When should I start my vegetable garden?

Start cool-season crops (lettuce, peas, radishes) 4-6 weeks before your last frost date. Start warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers, beans) after the last frost date when soil is at least 60°F. In most of the US, this means March-April for cool crops and May-June for warm crops.

How much water does a vegetable garden need?

Most vegetables need 1-1.5 inches of water per week. In hot weather or sandy soil, they may need more. Water deeply 2-3 times per week rather than shallowly every day. Morning watering is best — it reduces evaporation and allows foliage to dry before evening.

What vegetables grow best in shade?

Leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, arugula, kale) tolerate partial shade (4-6 hours sun). Root vegetables (radishes, beets, carrots) produce smaller but usable harvests in partial shade. Fruiting crops (tomatoes, peppers, squash) require full sun (6+ hours) and should not be planted in shade.

How to Plan a Vegetable Garden: Layout, Spacing & Planting Guide

Choose the Right Location

Vegetables need sun — at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day, and 8+ hours is better. Watch your yard throughout a full day to identify the sunniest spot. South-facing areas receive the most sun in the Northern Hemisphere. Avoid placing your garden under trees (which steal light, water, and nutrients), in low spots where water collects, or too far from a water source (you will need to water regularly). Proximity to the kitchen is a practical bonus — you are more likely to harvest herbs and salad greens if the garden is steps from the back door rather than across the yard.

Size Matters: Start Small

The number one beginner mistake is starting too big. A 4x8 foot raised bed or a 10x10 foot in-ground plot is enough to grow a meaningful amount of food while remaining manageable. As a rule of thumb: 100 square feet per person feeds a family of four a supplemental garden (fresh salads and cooking vegetables throughout the season). 200 square feet per person produces enough to partially replace grocery store produce. 400+ square feet per person provides enough for fresh eating and some preservation. Start with the smaller end and expand as your skills grow.

Best Layout Options

Row planting (traditional rows with walking paths between them) is the simplest to understand and works well for large gardens. Spacing follows seed packet instructions. The downside: walking paths waste 50% of your garden space. Square foot gardening divides raised beds into 1-foot squares, each planted with a specific number of plants based on their spacing needs. This method produces 5 times more food per square foot than row planting. It is ideal for small spaces and beginners. Intensive block planting eliminates rows entirely, planting in wide blocks or bands. It maximizes yield but requires good soil and more careful planning.

What to Plant First

Start with the easiest, most rewarding vegetables: tomatoes (the single most popular home garden crop — one plant produces 10-15 pounds of fruit), lettuce and salad greens (ready to harvest in 30-45 days, grows in partial shade), herbs (basil, parsley, cilantro — cut-and-come-again harvesting all season), green beans (virtually foolproof, heavy producers), zucchini (one plant produces more than you can eat), and cucumbers (fast-growing and prolific). Avoid difficult crops for your first year: corn (needs a large space and precise timing), melons (long growing season, space-intensive), and artichokes (perennial requiring specific conditions).

Companion Planting Basics

Some plants grow better together, and some should be kept apart. Classic good companions: tomatoes and basil (basil may repel certain pests and supposedly improves tomato flavor), carrots and onions (onions deter carrot fly), beans and corn (beans fix nitrogen that corn needs, corn provides a climbing structure). Plants to separate: tomatoes and brassicas (cabbage, broccoli) compete for the same nutrients, fennel inhibits most nearby plants, and potatoes and tomatoes share diseases so should not be adjacent. Companion planting is not magic — it will not make or break your garden — but it can provide marginal benefits when planned thoughtfully.

Visualize Your Garden Layout

Before breaking ground, design your vegetable garden visually. Upload a photo of the area where you plan to garden and use an AI design tool to preview raised beds, pathways, and plantings in your actual space. This helps you decide on the right bed size, orientation (rows running north-south get the most even sun exposure), and whether your chosen location truly has enough room for the garden you envision.