Choosing what to plant in your garden can be a fun and creative process that allows you to design your space in a way that works for you. However, with so much choice it can be difficult to know what to plant and where, especially if you’re a new gardener. If you’re not sure where to begin, consider combining beauty and functionality in your choices.
You may have heard the refrain ‘right plant, right place.’ Choosing the right plant is the most important aspect to get right to ensure your success in the garden. Plants have different requirements in terms of sunlight exposure, shade tolerance, water needs, wind tolerance, as well as many other factors. Exposure to wildlife, pets, children and many more variables can affect the health, longevity and survival of your plants.
Read on for some tips on how to decide what to plant in your garden.
Key Takeaways
1. How to Choose Annuals, Perennials or Biennials
First off you’ll need to think about what kind of things you want to grow.
Do you want to grow a vegetable patch? Fruit trees? Or an ornamental garden? Or a combination? Getting clear on what you want is a vital first step in your planning. You might find it helpful to make a list and a sketch of what you have in mind.
Annual plants grow for one season and then die. These types include many popular ornamental flowers as well as many favorites such as tomatoes. Biennials grow for one year and then flower and die the next, whereas perennials persist for many years without having to be replanted.
2. Choosing the Right Plant in the Right Place
The idea is that if you plant the right plant in the right place, it will thrive with the least amount of input from you. You’ll have to find out your growing zone, with information such as climatic variation (heat highs and lows) rainfall (floods, droughts) and other factors such as wind direction and your soil type. Remember that the angle of the sun changes throughout the year, the further you are from the equator the greater the seasonal change, so bear this in mind.
If you have the time, to monitor the angle of the sun in relation to your garden at the summer and winter solstice, then you’ll know the high and low points and can plan accordingly. Or you can take the modern approach and use a sun angle calculator online.
As a rule, most annual vegetables such as peppers, aubergine (eggplant) tomatoes etc require full sun. Leafy greens tend to need partial shade to develop big rich and juicy leaves. How much sun a specific plant needs will depend on the area you live in, except for annual vegetables (most) of which need as much sun as possible.
3. Adjust To Your Climate
Full sun doesn’t necessarily mean sun all the time, so take the advice you read with a pinch of salt! ‘Full sun’ typically means 6-8 hours of direct sun a day, but this can vary depending on where you live. For example, growers in hot, arid, deserts will need to provide more shade than more northerly gardeners with cooler, wetter climates, where the sun's rays are not so harsh.
4. See What Neighbors Are Growing
If you’re new to gardening and aren’t sure what to plant, consider seeing what neighbours are planting. Learning what grows well in your area is a good place to start and can help keep you motivated by getting some quick and easy wins! Speaking to people in the community can help with this as they can have specialized local knowledge to help you with knowing what to plant and when.
5. Maintenance
It’s important to be realistic in deciding how much maintenance and upkeep you can do on your garden. Certain plants require more specialized knowledge and upkeep than others.
If you’re just starting, consider choosing hardy species such as herbs like basil, rosemary, mint or vegetables like radishes and lettuce for example, that will thrive without too much pampering.
Factor in things like fertility when planning, as some species will require more nutrients than others to grow big, strong and healthy. This will also eat into your time, so factor this into your planning. The more experienced you get, the easier it’ll be to factor all these things in, so don’t worry if it seems like a lot at the minute.
6. Experiment
Once you gain confidence and experience, don’t be afraid to experiment. It’s normal to make mistakes and lose some plants; this is just part of the process. Join gardening groups online, watch YouTube videos and join local groups in and around your area if there are any. If there aren’t, then consider starting one! Share seeds, successes and failures, hopes, dreams and everything in between.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Deciding what to plant in a garden can be daunting at first, especially if you’re new to gardening. Start by getting to know your environment and its constraints and limitations. Learn your USDA zone, your soil type, how to make compost, and what factors can affect plant health. Start by deciding what types of plants you’d like, such as vegetables and herbs, ornamentals, aromatics, fruit trees or a mix. Start slow and steady if you’re new, without biting off more than you can chew, and before you know it, you’ll be a gardening pro!
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