Planning My Vegetable Garden For This Year
I’ve been dreaming of this for years; a garden large enough to plant everything my little heart desires. This year that dream is finally coming true!
The beautiful garden above is from a trip Ben and I took to Williamsburg VA several years ago. This is a seriously beautiful garden!
How I’m Feeling About My Garden This Year
As much as I am excited I am also scared! I’ve gardened on a small scale for a long time, but planning a garden this big is slightly overwhelming. Where does everything thing go? How should I lay it out? How much should I really buy and plant? Will we be able to manage all this? There are so many many unanswered questions. And you know what? I’m just going to have to figure it out as I go.
I wish I could have it perfectly laid out and know everything I need to know to create a perfect successful garden this year. If I’m going to be honest, I’m wondering if I know enough to even be trying to do this. I know I learn best by doing and I am excited to see what I’m going to learn through this process. I’m scared of feeling overwhelmed, but I’m trying to remember that this is part of the adventure. One thing I can say for sure is, I don’t think life is going to be boring.
Ben and I sat down and wrote out a list of everything we want to grow this year in our Back To Eden Garden. It’s a long list!
Fruit Trees and Bushes For This Year’s Garden
There are certain things that take several years to start producing, like fruit trees and bushes. Those are things we’d love to start this year if possible. That way, we can hopefully start harvesting sooner. Here’s a list of fruit trees and bushes we want to start this year if possible.
- Fruit Trees – apple, peach, plum, pear, cherry
- Fruit Bushes – blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry
- Perenial Vegetables – asparagus
Vegetable For This Year’s Garden
Then there are other things that you get to replant each year. The annuals.
- Greens – lettuce, swiss chard, spinach, kale, cabbage
- Spring Vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower, green onions, onions
- Beans/Peas – green beans, snap peas, peas
- Root Vegetables – carrots, radishes, potatoes, sweet potatoes
- Summer Vegetables – zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, corn
- Winter Squash – pumpkins, butternut, spaghetti, gourds
- Plant in the fall for next year – garlic
Herbs For This Year’s Garden
I also dearly love herbs. They smell wonderful and they make food taste delicious. I really want to dry some of my herbs and make my own dried herbs for seasoning food during the non-growing season. Some fresh herbs last from one year to the next and some need to be replanted each year.
Here’s a list of herbs I’m hoping to put in this year.
- Herbs – basil, thyme, rosemary, sage, marjoram, lavender, parsley, oregano, dill
Flowers For This Years Garden
Then there are the flowers! This gets me pretty excited! I want to grow all the flowers. I basically want an English garden all around me; roses, flowers, herbs, green bushes, cute walking paths, stone walls, little fountains, etc. I know most of this is probably a pipe dream but I’m hoping to capture some of that English country feel right here on our little spot of land.
My growing list of flowers to plant this year.
- sunflowers, blackeyed susans, daisies, dahlias, eucalyptus, star flowers, zinnias, peonies, roses
The Reality For This Year’s Garden
Unfortunately for me, I’m probably going to have to temper my desires and expectations for all that I’m going to grow this years. As much as I want to create beauty all around me at once, this is going to be a long term process and not a sprint.
I’m going to have to write down realistic goals and plans to achieve them. I’m going to have to put blinders on and ignore all the amazing things that I want to someday accomplish on our little farm. Most of all, I’m going to have to enjoy the process and not rush to the end result.
Your Garden Plans For The Year
What about you? Are there any gardeners out there planning your gardens for the year? What are you going to grow?
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Oh, I’m so jealous but happy for you that you have all that space for a huge garden!! I’d love to be able to plant fruit trees and bushes and have the biggest herb garden ever, not to mention pretty flowers. Alas, we have a tiny backyard and not great sun exposure. Can’t wait to see how it all develops!
We just moved from a place with a tiny yard and little sun exposure so I understand how hard that is especially when you have to desire to plant all the flowers, herbs, trees, vegetables etc! Thanks for following a long!
Oooooo, asparagus sounds fun! We had butternut last year and one plant yielded 10 squashes. I wish I could perfect carrots but they always come out limp? Cucumbers are a family favorite. And I’d love to have a good lemon tree
Wow! 10 Squashes! I’ve never been that successful with my butternut squash but then again I’ve never had good sunlight for our garden until now. I’ve heard carrots are tricky. I haven’t planted them myself yet. Hopefully this year!
– Laura
We are also in the process of planning a large back to eden garden that is roughly 75×150 feet, and .75 acre orrchard. Hopefully we both can do it!
Wow! That’s so amazing! I’m in the same boat, hoping we can do all we want to as well this year! So much planning and work to get it all started.
– Laura
Oooh, I’m jealous of all that flat space! I can’t wait to see what you do with it! But I understand feeling overwhelmed, it’s so hard to decide what to plant! 😆
So I should just plant everything right?!? haha! I’m so grateful for all this land we have. We are so blessed!
– Laura
This is great! I’m planning on doing a garden as well so I’ll take some notes from you 🙂
That’s so wonderful! I’m so glad you are doing a garden. It’s so wonderful to see things grow!
-Laura
I am currently updating the house I’ve been in for the last 20 yrs so that I can put it up for sale and move into my childhood farm house that a friend and I purchased to keep in the family after my fathers passing 3 yrs ago.
It’s occupied by my friend for now until I can make the shift.
Meanwhile, a good friend les me to The Back To Éden Method and I have a beautiful BIG lot in between houses that will be the location for this venture that I can’t wait to delve into.
Growing up we had Raspberries, grapes, strawberries (which we took care of and sold to pay for our horses, not to mention 3 BIG gardens we had to maintain.
I with you Laura… I too want fruit trees on the backside of the lot.
So the game plan is to prepare the soil for next year by starting this fall.
The tip you face above is valuable…so Thank You!! So excited for you and your family! Patience is such a virtue right???
From a likeminded kindred spirit, Deb B.
Im sure we will stay connected and support one another🤗🙏❤️
Wow! How amazing that you get to move back to your childhood farm! That’s so special. Wishing you the best of luck as you make the transition.
What an inspiring garden! We’re downsizing back to my original 2 bedroom mobile home, and the crazy plant lady in me is absolutely stoked! That’s because three years ago we had a tragedy with the beautiful koi pond and didn’t have the funds to repair…so we rehomed the fishies to a friend’s mountain property. Once we removed the liner and all those emollients were dispersed, the area is now so happy that the grasses are so dark green that you’d swear it’s blue. I feel it gives a huge jumpstart to the Eden method. We’re planting small amounts of everything we love. Corn, kale, chard, butter lettuce, cabbage, cucumbers, winter and summer squashes, canary melon, watermelon, berries, sweet and hot peppers, luffah, eggplant, pumpkins, lavender, tons of cooking and medicinal herbs, roses, marigolds to repel those beautiful deer, and I’m trying to convince the Mr. to get me two paw paw trees. The upcoming season has me counting days.