Vegetable Garden Design Tips

Making a design for a vegetable garden can be a confusing task at times. Once a garden plan is selected, the individual design determines where and when vegetables will be planted to get the most out of available space. There are many variables in the design of a vegetable garden, and each garden is unique, but some common tips apply to all of them.

Crop Arrangement

Maximize vegetable garden production by grouping similar crops by their planting and harvest date.

Consider plant size when arranging inside of a group. Low growing vegetables should be along one side of the garden, arrange medium growing plants in the middle of the garden and tall growing plants along the other side. Shading is minimized by this method.

Timing When to Plant

Avoid planting too much of one type of plant at a time. Vegetables that must be eaten fresh, and cannot be stored, should be planted out over time. Check seed packages and planting guides for yield information to determine individual needs. Extend the harvest of fresh vegetables by interval planting every two weeks.

Plant crops that span more than one growing season, like strawberries, on one side of the garden to be out of the way for other soil preparation activities in the next season.

Plant fast growing crops among the slower growing to use space wisely. The faster growing crops will be done before the slower growing need that space.

Other Layouts for Gardens

Smaller garden plots can use techniques such as intensive gardening by the square foot method. Square foot gardens are divided into one foot squares, which are planted according to the size of the vegetable.

Use stakes and string to lay out straight rows and make sure to label each group of plants with crop and planting date.

Plant corn in groups rather than in long single rows to improve pollination. Wind will carry the pollen from ear to ear much better in this closer arrangement resulting in better ear fill out at harvest time.

Fences around the garden can be used for vining crops. Vining crops can also grow on other planted vegetable crops. Beans do well growing up a corn stalk.

Companion planting can have additional benefits such as insect repelling or pollination, however check into companion planting information before doing so as there are some plants that shouldn’t be planted next to each other.

Vegetable Garden Design Sets the Path

Accomplish a successful garden by thinking ahead. Apply a design to a vegetable garden plan to produce an abundant supply of vegetables.