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Garden Layout Ideas | The Old Farmer's Almanac

Looking for vegetable garden layout ideas? To help you out, we’ve selected 20 of what we deem the best vegetable garden layouts designed by our own customers, covering all types of common gardens—from small space to raised bed to homestead. Browse this collection of layout options for your food garden!

What’s special about these garden plans is that they are “real,” designed and executed outside in the garden itself by verified customers. We hope you find this both inspirational and useful!

I. Square-Foot Gardening Layouts

Square-foot gardening (SFG) makes efficient use of space spaces.  Normally, an SFG garden is made of multiple 4 x 4 foot “boxes” (deeply-raised beds) that can be densely planted for multiple harvests. A lattice is laid across the top to clearly separate each square foot. By getting rid of traditional rows, you weed less, too. SFG is an especially helpful method for beginner gardeners.

See SIX square-foot garden layouts—plus, beautiful garden photos!

II.

Backyard Garden Layouts

A backyard often has many family demands placed upon it. It may be a place to relax and unwind, a space for children and/or pets to play, and an area for growing as well as fruits,vegetables and flowers – all at the same time! Backyard gardens can be grown in traditional in-ground rows, raised garden beds or a mixture of both.  Because of the multi-use requirement for the garden, it’s worth considering how plants can be protected from trampling, stray footballs, boisterous dogs and so on!

See 3 backyard garden layouts—plus, beautiful garden photos!

III. Raised Bed Garden Layouts

Raised beds are often framed with wood, bricks or other materials, then filled with mixture of high-quality potting soil, compost and/or leaf mold. They drain well and are excellent for otherwise difficult areas such as stony, compacted, contaminated, very wet, or nutrient-poor soils. Raised beds are also useful for gardeners with limited mobility as they reduce the need to bend and can even be built on raised platforms for wheelchair access.

See 3 layouts for raised bed gardens—plus, beautiful garden photos!

IV. Kitchen Garden Layouts (Potager)

Many fresh herbs and vegetables taste much better when they’re freshly harvested and what could be more convenient than having them just outside the back door?What gives the kitchen garden its charm and appeal is the blend of vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers that are grown together like a living tapestry. Kitchen gardens are planted and replanted throughout the season for a continuous supply of fresh food for the kitchen.

See 6 kitchen garden layouts—plus, beautiful garden photos!

V. Homestead Garden

A homestead garden is usually larger than a typical backyard garden and is grown as either a self–sufficient lifestyle choice or a market garden where excess produce can be swapped, bartered or sold. While homestead gardens may have some raised beds nearer to the house, most crops are grown in traditional in-ground rows. Homestead gardeners may keep a few chickens or bees within the garden too.

See 3 free plans for homestead gardens—plus, beautiful garden photos!

VI. Small Gardens

If your garden is small it’s important to make the best use of the space you have with clever planting techniques and the right crops. Prioritize crops by choosing to grow only those that you really enjoy eating or which are expensive to buy.

See 4 free plans for small garden spaces—plus, beautiful garden photos!

VII. Dry Gardens or Drought-Resistant Gardens

Gardening can be challenging when water is at a premium, but there are many ways for resourceful gardeners to grow gardens that flourish even when water is scarce. 

Raised garden beds, irrigation, companion planting, mulching, and water-efficient crops are all important for gardening in dry climates.

See free layouts for gardens in dry climates—plus, beautiful garden photos!

VIII.

Flower Garden

Flower gardens may be grown for cut flowers for use indoors, or simply for the enjoyment and relaxation gained from growing and tending the plants. Flowers also provide food and habitat for beneficial insects, and can help improve pollination of fruit and vegetable crops.

See free flower garden plans—plus, beautiful garden photos!

IX. Companion Planting Garden

Companion planting is the practice of growing together plants for a beneficial effect such as protection from pests. Larger vegetables may also be used to protect smaller plants and seedlings from harsh winds or as a climbing support, while sprawling crops such as squashes can be used to suppress weeds around tall crops like corn.

See free garden plan layouts using companion planting techniques.

X. Partial-Shade Gardens

While most vegetables are sun-lovers, there are a handful which do tolerate some shade. Not all of us have a sunny spot, but we can still have fresh greens and other garden goodies.

See our list of shade-tolerant vegetables plus free layouts for partial shade gardens.

