Using a Garden Plan to Organize Your Yard A garden plan helps you plan and visualize the ideas you have for your garden. This is essential, whether you use paper and pencils or software like EdrawMax. It will help you ensure that your garden is what you want it to be. The majority of vegetables thrive in a sunny location that is near water sources for irrigation. Many gardeners agree that dividing rows that are north/south is the best option to prevent taller plants from shading shorter ones. Sun and Shade When planting your garden, it's important to think about the amount of sun or shade each spot receives. If you plant a plant that thrives in the shade of a sun-filled area, it may not flourish and bloom. A shade-loving flower that is placed too close to the sun's heat will eventually smolder and die. The cardinal directions and the location of large trees and buildings can impact the amount of sun each section of your lawn receives. Making an sun map is an effective method to determine the amount of sunlight your yard gets. Take note of this area for an hour or two a day. Be sure to take into account shadows created by tall structures and tall plants. Then over the course of a few days, write down what time each area receives direct sunlight and the length of time it lasts. Consider the possibility of limbing a tree when you're struggling with full shade. This can help increase the lightness of the canopy. This method allows more sunlight to penetrate the lower branches, and makes shaded areas look healthier. Or, try using containers to plant flowers, herbs and grasses in shady areas. Annuals that are planted directly in the ground will have a harder time growing and will not flower as beautifully as those that are planted in containers. The Old Farmer's Almanac Garden Planner makes it easy to choose plants that are suitable for shady areas. Click the 'Partial Shade-Tolerant filter to view all the possibilities. Water This strategy is based on plants that can withstand with little irrigation to keep water usage within the garden in check. Nature has provided drought-tolerant plants with features that help them survive. These include lush succulent leaves that retain moisture, and a fuzzy layer that holds morning dew. Begin by penciling in shrubs and perennials. Larger plants require more space than others which is why they should be planted first. Don't add border decorations like mulch or stepping stone until the garden is almost completed. These elements add up quickly and can be costly to install. Compost Incorporating compost into the garden can improve the quality of soil increasing its nutrient content as well as its moisture-holding capacity. It also introduces soil microbes that fight pathogens and reduce diseases, which reduces the requirement for chemical fertilizers. Compost is made by decomposing organic materials, like pet waste, plant trimmings and viable food scraps. This results in an abundant humus that can be used to fertilize plants. The best place to start composting is on the ground instead of in a bin. This lets worms and other beneficial organisms to enter the pile. Over the bare soil, place a few inches or straw to help aerate and slow the breakdown of the compost. The pile should be set in a shaded area and a place with adequate drainage. Do not place a compost pile in a dry or shady space that might attract rodents. You should aim for a ratio of two and three parts of carbon-rich (browns) and one portion of nitrogen-rich (greens). Alternate layers with the green and brown ingredients. Avoid adding large quantities of a single type of ingredient, such as all of your leaves at one time. This can limit air circulation and cause the stack of ingredients to become too hot. Digging a trench to hold the ingredients, and then covering it with garden soil is a variation of the traditional compost pile. This is commonly used for vegetables, such as climbing beans that grow in rows. The moisture-retentive, nutrient-rich compost feeds plants and promotes vigorous growth and bumper crops. Fertilizer Photosynthesis is the process through which plants make their own food, however it takes time. Man-made fertilizers are used to supply nutrients when the natural plant food sources are not available or depleted. The majority of commercial fertilizers have nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Some commercial fertilizers contain other elements that are beneficial in smaller amounts. These include magnesium and calcium. Fertilizers are available as both natural and artificial products, but it's important to read labels to determine the most suitable one for your garden and soil type. Certain fertilizers can contain insect or weed control chemicals, which can also have an impact on the environment, but they must be used in conjunction with the fertilizer to avoid negative impacts. Take some time before buying seeds or plants to determine what crops you are interested in and how much land you have available to dedicate to a garden. Determine your hardiness zone and think about what kinds of vegetables thrive in that region. Plan to rotate crops to improve soil fertility and yield. A garden plan helps you decide where beds and borders will go, as well as determining the number and placement of garden structures and pathways. Incorporating these features prior to when you begin planting will help prevent confusion as you work and help you save time. It also gives you the chance to sketch out on your scale plan which softscape and hardscape features you would like to have in your yard. For instance, you could include some creative pergola ideas to create shade or a seating area in the sun, and also some pathways that are paved or gravel between your vegetables. Pests and Diseases Pests and diseases can affect a plant, even if most gardeners find it rewarding. Fortunately, a number of easy methods can be used to prevent diseases and pests before they have the opportunity to be spread. Start with a healthy, well-groomed soil. The more nutritious it is the better your plants will be able to withstand the damage caused by fungi, viruses and bacterial. Include regular additions of organic matter such as compost to help encourage the growth of populations of microbes and other organisms that help promote healthy plants. Grow a variety of crops that will attract beneficial insects. These helpers consume pests that would otherwise devour or pollinate your plants. By attracting these natural predators to your garden will decrease the amount of pesticide you need to use, and it will keep aphids and caterpillars from devastating your vegetables. Check your plants regularly for signs of pests or diseases. Look for distorted or wilted stems, leaves, or flowers. These are usually the first indications that there is something wrong with the plant and should be addressed promptly to stop an outbreak. Find out garden ideas of disease or pest that is causing the issue and take steps to rectify the issue. If your tomato plants are covered in brown spots, search for indications of verticillium or nematodes. These diseases are transmitted through pests. They can kill quickly the tomato crop. Tools A garden plan can help you organize many aspects of your gardening, from the kind of plant to plant next in the border to the ideal timings for harvesting. It can also help you stay on top of important tasks like watering, fertilizer application and the control of pests. A number of free garden planning programs are available online. These are perfect for those who have little experience or for anyone looking to get the most out of their garden space. Some of these plans come with pre-designed templates that give you a starting point for your layout, while others allow you to start from scratch. The majority of them allow you to zoom in and out, and move around the drawing to design it exactly how you'd like it. You can also design fences, sprinkler systems walls, and plants. This browser-based program developed by Anglian Home began as a cheat sheet for vegetable farmers and has grown into a web-based tool that can be used to plan any type of garden. It will guide you through the process of choosing plants and vegetables that thrive in your climate, offering you the top tips to succeed in planting and harvesting. It will also analyze the weather in your region and provide you with the most suitable dates for planting and harvesting. This garden planner is designed more towards trees and flowers than vegetables, but it's worth a look. As opposed to other garden-planning software, this one employs 3D rendering and gives you a birds-eye view of your garden.
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