When you're about to plan a garden, anything is possible. With so many types of gardens, plants, and layout options to choose from, a garden planner will help you stay on track. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned gardener, we'll show you how a free online journal will make this year your best garden yet.
Print Garden Plan Worksheet Make the most of your gardening space by planting a square foot garden. This planner makes it easy to plan what you'll plant in each square. If you want to do succession planting, just print a separate copy for each season. Print Garden Plan Worksheet. Make the most of your gardening space by planting a square foot garden. This planner makes it easy to plan what you'll plant in each square. If you want to do succession planting, just print a separate copy for each season. Print Square Foot Garden Planner. Flexible Design Create a Garden as Unique as You Are. Draw out your vegetable beds, add plants and move them around to get the perfect layout. Whether you use traditional row planting, containers, raised beds or Square Foot Gardening the Garden Planner adapts to suit your gardening style. Personalized Vegetable Garden Planner There are a lot of variables that go into planning a garden. Smart Gardener does all the hard work for you. We collect, calculate and create a smart personal profile of your garden just for you. Garden Planner for Vegetables, Herbs, and Flowers Get a Free Garden Planner Trial! Whether you want to create a square-foot garden for vegetables, a kitchen garden for herbs, or a beautiful flower garden, our Garden Planner will help you find the best layout for your space—plus provide all your planting and harvesting dates!
The winter months offer perfect prep time, and the right garden planner for you will come with many added benefits beyond simply staying organized. Before you venture outside with your gloves and shovel in tow, try planning with a virtual garden for fast and reliable results.
Why a Garden Planner is Beneficial
A free online garden planner can help you plan the layout of your garden, from what you want to grow, to where each plant goes. Plans like these help you stay organized while your garden thrives and is a great tool to help you think ahead. Use the planner continuously, and you'll have an action plan off the bat that helps you create a stunning garden.
It doesn't matter what season it is, or if you're starting your garden from seeds. A planner can help make your garden a huge success this year. Many gardeners keep a garden journal to remember which plants worked and which didn't quite work out in prior years, and this can even be helpful in remembering what time frame you have to plant outside or start your garden.
Greatest Garden Planner Benefits:
Beginners and pro gardeners alike take advantage of awesome garden planners for two main reasons:
- They're great for staying organized and remembering what plants your tried and when
- A great planner will offer growing tips to yield a better harvest year after year, no matter what type of garden you tend.
However, there are many other benefits to using a garden planner. Depending on the option you choose, a garden planner can help:
- Offer perfect harvest and planting times for veggies or other plants
- Provide guidance on fertilizers and optimal sun exposure
- Figure out how many plants you can grow in your garden
- Prevent over-crowing plants to yield a better result
- Make the most out of every inch of the space you have
- Catalog and process photos with descriptions of each plant
- Keep a shopping list or notes for next year
Use this information to decide which plants and vegetables you should plant in your garden and check out the cheat sheets each planner may offer to help your plants thrive better than ever.
Web-Based Planners are Easier than Ever
With a web-based planner, you can zoom in and move your virtual garden around to place each feature where you want them, or rearrange as you see fit. You can use a template if you're not sure where to start, or plan out your dream garden from scratch.
After you've created your garden plan, simply save the layout and revisit it as you go. Or, you can print out your plan if you're more of a paper and pencil type of person. This way, you can make notes and changes directly onto the page and store them in a nice three-ring binder.
What's great about printing out your plan is that you can write out a list of the supplies you'll need to make your design work and take it with you when you visit the store. I find doing this helps me stay organized and on top of my game should I get to the store and find a better option I hadn't previously considered. It's also handy if problems pop up.
Online tools and free software applications make the process easier than ever, and you can try them out before you waste even a penny.
Online Garden Planners That Won't Break the Bank
Whether you're new to gardening or typically plan out your garden using old-fashioned pen and pencil, you're going to love these online planners. Not only are they free, these are the best garden planners you can find online that allow you to customize yourworksheet, calculate rainfall and the amount of soil you may need, look up pest control and growing information, or keep a diary.
The following are the best online garden planners that are entirely free to use, with no added costs after you use the app a few times and fall in love with it. They won't tease you into paying for an awesome product because they're already great on their own.
Check out the features of each, as they all offer different ways to help gardeners build their best green spaces. Try out a few different options and see what works best for your needs. You may find yourself using a certain planner for short time needs before committing to the right one for you all year around.
Here are the 10 best free garden planner options online:
1. Gardener's Supply Company
If you're looking for a completely free garden planner but you only grow vegetables in your kitchen, this is the perfect tool for you. Gardener's Supply Company allows you to design productive veggie gardens based on the square footage of your space, rather than traditional rows. A grid helps you fill in the perfect amount of plants, or you can go with any of the 16 pre-planned options.
Simply drag and drop where each plant will go, print out your map, and you're ready to plant. There's even an encyclopedia with in-depth information to help you choose the best variety of veggies. You won't be able to plan out your entire yard, but many users love the square foot gardening technique.
