3 Garden Planning Tasks You Can Do in Winter (That Will Set You Up for Spring Success)
Dreaming of your spring garden? Winter is actually the perfect time for planning - no weeding or watering competing for your attention! These three essential tasks will help you create a solid foundation for your dream garden.
Step #1: Create Your Site Base Map
Your garden's success starts with the right location. Grab paper and pencil (or use Google Maps and drawing software) to map out:
- Permanent structures (buildings, paths, fences)
- Sun patterns (take photos at 9am, noon, and 3pm and note full sun, part sun and shady areas
- Water sources and drainage areas
- Existing trees and plants
Pro tip: take a screenshot of your property in Google Maps and paste it into a drawing software (like Google Docs Drawings). Then trace over the important features and delete the background picture when you are done to reveal your basemap.
Step #2: Gather Growing Information
Start a garden journal. You can avoid overwhelm and decision fatigue in the spring by gathering and organizing necessary information now. Set yourself up for success by collecting:
- Your USDA growing zone
- Local frost dates (spring and fall)
- Seed starting, transplanting, and harvest dates for your calendar
- Reliable seed sources (Some of my favorites are: Southern Exposure, Baker Creek, Strictly Medicinal Seeds)
- Local native plant suppliers
- Community resources (extension office, online or in person gardening groups)
Pro tip: Check if your local Soil and Water Conservation District offers native plant sales!
Step #3: Plan Your First Garden Bed
Start small and strong with just 3-5 types of plants that:
- Include one "confidence builder" (like herbs or greens)
- Serve multiple purposes (food, medicine, pollinator support)
- Match your sun conditions from Step #1
Sample Plant List for Zone 6b:
- Strawberries (easy-care + food)
- Bush beans (reliable food crop)
- Echinacea (native + medicinal + pollinator support)
- Calendula (food + medicinal + pollinator support)
- Yarrow (native + pollinator support + medicine)
Pro tip: Refer back to your base map from Task #1 to match up the sunlight needs of your plants to the appropriate sun or shade areas on your site. And don’t forget to mark the dates when the seeds need to be started on your garden journal and calendar from Task #2!
Gardening can be a fun, rewarding, and fulfilling endeavor but it can also feel overwhelming at times. Make the time to take these small steps now that lead to big results later to cut down on the overwhelm. Try to star with just one small task this week and build from there. Before you know it, you’ll be walking barefoot on the warm ground to harvest food, medicine and beauty from your very own patch! Which task will you tackle first? Share in the comments below!
Download our free Winter Garden Planning Checklist to track your progress!