

And if you’re looking to build a vegetable garden fast and on a budget, this article from our Jessica Walliser hands you an easy step-by-step method for doing just that. You may also be interested in my book, Groundbreaking Food Gardens which features 73 plans, ideas, and inspiration from food growing experts across North America and the UK.

I also left room for seating so I would have a spot to sit and enjoy the garden.įor more information on gardening in raised beds, check out this list of raised bed articles which covers design, planning, soil, and planting. My main pathway is four-feet wide and secondary pathways are two-feet wide. I wanted space for a wheelbarrow and comfortable working. When I built my garden, I’ll admit it was tempting to cram more beds in my allotted space to use up all the square footage, but I was careful to leave enough room between each bed for easy access. My beds are sixteen-inches tall which provide a place for me to sit while working in the garden. As for height, this will depend on your design style, existing soil, and budget. By keeping beds narrow enough that you can easily reach the middle, you won’t need to trod on the soil. One of the biggest benefits of growing in raised beds is that you don’t walk on the soil, which compacts it. I’ve seen six or eight-foot wide raised beds but these are far too wide for you to comfortably reach the centre of the bed for planting, tending, and harvesting. I would definitely recommend keeping garden bed width to four or five-feet. These are common and convenient sizes as lumber is widely available in eight and ten-foot lengths. In my raised bed garden, the beds are either four by eight-feet or four by ten-feet. Raised beds keep the garden looking tidy, let me plant intensively and grow more food in less space, and are less prone to weed problems (that said, it’s very important to stay on top of weeds and never let them go to seed!) Raised beds are great for busy gardeners.My garden design consists of twenty raised beds and here is what I’ve learned when planning a new garden: A well-designed space has a huge impact on the amount of time you need to spend tending your garden. Designing a vegetable gardenĭesigning a vegetable garden is an important step in your vegetable garden plan. A food garden can be placed in a front, side, or back lawn – wherever you find ideal space.
Free vegetable garden planning software full#
Leafy greens are more tolerant of less light, so if finding a garden space with full sun is a struggle, stick to these vegetables. This is especially important for crops like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers that bear fruits. Most vegetables need at least eight hours of full sunlight to support healthy growth and maximize production. Planning a new vegetable gardenīeginners take note! When planning a new vegetable garden from scratch, start off right by picking a site that offers plenty of light. My vegetable garden planner allows me to plant intensively so that I have a non-stop harvest of organic vegetables, herbs, and flowers for bouquets. Whether you’re starting your first food garden or are a seasoned vegetable gardener, consider creating your own custom kitchen garden planner to help you get more out of your garden. It keeps me on track of when to sow seeds indoors, helps make crop rotation simple, and allows me to maximum production with a succession planting schedule. For me, a detailed vegetable garden planner is essential to growing a productive and healthy vegetable garden.
