So, you are going to start a garden! What will you plant, and how much? The best rule of thumb is to start small, and then grow a bit more each season. Otherwise, you will get overwhelmed and burned out!

1. Write down a list of all the foods you wish to grow. Keep in mind–if you don’t buy it fresh at the store, you probably won’t eat it, even if it’s home-grown and free!
2. Decide how many squares of each plant you will grow. One or two squares of each is probably plenty! Click here for a table that shows how many plants will grow in each square. Some plants require more than one square. Those are listed on the right of the table.
3. Add up the total number of squares you need for your garden.
4. Design your garden.

As you choose a design and layout for your garden, there are several things to keep in mind:

• Sunlight–your plants will need at least 8 hours per day. So don’t put your garden on the shady side of the yard.
• Size–do you want one large garden bed, or several smaller ones?
• Location–will your garden be against a wall that reflects heat? Or in a windy spot of the yard? Will it be surrounded by grass, which is cooler, or on a concrete patio, which retains a lot of heat?
• Shape–The width of the garden is limited to 2 feet from any edge you can walk by. So if you plan to build along a fence, you will need to have a narrow bed, or break the garden up into several beds.
• Aisles–3 foot aisles are a minimum! This allows a comfortable amount of room to walk and work, even when your plants have grown to full size.

Here are four different ways to configure 32 square feet of garden. Each is set in the corner of a yard with a fence on both sides. The first plan is 4′x4′, and  sets the garden away from one fence, leaving a 3 foot pathway on both sides and between the gardens.

This 16′x2′ plan puts the garden right up against both fences. But since it cannot be accessed from the side, it can only be 2 feet wide. If it was any wider, there would be no way to reach the plants.

Next is an 8′x4′ plan. Notice it is 3 feet from the fence, giving access on 3 sides.

Finally, here is a “T’ design. It takes up the most space in the yard, but is also very attractive.

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