Planning for a Successful Backyard Garden

It’s that time of year to start making a plan for a garden. I love this time of year when I can pick out seeds I’ll be growing, get seeds going inside the house and just start planning out my garden for the year. Planning is really important for a successful backyard garden.

6 Tips for a Successful Backyard Garden

If you are getting into planning mode there are a few things to think about when you are making your plan. I know over the last 20 plus years of having a backyard garden I’ve learned a little about planning for one. Here’re a few things to consider before you plant you garden.

What to Plant

Picking out seeds is one of the fun tasks to do when you are planning your garden. Be sure to pick varieties that do well in your zone and for the size of your garden. I know I will grow the compact varieties of zucchini and cucumbers to save room. I’ll also pick vine varieties of plants that can grow on my DIY garden trellis to save room in the garden.

Where to Plant

You’ll want to pick the right area for each plant. If you can, position your garden south facing to take advantage of as much sun as you can. Be sure to plant the sun-loving plants in areas which will be in the sun most of the day. The cooler weather plants should be planted in the areas that get more shade in the garden.

When to Plant

Timing can be everything in gardening. Cooler weather plants need to be added in the spring or fall to grow the best. I learned this the hard way by planting my sugar snap peas one year in the middle of July. The plants barely grew and didn’t produce well at all. I learned my lesson. Be sure to check your seed packets to see when is the best time to plant the seeds in relation to the frost dates in your zone.

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When to Fertilize

Whether you use a chemical fertilizer or a natural fertilizer you need to know when to add it for each plant you’ll be growing. I like to use a slow releasing organic fertilizer like Garden Tone or Dr. Earth Organic pellet fertilizer. I’ve found them to both work very well in our garden.

How to Water

I’ve found for the plants I grow watering at the base of the plant is best. It also helps to conserve water when you use a drip system to water your garden or a soaker hose to water. I’ve also found that by adding a little compost or mulch, you can keep the moisture from evaporating resulting in less watering needed. Watering at the base only and adding mulch not only helps to conserve on water but also, can help to keep the weeds down.

Make a Plan

I like to make a garden plan and garden journal each year. I record where I planted certain plants. How they did during that year. What problems I had and what I used to remedy them and what changes I need to make for next year. By tracking what worked and what didn’t work, you can avoid making similar mistakes from year to year. You can also know if a certain variety of plant didn’t do well in your garden.

If you need a way to track your garden my customizable garden planner is a great option. You can find out what’s included in the planner and how to purchase it by following this link.

I hope these tips I’ve shared help you plan for a successful backyard garden this year. Do you have anything to add to my list? I would love to have you share it below.

Want to grow sugar snap peas this year? Click on the photo below to be taken to the sugar snap pea gardening guide.