beneficial pollinators like bees and butterflies, reduce water usage, and support local ecosystems.

Reduce Plastic Use: Look for alternatives to plastic pots and tools such as biodegradable pots, containers made from recycled materials or make your own!

What will you grow this year? If you don’t garden, what foods or flowers do you most look forward to being in season?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Katie🌻Daisy (@katiedaisy_artist)

Let’s keep in touch! Sign up to receive email updates from A Sustainably Simple Life below:

We’d love to add you to our monthly email list! Send us an email with “Subscribe” in the subject line to asustainablysimplelife [at] gmail.com or fill out the form here: Subscribe to A Sustainably Simple Life

You can unsubscribe at any time.