{"id":3883,"date":"2018-01-13T10:58:12","date_gmt":"2018-01-13T17:58:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.happysimpleliving.com\/?p=3883"},"modified":"2023-08-09T16:23:02","modified_gmt":"2023-08-09T22:23:02","slug":"15-tips-to-plan-an-amazing-garden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.happysimpleliving.com\/15-tips-to-plan-an-amazing-garden\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Home Organic Garden Planning Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

These home organic garden planning tips <\/strong>will help you create a garden that is beautiful and bountiful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By planning ahead, you can make the most of your available space and maximize your harvest. We’ve got resources for heirloom and organic seeds, container gardening tips, zone map information, a garden planting calculator and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Home<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When it’s cold outside and the days are short, I love to daydream about the garden and make plans for the next growing season. Do you feel the same way?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some ideas to help you get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Know Your Climate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Before you plan a garden, it’s a good idea to know exactly what hardiness zone you’re in. Here’s the USDA map showing plant hardiness zones<\/a>. You may want to err on the side of hardiness to account for increasing weather extremes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decide Where You’ll Plant Your Garden<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

2. If you have a typical yard, you might be inspired by the Urban Homestead website<\/a>. This family grows 3 tons of food on 1\/10th of an acre!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Check out these inspiring edible landscapes<\/a> for beautiful ideas about expanding your growing area in non-traditional spaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. If you have a small yard or garden plot, you may enjoy the “Square Foot Gardening<\/a>” method to maximize your yield from a small space. We follow some of these principles in our raised garden bed<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. If you live in an apartment or a space without a garden, here are some container gardening tips<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Check out the community gardens in your area. The American Community Gardening Association has an interactive community gardens map<\/a> to help you find one near you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Learn about 5 free ways to build your soil<\/a> – naturally, and without chemicals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Composting<\/a> can help you turn kitchen scraps and yard trimmings into a rich soil enhancer, and mulching<\/a> can help you save water and prevent weeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Lettuce<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Figure Out What You Want to Grow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

9. Growing a vegetable garden<\/a> can be a great way to save money. However, gardening can also be a great way to spend<\/em> money. For thrifty tips, you might enjoy “Frugal Gardening, or How to Avoid $100 Tomatoes<\/a>.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. If you want to grow veggies from seed, but don’t have time to start seedlings indoors, you’ll be happy to know that you can direct sow seeds<\/a> for beans, beets, corn, cucumbers, lettuce, melons, onions, peas, radishes, spinach and squash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. It’s always fun to peruse the new seed catalogs and online offerings each year to see what new varieties have been introduced. These are some of my favorite seed companies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n