Garden Planning for 2024!

As soon as the very last ornament is put away in the attic and all signs of the wonderful Christmas season are cleared away, that is the very moment I look around the now barren house and start to imagine the warm sun coming through the windows and colorful flowers gracing us with their presence on my mantle. I begin to daydream about hummingbirds and butterflies bouncing from flower to flower in the garden. But at the moment, it is 44 degrees outside and the garden is a brown crunchy mess; but I find beauty in this season knowing that Spring is just around the corner. Now is the time to revive the old garden beds and start thinking of what to plant. Time to create a plan for 2024!

How we start our Planning Process

We start our planning process first by reviewing what we did the season prior. What worked, what did not? Last season, I finally grew a Dahlia and that was a huge win for me having failed many times in the past. However, our beans have been the rockstar in the garden last few seasons, pumpkins and watermelon, not so much. Pests were a challenge last year, taking out our squash and cucumbers. Now this season, we are brainstorming what we need to do to combat this problem sooner and how we can produce a better harvest.

We tried new locations for our tomatoes and carrots and this next season I will want to try a different location for some of our crops. Did we get the right amount of sun or water? Do we need to cover some things with nets or chicken wire to keep squirrels or critters out, like my poor Tulips and Daffodils? I made a squirrel family very happy with that feast; they left me just a few bulbs; I am not thrilled by this after all my efforts to place them in the most perfect spots, but hey, you learn! I will look forward to seeing if any pop up in a few months, but I digress.

Next, after our review, we decide what stays and what goes and what we want to add to the garden this year. For me, this will be the year of the flower;  I will be increasing my flowers for the new front cottage garden.

Seed Catalogues

Seed Catalogues are a great way to discover new varieties of plants for planting in your garden.

This is when we check our seed inventory; what seeds are left from last year; what seeds this we save? What do we want to order this year. I love the seed catalogues that are available through many companies in print and online such as Botanical Interests, Eden Brothers, Johnnys, Baker Creek, Floret Farm, and many many more that are out there and in your local garden centers.  I also just went to my first seed swap, which was fun and very informative; you may discover a plant that you didn’t know you needed!

Once we have locked down our seed selection I start to look at the layout for the garden, both the front cottage garden and back veggie garden are getting a revamp this year. We are also going to be more intentional with what we plant. We have had quite a few experimental years, “we will see what happens,” kind of planting.

Where will everything go?

Placement is very important when planning out the garden. Knowing the sun exposure for your garden, what plants need more sun light and will the particular plant get the best sun and soil for a certain area.  For example, something I have to ask myself is, “where am I planting my Luffa seeds?”…I know I need full sun and an arch trellis!  So, I will need to plant in the back garden. Where will I be planting my Coneflowers and Zinnia this year, probably in the front cottage garden and not in a little pot. I may add a few more towers for herbs on the back deck and map it out with pencil and paper beforehand.

When to start my seeds and direct sow?

After you have picked out your seeds you will need to read the packages and pay attention to your zone and last day of frost. I am in grow zone 8a, even though it says March 15th,  but I know that in Georgia I have experienced many “false springs”, and a cold snap in April is not uncommon.  So, I really pay attention to the weather outlook around that time. We do start some of our seeds indoors with grow lights and heating pads, such as cold weather crops like beets, lettuces, kale, spinach and chard. We like to get our tomatoes going indoors as well, but carrots do better when they are direct sown.

  Something that I am looking forward to trying this year is the Seedtime Planner. It was easy to sign up for the free online planner!  I entered in all of my flowers and veggies and it generates a calendar with a time to sow, cultivate, and harvest a crop based off my zone. You can journal and set up a succession sowing schedule, too.  From what I can tell, the planner has a lot to offer( I am not getting paid by them to say this). Also, a good ole notebook can help you stay on track, as well.

Last bit of details

So now that you have a plan, you have to figure out what you may need for amendments for you beds and containers;  do you have a rich compost that revives your garden? Will you need to find a good soil to purchase? Do you need new pots and raised beds? Decide what you need and start finding the garden centers in your area or online to purchase the requisite materials.  Also, a budget will help too. I can get really excited and go overboard, as my husband reminds me.

If this is your first season growing a garden, I would recommend taking small steps; don’t get overwhelmed trying to grow too much in the beginning. We started with a little 8x8 space the first year with just a few containers. If you are in a small space or an apartment, try a grow tower; vertical growing can really maximize your space. In an upcoming blog, Brandon can share more information about building raised beds and how to create a dream garden space!

So that’s the gist of our planning process.  I hope you have a successful growing season!  And I’d love to hear what you plan to grow this year!

Leave a comment and let me know what you have planned this growing season! Also, be sure to follow The Crocker Cottage on Instagram and Youtube.

Happy Growing!

Kim