Plan a Summer Vegetable Garden in 5 Easy Steps

Don’t get overwhelmed when planning your garden. Learn how to easily plan a vegetable garden in 5 simple steps.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Read my full disclaimer here.

1. Pick a location for your garden

The ideal garden location should:

• Receive at least 8 hours of direct sunlight a day
• Be close to a water source
• Be in a flood free area
• Not have any underground wiring or pipes

Once you decide, stake out the area, measure the perimeter, and record it in your garden journal.

2. Choose the garden type

There are many different garden designs and options out there. Choose one or use a mixture of garden types to fit your gardening needs.

Raised bed

Raised beds are structures filled with soil that keep the garden above ground level.

The structures can be built from a number of different materials and are available in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit any garden space.

Check out raised beds at Olle Gardens and receive 10% off with the code HOMESTEADMOTHER.

Inground

Plants are planted directly into the ground, making this the cheapest option.

Container garden

Anything you can grow in the ground; you can grow in a container.

Container gardens are perfect for those who do not have the option for an in-ground garden or space for raised beds. Terra cotta pots and grow bags are popular container options.

3. Choose your plants

Make a list of plants you want to grow this year.

Start with the ones you know and love to eat regularly, then include some new varieties to try as well!

A few of my favorite must-grow varieties:

• Buttercrunch Lettuce
• Blue Lake Pole Bean
• Marketmore Cucumbers
• Abe Lincoln Tomato

4. Be mindful of spacing

To have a thriving garden, give your plants plenty of room to grow.

Overcrowded plants will lead to problems with pests, disease, and will stunt their growth from lack of nutrients.

Rows and raised beds should ideally be 18-36 inches wide with adequate space between plants in each row.

Each seed packet or plant label will specify how far apart each plant should be and the distance needed between each row.

If you’re growing in raised beds or containers, check out the square foot gardening method to get the most out of your garden space.

Use graph paper or a bullet journal to help you easily map out your garden plan.

5. Put it all together

Designing the layout is the fun part, but it can also be very challenging.

Consider companion planting and interplanting when plotting your plants.

These methods will not only save on garden space but can also have additional benefits for the plants.

But don’t get so caught up in trying to make “the perfect design.”

Just get your hands in the dirt and have fun with it!

Next in this series:

• How to Winter Sow Seeds in Milk Jugs
• Beginner’s Guide: How to Start Seeds Indoors
• Direct Sowing Seeds: What and When

Share your garden with me on Instagram!

Mention @thehomesteadmother in your posts or hashtag it #onceuponahomestead

Happy garden planning! Until next time