Why Do I Need A Planting Plan?
A planting plan is a tool gardeners and farmers use to calculate the quantity and variety of vegetables they will grow through the spring, summer and fall.
Taking the time to create a Planting Plan will help you:
Grow More Food
A well-thought out plan allows you maximize your garden space to grow more food in a smaller area.
Stay Organized
Use a calendar to track when your vegetables need to be planted and harvested—ensuring you have the needed supplies and volunteer help.
Rotate Your Crops
Refer to your previous year’s map to rotate your vegetables in the next season to lessen the impact of disease and insect infestation.
Keep Records
Use a garden journal to track your successes and difficulties from the previous year to assist in adjusting for future seasons.
How to create a Planting Plan
1. Download the Planting Plan Guide Sheet.
Click the button below to download the Planting Plan Guidesheet . This includes a warm/cool season calendar, a planting calendar, a raised bed planting guide, and blank grid sheets to draw a spacing guide for various seasons.
2. Evaluate the previous year's garden (if applicable).
If you gardened last year, take time to review your successes and difficulties. Consider recording in a garden journal: Did you have vegetables that did well? Did your family enjoy eating more of one vegetable than the other? Were there vegetables that required too much maintenance?
3. Determine which veggies you want to grow.
Make a list of vegetables that you want to grow and divide them into cool season (spring, fall) and warm season (summer) categories using the Cool & Warm Season Guide and the Planting Calendar in your packet. Prioritize your lists according to the vegetables you are most interested in growing; keep in mind how much space you want to devote to each vegetable.
4. Make a map.
Measure your garden and map it out to scale on graph paper. Include the number of rows, beds, and/or plots and label the dimensions. Create a color-coded key to differentiate the seasons. Refer to your Raised Bed Spacing Guide to determine available space.
5. If you're a KCCG member, utilize our online tools.
Click on the Planting Planning Calculator button below and enter your membership information. Plot out the vegetables you want to plant in spring, summer and fall using KCCG’s Plotting Tool. After finishing your maps, input each vegetable into the the appropriate season and click submit to receive your completed planting plan via email!
KCCG members have access to an online Planting Plan Calculator which will determine:
• Planting and harvest dates
• Number of plants and seed packs
• Amount of chicken manure fertilizer
• Number of straw bales for mulching
• How much to budget for your garden
Get Started!
You will need your KCCG membership number.
Watch the Planting Plan Tutorial
If you prefer to do your plan offline, refer to the CPG Plant Spacing Guide Sheets.