With a rainfall calculator, soil calculator to fill in raised garden boxes, and a disease and pest directory, your garden will be happy and healthy.
2. Better Homes and Gardens Plan-A-Garden
Plan-A-Garden is an easy-to-use, free tool on the Better Homes and Gardens website. You can see your garden layout in a realistic 3D setting, drag and drop each item where you'd like it to go, and check out the plan from a bird's eye view.
This program has pre-made templates to help you get started, such as houses, fences, benches, and scenery. Customize your layout and add stones or brick paths as you see fit (and plants of course). There are hundreds of objects and types of trees, flowers, or shrubbery to choose from, and you can adjust the size of each or define the climate to find recommendations.
Save your progress online or export the list of plants to take to the store. This landscape design planner is totally free of charge, all you have to do is register.
3. Smart Gardener
Although this desktop planner comes with a few upgrade costs, you don't need to pay anything to benefit from the program. It's the easiest tool to plan and harvest your own vegetables indoors or out, and everything is entirely based on your personalized needs.
This program will ask you how many people are in your family to find the right number of veggies to grow, and allows you to choose the plants you enjoy most. It then calculates the amount of space you need to feed your family accurately.
Garden Space Planner
From raised beds to various shapes and sizes, Smart Gardener has everything you need to create your perfect garden. Keep track of seed start dates, learn the best times to plant, create to-do lists to stay on track, join a community of gardeners, and buy plants from vendors like Baker Creek, Renee's Garden, or Peaceful Valley.
The only thing you can't do is add porches or pools into the mix.
Check out the features of each, as they all offer different ways to help gardeners build their best green spaces. Try out a few different options and see what works best for your needs. You may find yourself using a certain planner for short time needs before committing to the right one for you all year around.
Here are the 10 best free garden planner options online:
1. Gardener's Supply Company
If you're looking for a completely free garden planner but you only grow vegetables in your kitchen, this is the perfect tool for you. Gardener's Supply Company allows you to design productive veggie gardens based on the square footage of your space, rather than traditional rows. A grid helps you fill in the perfect amount of plants, or you can go with any of the 16 pre-planned options.
Simply drag and drop where each plant will go, print out your map, and you're ready to plant. There's even an encyclopedia with in-depth information to help you choose the best variety of veggies. You won't be able to plan out your entire yard, but many users love the square foot gardening technique.
With a rainfall calculator, soil calculator to fill in raised garden boxes, and a disease and pest directory, your garden will be happy and healthy.
2. Better Homes and Gardens Plan-A-Garden
Plan-A-Garden is an easy-to-use, free tool on the Better Homes and Gardens website. You can see your garden layout in a realistic 3D setting, drag and drop each item where you'd like it to go, and check out the plan from a bird's eye view.
This program has pre-made templates to help you get started, such as houses, fences, benches, and scenery. Customize your layout and add stones or brick paths as you see fit (and plants of course). There are hundreds of objects and types of trees, flowers, or shrubbery to choose from, and you can adjust the size of each or define the climate to find recommendations.
Save your progress online or export the list of plants to take to the store. This landscape design planner is totally free of charge, all you have to do is register.
3. Smart Gardener
Although this desktop planner comes with a few upgrade costs, you don't need to pay anything to benefit from the program. It's the easiest tool to plan and harvest your own vegetables indoors or out, and everything is entirely based on your personalized needs.
This program will ask you how many people are in your family to find the right number of veggies to grow, and allows you to choose the plants you enjoy most. It then calculates the amount of space you need to feed your family accurately.
Garden Space Planner
From raised beds to various shapes and sizes, Smart Gardener has everything you need to create your perfect garden. Keep track of seed start dates, learn the best times to plant, create to-do lists to stay on track, join a community of gardeners, and buy plants from vendors like Baker Creek, Renee's Garden, or Peaceful Valley.
The only thing you can't do is add porches or pools into the mix.
4. BBC Virtual Garden Planner
Landscape your garden or plan out its contents, from fruits and vegetables to flowers and trees. The BBC Virtual Garden Planner has it all, and you can quickly design and visualize your space before you plant. Group your greenery harmoniously, explore the plant finder, plan out walkways, or allot pieces of your garden to specific purposes.
The best part about this free option is that you can experiment with various planting schemes and explore unique plans developed by some of the top garden designers in the nation.
5. Burpee Garden Time Planner
This option allows you to customize your garden based on specific information such as your location—complete with weather forecast conditions and average frost dates based on your zip code. Simply select the plants you want to grow the most, and the planner will show you the best dates to plant or sow seeds.
Plus, beginners will adore the how-to tutorials and videos with growing tips. The only downside is that you can't differentiate between vegetable varieties. You can't, for example, choose a type of tomato for your plan. The free version is also only available in tablet or mobile versions, and doesn't allow you to plan individual garden beds.
