Garden Planning Calculator

From the Desk of EpicenterJanet — Are you just starting your gardening adventure this year? Or have you already planted your seedlings and starters? Either way, the Garden Planning Calculator from Seeds for Generations will provide you with just about everything you need to ensure an optimal crop for years to come. It's a valuable resource to have on hand for planning this year's garden!

At the time of this writing, it is already the end of May. I am WAY behind when it comes to my garden prep and planting... I broke my leg and ankle in March (two breaks for the price of one, LOL). Due to my lack of mobility these last few months, I have not had the ability to get outside and enjoy one of my favorite hobbies: My Herb Garden, Patio Garden, and the flower garden beds around the house. I'm on the mend now and will soon be tending to my herbs and start shopping for some summertime flowers for my patio planters. :).

By the end of the summer, my goal is to create a dedicated area to raise vegetables, strawberries, and additional herbs. It's going to be a lot of work...grazing a section of existing lawn, removing an old tree stump, and constructing a couple of raised garden beds and bringing in some good garden soil. Then it's on to some mulch and tidying everything up to prepare for next year's planting season! That's a lofty goal, but I prefer to believe that we can do anything we set our minds to, right?

But exactly what shall I plant in addition to what I already have? (Just one of the questions posed to me by my husband, EpicenterBryan). It shall be vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers, and maybe melons, including:

• Greens (Arugula, Chard, Kale, Lettuce, Spinach)
• Broccoli
• Herbs, always more herbs! (Basil, Chives, Cilantro,  Oregano, Thyme)
• Tomatoes (several varieties like Beefsteak, Roma, Cherry)
• Edible & Medicinal flowers
• Strawberries
• Melons (maybe)

That's a good start. In years past, I've planted varieties of squash (Zucchini, Pumpkin), but I'm going to leave those off the list because nobody in my family eats squash — except for my little dog, Willie K, who loves his pumpkin puree! But he already gets enough Blueberries so he won't be left out. I'm also going to try avoid root vegetables for now, unless my husband insists on Beets or Carrots, which is likely going to be the case. But I'm not opposed to planting some Melons (like Cantaloupe, Honeydew, Watermelon) if we are able to add some raised beds along the fence line. We'll see how much progress we make during the upcoming summer months...