Discover Hundreds More Free Vegetable Plan Layouts

We have highlighted some of our best sample plans here, however, you can now find over 800 garden plans using our Almanac Garden Planner tool—curated over 10 years!

20 Best Vegetable Garden Layout Ideas

Every item on this page was chosen by The Pioneer Woman team. The site may earn a commission on some products.

Grow your own leafy greens in a space of any size! 🥬

By Arricca Elin Sansone

Jon LovetteGetty Images

It takes a lot to start a vegetable garden: choosing the right vegetables to grow and buying seeds, and then there's planning the actual yard space. Of course, there's nothing like the neat and tidy rows of traditional raised garden beds, with everything lined up and planted in an orderly fashion. But, sometimes, you simply don't have the space. If you live in an apartment with a balcony, a condo, or house with a small yard, you've got to get a little more creative. Fortunately, there are vegetable garden layout ideas for any size of yard.

A few factors will help you decide the best layout plan for your vegetable garden. Depending on your plant hardiness zone, you'll want to make sure you find a location for your garden that receives full sun, which is considered 6 or more hours of direct sunlight per day. Many garden favorites, such as tomatoes and bell peppers, like it even hotter, so 8 or more hours is ideal. Very few vegetables will tolerate mostly shade, so if your yard is shaded all day, your best bet is to opt for a container garden that you can place where you do have full sun exposure. Also, make sure you have access to water; that sounds obvious, but if you have to haul watering cans or drag a hose too far in the heat of summer, it's not the most pleasant experience! Still feel up to the challenge? To inspire you, here are the best vegetable garden layout ideas including designs, products, and tips to make your garden even more productive.

kcline

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Hang a Pot Vegetable Garden

Short on space? Try various hanging pots, which works well for many different types of edibles including strawberries, herbs, and lettuce. Bonus: it keeps your plants away from animals in your garden such as bunnies!

SHOP HANGING BASKETS

Westend61

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Prop Up a Ladder Garden

A repurposed ladder makes the perfect foundation for lots of pots of herbs without taking up a ton of space on your patio or deck. It also accommodates different sizes of pots and window boxes, as shown here, for a pretty and appealing display.

Alison Miksch

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Interplant with Flowers

If you don't have a dedicated garden plot, plant edibles alongside your flowers. There's always room to tuck pretty plants such as Swiss chard and nasturtium here and there throughout your garden. Plus, the local pollinators will thank you!

James Brokensha Photography

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Line Them in Tidy Rows

This layout is the most traditional, and it definitely is appealing! You can plant tight rows of plants that don't mind chilly weather such as lettuce, then pull them out when they go to seed as hot weather hits. Replant a heat lover such as beans in the same space.

Barbara Rich

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Grow Them on a Trellis

Growing up is always a space-saving option. Plus, some veggies, such as cukes and squash, are more productive and less vulnerable to disease with vertical support (due to better air circulation).

SHOP GARDEN TRELLISES

Geo-grafika

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Grow Vegetables in Pots

Place various sizes of pots on the stairs leading to your home. The benefit is that each plant gets its own container so they're not competing for nutrients or moisture.

Gunther Fraulob

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Try Companion Planting

Many gardeners believe that by planting certain combinations of plants together, they're mutually beneficial—keeping away bad insects and attracting the good ones. Here, cabbage is interplanted with signet marigolds (also edible!) for a pretty and practical display.

Barbara Rich

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Construct Raised Beds

Raised beds are the best way to deal with poor soil; they also warm up a bit faster in the spring than the ground. You can purchase one or DIY one from wood (don't use pressure-treated, which can leach chemicals) or concrete paver stones.

martinwimmer

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Grow in a Vertical Garden

If hungry garden visitors keep munching on your produce, try this ingenious solution: Long metal containers, such as repurposed gutters, can be mounted to stakes. Just be sure to punch holes in the bottom of each container, and plant shallow-rooted veggies such as various types of leaf lettuce, creeping herbs such as thyme, or kale.

Julija Kumpinovica

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Set Up a Windowsill Garden

If you don't have a bit of space outdoors, a windowsill garden still allows you to grow something useful! Herbs are the best choice because they're easy to grow, many adapt to indoor conditions, and they're so expensive to buy at the grocery store. Just make sure they get plenty of bright light.

SHOP WINDOW PLANTERS

Dragoncello

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Mount a Wall Garden

Simple shelves or a repurposed wooden pallet make a great hanging vegetable garden. Herbs and lettuce do especially well, and you won't have to share with the neighborhood critters because they can't reach!

