One of my favorite parts of the new year is planning my garden. While everyone else is still in holiday mode, I’m already daydreaming about seed catalogs, garden beds, and what will be growing where. This year, though, is different. It’s the first time I’m fully planning a garden for an entire year in a brand-new climate.
We moved to this property in the middle of summer, right after the birth of our daughter. I’m now gardening in Texas (Zone 9a/8b), which is a big shift from growing outside Seattle or just south of Yellowstone. To get my bearings, I planted a fall garden in late September and was able to harvest into January. That short season gave me just enough experience to understand how this climate behaves—and how I need to plan differently going forward.
If you’re planning a garden this year, especially in a new space or climate, here’s how I break it down step by step.
Step 1: Know Where You’re Planting
Before you ever decide what to plant, you need to understand where you’re planting. This might already be determined by your property layout, but even then, there are two critical things to evaluate:
1. Sunlight
Sunlight is the foundation of your garden plan. It’s not enough to know that an area is “full sun” or “part shade”—you need to know how the sun moves across your garden throughout the day.
For example, my garden technically has a 7 a.m. sunrise and 7 p.m. sunset, but in reality:
- Sun doesn’t hit the beds until about 8–9 a.m.
- Sun lasts until around 6 p.m.
- One tree shades about a quarter of the garden for half the day
- Another quarter gets partial shade for a shorter window
Because of this, I intentionally plant:
- Shade-tolerant crops in certain beds
- Heat-sensitive crops where they’ll get afternoon protection
- Different crops in the same spaces during different seasons
Understanding sunlight helps you work with your environment instead of fighting it.
2. Soil
Soil is a long-term investment. You can test your soil, and that’s helpful, but you also need to observe it over time.
I use what I call semi-raised beds—they’re about a foot deep. The native soil underneath isn’t great, but the top layer is rich compost loam. As organic matter builds year after year, the soil continues to improve.
A few important reminders:
- Start with the best soil you reasonably can
- Compost fixes more problems than you think
- Soil health improves gradually—don’t expect perfection in year one
Step 2: Consider Water Access
Water is often overlooked in garden planning, but it matters more than people realize. Ask yourself:
- How will you water?
- How far is your water source?
- How often will you realistically water in peak heat?
Right now, I’m keeping it simple with a standard garden hose from the side of the house. As the garden grows, I may upgrade systems, but simple and manageable wins every time—especially in hot climates.
Step 3: Choose Plants First, Then Varieties
Once location, sun, soil, and water are figured out, then I start choosing plants.
Plants vs. Varieties
I always choose plants first, then narrow down to specific varieties. This matters because not all varieties of the same plant perform well in every climate.
When choosing varieties, I look for:
- Heat tolerance (critical in Texas)
- Disease resistance
- Days to maturity
- Whether it’s suited for spring, summer, or fall planting
Choosing climate-appropriate varieties can be the difference between a thriving garden and a frustrating one. If this is your first time growing and you are not sure or overwhelmed, you can just get a variety pack and hope for the best. Full disclosure. I’ve done this using this variety pack and it worked out alright. It was a good way to dip my toe in.
Step 4: Plan What Goes Where—and When
Now comes the puzzle part: deciding where each plant will go and when it will be planted.
This is where knowing your sunlight patterns really pays off. I also factor in:
- Companion planting
- Succession planting
- Crop rotation
- What comes out and what goes in next
In Texas, my main growing seasons are spring and fall, but spring starts early—February for me. I still grow through summer (with adjustments), and some crops continue growing through winter.
Think of your garden as a year-round flow, not a single planting event.
Step 5: Map It Out (Your Way)
There’s no single “right” way to plan your garden layout. I personally use a mix of:
- Hand-drawn sketches
- Graph paper
- Digital planning tools
I also prioritize crops:
- Must-grow staples
- High-value or frequently used foods
- Experimental or fun additions
Planning priorities first ensures that limited space is used intentionally.
Step 6: Plan by Growing Areas (Including a Cottage Garden)
Instead of thinking of my garden as one single space, I separate it into distinct growing areas, each with a purpose.
I have four dedicated vegetable garden beds that I use primarily for annual food crops, succession planting, and seasonal production. These beds are where I focus on staples, high-yield plants, and things we use most in our everyday cooking.
In addition to those beds, I am also growing a cottage garden, which is a new huge project for me that will be ongoing. This space is more fluid and layered, combining flowers, herbs, and edible plants in a way that’s both functional and beautiful. My cottage garden is where I intentionally blend:
- Perennial herbs
- Medicinal plants
- Pollinator-friendly flowers
- Self-seeding and soft-structure plants
This area isn’t just about production—it’s about creating a living, evolving space that supports the rest of the garden, attracts beneficial insects, and brings joy throughout the seasons. Because it’s such a long-term project, I plan it with growth over years in mind rather than expecting it to be “finished” quickly.
Beyond my main vegetable beds and cottage garden, I also have additional growing areas scattered around the property. These include spots for overflow plants, experimental crops, and things that don’t quite fit neatly into a traditional bed system. Planning these areas separately helps me stay flexible while still being intentional.
Breaking the garden into growing zones makes planning feel less overwhelming and allows each space to serve its own role within the larger homestead ecosystem.
Final Thoughts: Take It One Step at a Time
Garden planning can feel like putting together a puzzle without the box lid. There are a lot of moving pieces, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But if you slow down and work step by step—location, sun, soil, water, plants, timing—it becomes manageable.
You don’t need a perfect plan. You just need a thoughtful one that can evolve as you learn your land.
And honestly? That learning process is one of the best parts of gardening.
