How to Plan Your 2023 Garden • Gardenary (2024)

3 Steps to Plan Your Garden

If you're like me, you have hundreds of seed packets. Ordering seed packets isn't scary or intimidating, unless, of course, all of your favorite seeds are... (here are some of the most dreaded words of 2022) out of stock!

Figuring out when to sow each seed or put each plant in the ground, however, can be both scary and intimidating, especially for newer gardeners or those growing in a new climate.

I've been a clueless new gardener and I've gardened now in over five different climates, and each new place requires a bit of a learning curve.

Over the years, I've developed a gardening system that allows me to garden year round no matter where I am, from the blazing summers of Houston, Texas, to the frigid winters up here in Chicago.

I'm passing this system along to you to ensure 2023 brings your best year in the garden yet. Whether you're starting or expanding your garden in the New Year, read on to learn three steps to plan your garden.

It's not just about which plants to grow each month. To make the most of your garden in 2023, you first need to learn three important things:

How to maximize your time & space in the garden

Your time is limited. As a busy mom of four kids who's also running two businesses, I have to fit the garden into my life. To be successful in the garden, you'll learn how to make the garden a part of your everyday life without it taking over your schedule.

Depending on your setup, your space is probably limited, and most of us don't have the weather to grow outdoors 12 months of the year. Part of maximizing your time and space is learning the best way to grow certain high-impact plants indoors.

How to start before anyone else

The trick to making the most of every month in your garden is starting before most gardeners have even begun to think about spring. Yes, even if it's still snowing where you live. I'll teach you how you can start in your garden sooner than your neighbors and be planting in January, no matter where you live.

How to harvest ASAP

If you play your garden cards right, you can start harvesting your first delicious garden bites within 45 days.

Once you learn the three key tasks to do this month, you'll know how to make the most of each and every day in the garden—and how to harvest more than you thought possible from your own space.Here are the three steps to plan your 2023 garden.

Step 1: rate yourself as a gardener

Are you a master gardener, or are you someone who's never sown a seed? Your skills in the garden will determine which types of plants are best for you to grow in 2023. Ask yourself:

• How long have you been gardening?
• How much success have you had?
• How many different types of plants have you mastered?

Take our short and sweet Green Thumb Quiz if you need a little help figuring out where you fall on the spectrum from plant-killing gardening novice to prize-veggie-growing pro.

I recommend focusing on microgreens, herbs, and salad greens if you're newer to gardening. Once you've mastered growing a plant for its leaves, you can move on to growing things like tomatoes, radishes, and peppers, which can require a little more tending, overall attention to setup, and space.

My gardening system works for all levels. To learn more about using my system no matter where you are in your gardening journey, start your free trial of Gardenary 365 and pick a course that speaks to you.

Step 2: understand your garden

I don't put a whole lot of stock in gardening zones. Instead, I think it's important to know your unique growing space in your particular town. Let's start with your window sill, patio, balcony, or backyard. Make note of the following:

• How much sunlight does your space receive? Get an aerial map of your spot and note all the tall structures. Your ideal garden spot, if possible, is on the southern side of any big structures (or the northern side if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere).
• How much space do you have? Your growing space will limit what you can grow. Lettuce plants only need a container six inches deep and a foot or two across, while pumpkins need an entire designated patch. If you only have a balcony, there are still plenty of things you can grow. You don't need a farm to have a productive kitchen garden, I promise.
• Do you have easy access to water? If you receive irregular or infrequent rain in your area, you'll be responsible for watering your plants. Ideally, your garden setup will be close to your source of water. I keep my sprouts, which need to be rinsed several times a day, right next to my kitchen sink, for instance.

Now let's look at your town, city, or zip code. Look up your first and last frost dates of the year. Use a climate data website to chart your high and low temperatures for each month. This will help you build a framework for when you can plant what.

To learn more about how to map your unique growing seasons based on your temperatures, start watching our series 31 Days to Plan Your Garden, inside Gardenary 365.

Step 3: make a plan that's fun

It is a truth universally acknowledged: you won't make your 2023 garden happen if planning it feels overwhelming or confusing. Your plan needs to be not only fun but also do-able. By building a garden space that's beautiful and easy to access, you're creating a place you'll want to come back to, even when you're busy or tired. This is the best gift you can give yourself as a new or growing gardener.

To learn more about bringing the fun into a functional and productive gardening space, sign up for 31 Days to Plan Your Garden, inside Gardenary 365.

I Wish You a Great Garden in the New Year!

Commit to planting more seeds or more starter plants this year, no matter the challenges. There is something that will grow for you no matter where you are!