Jasemin Abazi / EyeEm

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Fill a Pocket Garden

This idea is inexpensive and so cute! Repurpose hanging shoe organizers (just make sure the material is porous or poke 3 to 4 holes in each plastic pocket) to grow shallow-rooted veggies such as lettuce. You'll also find fabric pockets specifically designed for planting.

Philippe Gerber

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Grow in Stock Tanks

Stock tanks keep having a moment! Why? They're nearly indestructible, last for years, and are just about the right height for comfortable access--especially if you have back issues. Look for bottomless tanks or poke lots of holes in a traditional stock tank for drainage.

Westend61

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Use Window Boxes

Dress up windows in a pretty, practical way with a window box full of vegetables or herbs. You can also hang window boxes from deck railing to maximize your space.

Jacky Parker Photography

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Arrange Shallow Containers

Why buy lettuce that just ends up going bad in the crisper? Plant shallow containers with various kinds of lettuce, and harvest when you need it. Wait a week or two in between sowings. That way, you'll keep the harvest going longer.

SHOP GARDEN BOWLS

AKodisinghe

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Make Tall Raised Beds

You don't have to forgo the fun of gardening if you have a bad back or achy knees. Raised bed planters at waist height can accommodate you and make gardening more fun, less painful.

Grahamphoto23

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Grow in Fabric Bags

Fabric bags are a great way to grow vegetables because you can fold these bags up for storage at the end of the season. They're especially good for crops such as potatoes because it's easier to layer soil and to harvest.

Wander Photography

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Go Hydroponic

Hydroponic gardens are less messy because the plants grow in water, not soil. Consider these for indoor gardens if you have zero outdoor planting space or sunlight. Many come in kits that include a grow light.

Firdausiah Mamat

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Stuff in Straw Bales

Believe it or not, you can grow vegetables in straw bales! It's fun, clean, and can be done anywhere, such as the edge of your property or even on pavement. The bales typically last a season or two, and you can recycle the rest in your compost bin.

VittoriaChe

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Strawberry Garden

Here's a cool idea for an edible garden! Cut holes into pipe and mount high off the ground to keep your plants away from munching garden visitors. This works especially well for plants that can drape over the edges, such as strawberries. Just be sure to drill some holes for drainage on the bottom of the pipe.

SHOP PVC PIPE

How to Plan a Perfect Mother's Day Brunch Menu

Arricca Elin Sansone Arricca SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, and more.

Setting up a vegetable garden: 10 basic rules

A gigantic amount of bad work is hidden in the rash arrangement of beds, paths and water sources. Double! And most gardeners obediently use this inexhaustible reserve of workaholism. Unfortunately, most summer cottages are not well planned, and their owners year after year spend most of their efforts in vain. In the book by Nikolai Kurdyumov "The most complete encyclopedia of the garden and the garden" we found 10 basic rules for organizing a garden, following which you will make it as convenient and efficient as possible. nine0002
How to smartly equip your garden?

1. Zone plantings

A very important principle! The more attention a culture requires, the closer it should sit to you. Vegetables will thank you for being visible from the kitchen window. This is true! And they will be especially happy if there is a source of irrigation nearby. Walking along the paths, carrying buckets or a hose is a tedious and uncreative job. Plus, it's very heavy. And if you are tired, sick, middle-aged or sad at heart? The farther you drag, the less interest ... Hence the law: watering the most distant beds is always postponed until later. nine0006


Vegetables will thank you for being visible from the kitchen window

In general, if the beds are somewhere in the back, behind trees and bushes, we somehow do not take them seriously. Even if an irrigation pipe is connected to them. No wonder they say: out of sight, out of mind! Except for the most restless enthusiasts, we are all so arranged. Do not scold yourself, but outsmart: place the vegetables that require special care, close to the house, and those that need you less - away.


Radishes and lettuces will be closest in spring

Radishes and lettuces will be closest in spring; a greenhouse with seedlings - almost at the door; there are also beds with cucumbers, tomatoes and herbs. And the water is here. Away - root crops, peppers and eggplants, cabbages and beans. Even further - perennials, pumpkins and potatoes, but it is also desirable to water there. At the back is a garden. Even in a separate garden, try to plant closer what requires more participation and work!

