The first step in planning your garden is deciding on a site to grow. Assess the areas you are considering for your garden to set yourself up for success. Spending just a little time on this vital step will make a huge difference in your experience. You’ll be able to choose the right plants to grow for the conditions in your garden rather than fighting the environment. When conditions are right, everything works together much better.
Don’t just decide on a plot without taking the time to consider your assets and challenges before planting. There are some things you should consider before you start.
Considerations for choosing a garden spot
1. Sunlight & Sun Exposure
Consider carefully the amount of sunlight your site gets and pair that closely with the plants you decide to grow. Some plants absolutely need full sun to grow, but others will tolerate a bit more shade. In very hot climates, a little shade can even be protective for heat-sensitive plants.
If your prospective garden plot doesn’t have full sun all day long, take note of how many hours of shade there are to determine if it’s mostly a sunny spot or if it’s mostly a shady spot.
2. Room to Grow!
Make sure you’ve got enough room for your plants when they are fully grown. It’s easy to underestimate this when they are still in the seedling stage, so consult our packets to make sure you’re aware of how big the plants will get and what their spread will be when full grown.
If you realize you’ll be short on space, then you can think about solutions. Perhaps you’ll decide to provide vertical space for vines rather than letting them sprawl on the ground, or you may opt for growing different plants altogether.
3. Soil Quality
What type of soil are you starting with? It’s helpful to assess your soil quality. In general, you want an area that has loose, rich soil on level ground. If your soil doesn’t meet those qualifications, consider growing in raised beds.
If you’re growing outside in the ground, especially in any urban or suburban setting, get your soil tested to know exactly what your soil situation really looks like. Testing lets you know the nutrient profile of your soil so you can make any necessary improvements. Soil testing is especially important if you are growing anything edible so that you can find out if there are any soil contaminants or heavy metals to worry about.
4. Access to Water
What’s the drainage situation in your chosen garden site? How close is it to a water source? Can you set up a sprinkler or other watering system easily? These questions can help you decide what plants to grow, as well as how much you’ll need to mulch or take other measures for water retention.
Avoid low-lying areas that get swampy or submerged in water for a long time for vegetable gardens, and instead, opt for an area with good drainage so that the plants get plenty of oxygen to their roots.
5. Accessibility & Proximity
How easy is it to get to the garden? Is there an area nearby that’s convenient for storing your tools? Will you find it a pain to go out and pick vegetables?
This is largely a matter of preference, but choosing a spot that’s accessible means you’ll enjoy your time in the garden more, and probably will be much more successful, too. It’s a good idea to put plants like herbs closer to the house so that it’s simple to run out and snip a few leaves to add to your supper in just a minute, for example.
These considerations are important for any sort of garden you might be planting, not just traditional vegetable gardens. For example, your container garden has the same basic needs as a garden plot, even though you have to think about things a little differently. To get enough sun, you might decide to rotate your pots through with the sun or and try out different locations.
With a little planning, you can pick the perfect spot and the right plants for your garden. You’ll be glad you took a little time to consider all of these details when your plants are happy and thriving.
Resources:
Sun Vs. Shade Gardens: How to Plan a Successful Garden In Any Lighting
Watering 101: The Most Effective Ways to Water Your Garden
Four Factors for Ideal Garden Soil Quality
FAQs
These four site characteristics are the most important when selecting the location for a vegetable garden. Remember, a vegetable garden site needs a minimum of eight hours of direct sunlight, consistent moisture, good airflow, and easy access.
How to choose the right spot for a garden? ›
Preparing a Vegetable Garden Site
- Choose a sunny spot. Most vegetables do best in full sun, over 8 hours of direct sunlight per day. ...
- Avoid low-lying areas. Plant roots need oxygen, and vegetables are particularly sensitive to being submerged. ...
- Avoid the perimeter of old houses. ...
- Consider convenience.
These four site characteristics are the most important when selecting the location for a vegetable garden. Remember, a vegetable garden site needs a minimum of eight hours of direct sunlight, consistent moisture, good airflow, and easy access.
What are the six things in garden? ›
In the park or the garden I always see the following items:
- Swans, geese and other birds.