6. Garden Planner Online
Visualize and plan where each seedling will go well before you plant with this free tool, which offers planting schemes, visions for future growth patterns, and planting schedules so your garden has the best advantage.
Customize various designs and layouts, whether your garden in indoors, out, or even window box designs. Place fencing and bricks, experiment with trees and perennials, or create stunning walkways. The choice is yours with this free tool!
Garden Layout Generator
7. Vegetable Gardening Online
Perfect for beginners, Vegetable Gardening Online is a website that offers everything you need to plan your first garden. Zone charts and planting worksheets guide you through placing each plant with care, while a diary and growing information will show you how to keep your vegetables growing strong (even berries).
Additionally, you can find printable worksheets and fun coloring pages to keep your kids busy while you design your garden.
8. Marshalls Garden Visualizer
Because the real world is 3D, this free software offers a 3D interface, so you can configure everything your garden will need. You can virtually move around your space from all possible angles, and it's easy for beginners to use.
This design software offers tons of ways to customize your garden and build your dream, from benches and gravel to any other element you can think up.
9. Gardena's My Garden
This virtual planner is more of a sketch-like bird's eye view of your yard. With this web-based application, you can drag and drop plants and any other garden element exactly where you want it. Add in ponds or design taps to water your plants, and print your design to implement it in real life.
You can even use the pre-designed gardens if you're not sure where to start. Just modify them to fit your requirements.
10. Kitchen Garden Planner
If your garden is confined to your kitchen counter, this Kitchen Garden Planner is designed to create personal and commercial indoor garden plans. There's a paid premium version, but the free option is perfect if your growing a small home garden for your own needs.
Check out your garden in a final 3D view before you print it out or email it to share with friends and family. This garden planner is available online and it comes with over 26 options you can choose from.
There's no doubt that a free online planner can help you create your perfect garden. The only question is which one is right for your needs.
Smart Gardener Planner
By Staff | Apr 7, 2021
Garden Space Planner Free
Growing a great vegetable garden involves juggling the needs of dozens of different crops. Some like it hot while others prefer cool spring or fall growing conditions, but figuring out when to plant what — and where — just got easier. With the help of our friends at MOTHER EARTH NEWS, we've created an interactive Garden Planner where you can quickly get the data you need to design your best garden ever — and it's all free for 7 days.
Here are some of the things the Garden Planner can do:
Find Frost Dates
Find the average first and last frost dates for your area, based on records from over 4,300 weather stations. All you have to do is punch in your ZIP code, and the Garden Planner software does the rest. If your experience in your microclimate points you toward different dates, you have the option of setting the frost dates yourself. The Planner will use these dates to tell you the best planting times for more than 80 garden crops. This function is a great one to use during the free 7-day trial. If you want, the Planner will even send you twice-monthly reminders about what crops to sow and plant from your plans.
Garden Bed Design
Experiment with bed designs and plant placement. If your garden beds are already in place, simply set up your garden's template in the Garden Planner and start plugging in plants. The vegetables have already been coded with space requirements, so you can quickly see how many will fit in a given bed or row. Or, use the Garden Planner to design new beds for any garden.
Planting Guidance
Get a personalized planting chart. Once your plan is complete the software compiles a chart showing how many of each plant you need to buy or raise from seed, the correct spacing and recommended planting dates for your area. You can print both the plan and plant list as a handy reference to take into your garden.
Plan succession sowings. If you plan to grow fall carrots after spring peas, or plant fall garlic in the same space used for summer snap beans, you can incorporate end dates for certain plantings into your plan. The plan will then show available space for a second crop.
Plan crop rotations. Plants are coded according to the botanical family to which they belong, and the Garden Planner keeps track of what you have grown where. When you plan next year's garden based on this year's plan, the Planner will warn you if you try to follow tomatoes with potatoes, squash with pumpkins, or otherwise violate standard rotation practices.
Great Gardening Records
Keep track of varieties. You can quickly change from generic labels like 'lettuce' to variety names such as ‘Red Sails.' Then you can make notes in the Garden Planner about what happened with different varieties over the course of the season. The notes will be stored so that you can refer to them during the next planting season. If you grow any unusual plants then these can be added as varieties of the generic plant symbols such as 'fruit bush,' 'herb,' etc.
Now it's time to see the Food Garden Planner in action. You can view instructional videos or sign up for the free trial — no credit card or personal information beyond a valid e-mail address is required. Your first 7 days are free, then the Planner costs only $25 per year if you choose to continue. We think you're going to love how this interactive software can streamline and improve the garden planning process.
Read our Garden Planner Frequently Asked Questions, Terms and Conditions, and Privacy Policy.
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Garden Planner Terms and Conditions 1. General There are set out below the terms and conditions under which you may use the Garden Planner software and web pages and services on the website at http://www.grit.com (collectively referred to as 'the Service'). They should be read in conjunction with the Privacy Policy which is hyperlinked from these terms and conditions. […]