Ads by nine0003

2. Nothing bears fruit in the shade

Almost all vegetables need direct and constant light. Even with the southern sun in the partial shade of rare tree crowns, they reduce the yield by 2-3 times. Better to break a lawn with flowers here! It makes sense to put cucumbers on trees with a sparse crown: in the south they like partial shade, get sick less and take up almost no space. In partial shade, you can plant rhubarb, sorrel, garlic, leafy lettuces, herbs, perennial onions, onions on a feather. But nightshade (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant), pumpkins, zucchini and zucchini, cruciferous (radish, daikon, radish, cabbage and beans) do not tolerate shading. Poor fruiting in partial shade and strawberries. nine0006


Nothing grows in the shade

3.

Position all beds for maximum light

All beds, as well as trellises and frames, should be positioned for maximum light. If the trellis is in the center of the bed, it should be located north-south, otherwise only the illuminated side of the bed will work, and the entire shaded half will suffer. If the tapestry stands near a wall or fence, let it stretch east-west. Then all plants will capture the maximum of the sun. nine0006


Place all beds, trellises and frames taking into account the maximum illumination

Narrow beds are good because they stretch the habitable area in length. A square meter is both a meter square and a ten-meter strip 10 cm wide! We are considering a two-meter strip 50 cm wide. One can imagine a four-meter strip 25 cm wide, and such a “square meter” can be even more productive - of course, with good watering, nutrition and wide row spacing. nine0006

4. Make the beds stationary

In a stationary bed, you constantly add organics and fertilizers. This is where you water. You never walk on it, which means you don't compact the ground. Only this small area has to be weeded, moreover, less and less every year. It is wiser to improve a specific place, saving energy! And this is not the only advantage of stationary beds. You can lift them up and save them from waterlogging. You can “litter” the aisles, tile the paths. You can do it beautifully - connect the garden with flower beds. Finally, getting used to the same pattern of beds, you will quickly learn to calculate and predict the behavior of your plantings. nine0006


Make the beds stationary right away

And if you get tired of the monotony, change the set of crops, varieties and their location more often. Add different flowers and shrubs.

5. Separate the beds with borders from the rest of the soil

Then the site immediately becomes clear and simple! As long as there are no borders, you cannot perceive the garden as a “self-sufficient person” on your site, and it will constantly suffer from the uncertainty and episodic nature of your intervention. You can limit anything: stones, bricks, wood - whatever you have. nine0006


You can limit the beds to anything

The best border allows you to easily mow all the grass and does not cut the trimmer line. Such, for example, logs and boards. And the ideal curb is with a blind area, which allows the lawn mower to mow everything without leaving flaws.


The ideal border with a blind area

It is worth enclosing everything, including flower beds and shrubs. Beds - logs and boards, and flower beds - stones. Sometimes they somehow turn into rockeries by themselves. Everything that grows outside of the curbs should not bother you: take a mower and mow it down. And then you will see how little soil remains that requires laborious cultivation and care! nine0006


Whatever grows outside, you should not worry: take a mower and mow

6. Use walls, arbors and fences

They are ideal for climbing plants. Only the northern and western sides of the building (building) are not suitable: there will be few flowers and fruits, and vice versa.


Use south and east walls for vines

7. Create an organic corner

In the shade, as close to both gates and beds as possible, make a compost heap and space for bins or tubs. nine0006


Set up an organic corner

Planting shrubs or vine trellises around these unsightly objects will not affect the look of the garden.

8. Take the time to make paths and passages

Especially those that come from the house, from the water source and from the corner of organic matter. Garden carts and familiar high-heeled ladies should be equally easy to pass along your paths. While you don’t have such convenient paths, you can’t even imagine how much strength and nerves the garden “off-road” actually takes! But as soon as they appear, you will immediately notice the difference. nine0006


Take the time to arrange comfortable paths and walkways

You can learn more about the arrangement of paths from the following materials:



10. Go beyond straight lines and right angles

This is the most important thing. If convenience requires it, curve, mow and round! Feel free to use your imagination. For example, for greens, perennials and herbs, a keyhole-shaped permaculture bed is well suited: it is compact and looks like a flower bed. If you are hauling hoses or driving a wheelbarrow, a herringbone garden is very convenient: it does not have right angles that are so annoying for any pedestrian. S. Kladovikov has 12 acres of Christmas trees. nine0006


S. Kladovikov has 12 acres of Christmas trees

You walk along the paths - they seem to lead you. It is a pity that this garden can not be photographed from above! If your beds, laid long before these insights, alas, are rectangular, make at least the appropriate paths to them.