- Home grown vegetables.
- Flowers.
- Lawn.
- Trees.
- Sing posts indication direction, allowed and prohibited things in the parks, etc.
- Outdoor gym station and equipment.
- People doing different activities.
When selecting the best planting site for your plants, there are a number of items to consider.
- Determine the Soil Content at Your Planting Site. Does the soil at your location contain a heavy amount of clay, sand, or stone, or is it loamy? ...
- Soil Depth in the Planting Area. ...
- Microclimate. ...
- Determine Your Water Source.
1. : a space set aside for gardening. window overlooking the garden spot. 2. : an especially fertile region.
What is the most common garden layout? ›
The most basic garden plan consists of a design with straight, long rows running north to south orientation. A north to south direction will ensure that the garden gets the best sun exposure and air circulation. A garden that runs east to west tends to get too shaded from the crops growing in the preceding row.
What are six important factors that should be considered when preparing a landscape plan? ›
6 Things To Consider When Designing A Landscape
- Your Dream Landscape Design.
- CONSIDER HOW YOUR LANDSCAPE WILL BE USED.
- THINK ABOUT WHO WILL BE USING YOUR YARD.
- DECIDE HOW MUCH MAINTENANCE YOU'RE WILLING TO DO.
- CHOOSE PLANTS THAT WILL THRIVE IN YOUR CLIMATE.
- EVALUATE HOW MUCH SUNLIGHT YOUR YARD GETS.
Considerations when selecting a Ground Cover:
- Height – tall or low.
- Sun or shade.
- Clay or sandy soil.
- Moist or dry area.
- Flowering or insignificant flowering.
- Seasonal or evergreen.
FACTORS AFFECTING PLANT LOCATION
- NEARNESS TO RAW MATERIEL. ...
- NEARNESS TO MARKETS. ...
- AVAILABILITY OF WORK FORCE. ...
- AVAILABILITY OF FUEL AND POWER. ...
- AVAILABILITY OF WATER. ...
- TRANSPORTATION FACILITY. ...
- COMMUNICATION FACILITIES. ...
- CLIMATIC CONDITIONS.
Soil: The most important aspect of gardening.
What is a riddle for the garden? ›
A riddle is typically used to improve soil quality by allowing the gardener to sieve through soil and remove stones, twigs, large lumps of clay etc. and hence provide a finer tilth. Smaller riddles can be used to separate soil very finely for seeds and early potting.
What are the 5 things that come from plants? ›
Plants provide food in the form of fruits, vegetables, cereal grains, and seeds. As a product of photosynthesis, green plants provide oxygen. Plants are also used as building materials (timber), textiles (cotton, paper), medicine (aloe), biofuels (ethanol), and scents (perfumes).
What determines which plants grow in an area? ›
The habitat of a plant depends on the type of plant and its specific needs. Plants evolved to grow, develop, and reproduce in habitats with certain requirements. Optimal habitats, which vary from plant to plant, must include adequate space, food, water, light, temperature, air, and other factors.
What is the best layout for a vegetable garden? ›
As a general rule, put tall veggies toward the back of the bed, mid-sized ones in the middle, and smaller plants in the front or as a border. Consider adding pollinator plants to attract beneficial insects that can not only help you get a better harvest, but will also prey on garden pests.
Which direction should a vegetable garden face? ›
That said, most recommendations agree that planting north-south is marginally better. The north-south orientation allows the sun to penetrate the garden by shining down the rows. This is especially helpful during the winter gardening period when the sun stays relatively low in the sky.
Is morning or afternoon sun better for vegetable garden? ›
Vegetables that produce roots grow best in partial sun – that is afternoon sun and morning shade. This includes carrots, parsnip, turnips, beetroot, radishes and potatoes. Vegetables where you eat the stems, buds or leaves generally prefer partial shade – that is morning sun and afternoon shade.
What is the best side of the house for a vegetable garden? ›
West or south-facing sites are preferred. Vegetable production declines as sunlight decreases, yet some early season crops such as radish or lettuce may be able to be produced in an area that receives a partial day of shade.
