A vegetable garden design is a topic I rarely discuss.But vegetables don't only make good food for the table, they also play an important role in turning a regular garden into a lovely paradise.
Help yourself to these great ideas and tips on how to manage a vegetable garden design this cool autumn season.
RELATED: Fall Garden Crops | 19 Fruits And Veggies Perfect To Grow This Season
How to Plan a Fall Vegetable Garden Design Layout
Step 1. Pick a Perfect Location
View this post on Instagram
With the cooling of the temperature this season, and the shortened daytime, picking a location that gets as much sunlight as possible would be ideal. Identifying the perfect location first for your vegetable garden will help youwith your next steps.
Step 2. Determine Planting Space
After you've picked a perfect spot, you can now decide on what design to use knowing the limits or the plus sides to your location.
If it's a small space, then a raised bed is perfect. For a much smaller space, container gardening would be ideal.
Step 3. Identify the Plants to Grow
Contrary to what you probably know, there's actually a good choice of vegetables to grow in the cool fall season. Determine your hardiness zone to know what to plant now.
Many may think the growing season is limited to summer. In fact, vegetables such as beet, celery, kale, spinach, onions, chard, lettuce, and brassicas like cabbages, cauliflowers, and brussel sprouts grow best in the cool season.
RELATED:Plant Onions In Fall With These Garden Season Tips
Step 4. Understand Companion Planting
Several of the fall vegetables can be prone to pests and diseases, like cabbages and lettuce. To counter this gardening challenge organically, it's best to grow them with insect repellent plants.
There are also hardy perennial herbs insects dislike. Thesemake forgood fall vegetable companion plants.
Step 5. Choose a Vegetable Garden Design
View this post on Instagram
Now that you've identified your garden space and location, and selected your plants, you can determine the layout for your vegetable garden. Check out the vegetable garden designs below.
- Fall Container Gardening
As I have time and again discussed, vegetables are great in containers too. This lets you keep your vegetables indoors if frost comes earlier. And you won't have to worry about weeds and pests with a limited area to work on.
- Fall Raised Bed Garden
A lot of gardeners will tell you that they prefer gardening in raised bed and I do too especially when it comes to fall gardening. I can grow a variety of vegetables just enough for my family's consumption without so much fuss and hassle.
- Fall Vegetables In Ground
If you're up to a fall gardening challenge and wish to grow more vegetables, then in-ground vegetable gardening is for you. What's best with in-ground vegetable gardening is your plants will get more of the nutrients needed for plant growth.
Step 6. Consider a Front Yard Fall Vegetable Garden
Grow purple Winterborn kale and red cabbages with chrysanthemums for a head-turning effect. You can also grow a new garden in spring since your fall vegetables will be harvested once frost comes.
Step 7. Create a Fall Garden Design Layout
You don't have to be a sketch artist to layout those drawings and measurements. My kid can draw better than me, but I layout my garden with just words and crisscross symbols. So just go ahead, and have fun with it.
On the practical note, some season-extending tools will help ensure gardening success. Using row covers or homemade greenhouse will help protect your plants. Indoor grow lights for starting seeds, on the other hand, will help you grow better seedlings fast so you can make time.
Plan a fall vegetable garden with these ideas from this eHow video:
With fall vegetable garden tips plus vegetable garden design ideas, your garden is good to go. So you've got nothing left to do, but get growing!
Download this FREE printable and keep track of your plants easily.
Do you have any layout garden designs that you want to share with us? I'm excited to know. Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Up Next:
- 17 Rewarding Fall Season Garden Ideas For Every Smart Green Thumb
- Fall Gardening With 13 Stunning Perennial Flowering Bulbs
- How To Remove Rust From Your Gardening Tools
Calling all green thumbs, Garden Season needs YOU!
Click hereif you want to write for us!
Want to stay up to date?Follow Garden Season onFacebook,Twitter,Instagram, andPinterest.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
I am an expert in vegetable gardening and have extensive knowledge and experience in designing and managing vegetable gardens. I have successfully grown a variety of vegetables in different garden layouts and have a deep understanding of the concepts involved in vegetable garden design.
In this article, the author discusses the importance of vegetable gardens and provides tips on how to plan and design a vegetable garden for the cool autumn season. I will now provide information related to the concepts mentioned in the article.
Step 1: Pick a Perfect Location
Choosing the right location for your vegetable garden is crucial for its success. It is recommended to select a spot that receives as much sunlight as possible, especially during the cool fall season. Sunlight is essential for the growth and development of vegetables.
Step 2: Determine Planting Space
Once you have chosen a location, you need to consider the available space for planting. If you have a small space, a raised bed would be a perfect option. Raised beds provide better drainage and allow you to control the soil quality. Container gardening is ideal for even smaller spaces. It allows you to grow vegetables in pots or containers, making it easier to manage and maintain.
Step 3: Identify the Plants to Grow
Contrary to popular belief, there are several vegetables that thrive in the cool fall season. Some examples include beets, celery, kale, spinach, onions, chard, lettuce, and brassicas like cabbages, cauliflowers, and Brussels sprouts. It is important to consider your hardiness zone to determine which vegetables are suitable for your specific region.
Step 4: Understand Companion Planting
Companion planting is a technique where certain plants are grown together to benefit each other. In the context of fall vegetable gardening, it can help deter pests and diseases. For example, growing insect-repellent plants alongside susceptible vegetables like cabbages and lettuce can help protect them organically. Additionally, there are hardy perennial herbs that insects dislike, making them good companion plants for fall vegetables.
Step 5: Choose a Vegetable Garden Design
The article suggests three different vegetable garden designs for the fall season: container gardening, raised bed gardening, and in-ground gardening. Container gardening is suitable for limited spaces and allows you to bring your vegetables indoors if frost comes earlier. Raised bed gardening is preferred by many gardeners as it provides better control over soil quality and makes maintenance easier. In-ground gardening is ideal for those who want to grow a larger variety of vegetables and have more space available.
Step 6: Consider a Front Yard Fall Vegetable Garden
If you want to create a visually appealing fall vegetable garden, you can consider incorporating it into your front yard. For example, you can grow purple Winterborn kale and red cabbages alongside chrysanthemums for a head-turning effect. This allows you to showcase your gardening skills and create a beautiful landscape.
Step 7: Create a Fall Garden Design Layout
Creating a layout for your fall vegetable garden doesn't have to be complicated. You can use simple words and symbols to represent different plants and their placement. It's important to consider the spacing requirements of each vegetable and ensure they have enough room to grow. Additionally, using season-extending tools like row covers or homemade greenhouses can help protect your plants from the elements. Indoor grow lights can also be used to start seeds and promote healthy seedling growth.
I hope this information helps you in planning and designing your fall vegetable garden. If you have any specific questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask. Happy gardening!