Make at least suitable paths to the beds

If you are just planning your garden, try to make it like in the picture below. First, lay out all the shortest paths on the site. And only then, between them, in fact, arrange beds and plantings. nine0006


Optimal arrangement of beds and paths

How to plan

So now you have everything you need to come up with and draw your plan. First, draw the boundaries of your site. And then:


Modern plot planning tools can also be used

On the clippings, write the name of a vegetable or two if you are planting a bed twice a season. You can make them multi-colored - according to the color of the fruit, or draw a symbol for each crop. And now it remains to decompose them into the site, taking into account the mentioned rules. nine0006

Applying such a systematic approach to the arrangement of your site, you will get a convenient, competent and productive garden. He won't make you bend your back all the time you have, so you'll have to come up with other, more enjoyable country activities. And you can learn even more about how to increase the level of soil fertility and grow your crops using modern tools and inventions from the book by Nikolai Kurdyumov "The most complete encyclopedia on the garden and vegetable garden", which can be purchased at the publisher's official online store. nine0006

Other publications on our gardening website that may be of interest to you:

Plans for the year. 7 steps to fruitful beds | Kitchen garden | Dacha

Valentin Chistyakov

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

5820

AiF at Dacha No. 21. Late berries: the secret of good health 07/11/2018

www.globallookpress.com

Tells agronomist Valentin Chistyakov :

Step 1: draw a diagram-2018

Any plan should start from something. In order to improve our garden, we need a scheme of beds with designations where and what grew in the outgoing season. You should not rely on memory and put off the "drawing lesson" for later, even if grandiose redevelopment is not expected.

Infographics: AiF / Vladislav Shchepkin

Step 2: we will make amendments

Vegetable gardens in summer cottages often grow unnecessarily just because the owners have not found another use for the land. At the same time, crops are placed on the beds randomly, and the results of this approach are unpredictable. For example, you may have mountains of carrots at your disposal, which are unrealistic to eat, but the harvest of beans beloved by all households was enough for just one summer lunch. If garden plans are not amended at the end of each season, then such inconsistencies will be eternal. nine0006

What to do? Recall and write down all the problems with each crop and come up with ideas for fixing them. For example, like this.

Results-2018
Culture Disliked What to do
Carrot Big harvest, half left uneaten. Take carrots in one bed, not two. nine0228
Vegetable beans Collected one bowl. It wasn't enough to freeze. Double the size of the bean patch.

Step 3: add new items

After summing up, you need to look into the future for a while. Perhaps you've tried a new vegetable or become interested in a crop you haven't grown before. Don't put your ideas off until later - plan your changes now.

All notes must be attached to the bed plan. nine0006

Leek I want 3 kg. Plant 1 m leek on an onion bed. Buy seeds!!!

Step 4: Make the 2019 List

Now we have all the data we need to make a preliminary list of garden crops that we will grow next season.

Step 5: Line up

Everyone has heard of the benefits of crop rotation, but not everyone puts it into practice. The reason is a large assortment. It is very difficult to make a crop rotation for an extensive list of crops, especially if there are much more vegetable crops than beds in the garden. Many at this stage prefer to give up on science or take comfort in the fact that they return each culture to its original place in a year. But this is also a bad option, because the soil does not have time to improve in a year. There is a way out in this situation: vegetables should be alternated not one by one, but in blocks into which crops should be grouped in advance on the basis of kinship or compatibility. nine0006 Infographics: AiF / Vladislav Shchepkin

Step 6: new plan

Practice shows that it is most convenient when the garden consists of several approximately equal parts. It is best if there are no less than four and no more than eight. Take the old scheme and divide it into conditionally identical parts, each of which should contain at least one garden bed. After that, turn the list of crops into a list of blocks, focusing on the relationship of plants. At the same time, a vegetable popular in the family can occupy one sector entirely, and crops grown in small quantities must be combined into groups. nine0006

Step 7: check the seeds

If we now compare the remaining from last season, but not old seeds with our list of vegetable crops, then we will certainly not miss anything by the sowing season. And it is already possible to buy or order seed material - it is not necessary to wait until spring!

Infographics: AiF/ Vladislav Shchepkin

Why you need to change the place

When a culture sits in the same place for several years, the garden bed turns into a hotbed of diseases and pests characteristic of it.

Learn more