One of the lessons that gardening can teach your children is the value of planning.

Like many jobs (painting, for instance), the planning and preparation may take as long as, and be even more important than, the actual work of brushing on the paint or putting the seed into the ground.

Considering the following factors in planning your garden will save you time, money, and energy.

 •  Look at seed catalogs, displays of seed packets, gardening books, or the Internet to become familiar with different varieties of garden vegetables.

 •  Visit garden centers and nurseries.

 •  Talk to experienced gardeners in your area.

Invite grandparents or another family to dinner to share their gardening know-how with you.

Discuss as a family:

 •  What vegetables does your family like to eat?

Browse through Burpee's online catalog of many varieties and characteristics of vegetables.

 •  What vegetables offer greater health benefits and should be included in your diet?

Burpee's Nutritional Guide lists fruits and vegetables by color categories with their main nutrients, plus those specific to each vegetable and their health benefits. Also includes growing tips for each vegetable.

The USDA National Nutrient Database lists all nutrients of most foods in many different forms (e.g., there are 19 listings for "carrot").  The Nutrient Lists are sorted either by food description or in descending order by nutrient content in terms of common household measures.

 •  What vegetables can offer the best savings or superior quality compared to bought produce?

 •  What vegetables do you have space to grow?

 •  What vegetables grow best in your climate?  (Check with local gardeners and suppliers.)

You do not have to plant all the seeds in each seed packet you buy. Consider the following questions and then see the back of the seed packet for the expected yield of each vegetable.

 •  How much can your family eat fresh as it is harvested?

 •  How much do you want to give away or sell?

 •  How much do you want to preserve by canning, freezing, or drying?

 •  How much time do you have to devote to garden care?

Estimate the number of hours per day or week that your garden care will take.

 •  How much money are you able and willing to spend on garden supplies and water?

Make a budget.

 •  Who will be responsible?

Assign specific chores or a section of your garden to specific family members.

 •  Determine how much space you need to grow the types and amounts of vegetables you have chosen.

For example, if you grow corn or spreading pumpkin and squash, you will need much more space than just a "salad garden" of lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, radishes, cucumbers, and carrots.

 •  Determine how much money, time, energy, and commitment will be required for the size of your garden.

Novice gardeners need to start small; however, "small" has been suggested to be anywhere between 12'x16' to 20'x30'.

 •  Find a space that gets 8 hours of sun (unshaded by buildings or trees), adequate water supply, and good drainage.

 •  If you do not have a lot of space, consider planting in borders around your lawn, in containers (e.g., tomatoes) or on trellises, and in several smaller patches.

Small, well-maintained gardens with successive planting can produce more than large gardens that are overridden with weeds.

Read suggestions for Urban Gardening and Growing Vegetables in Containers.

 •  Draw your garden to scale on graph paper and label each row.

Use 1/4 inch = 1 foot or tape two pieces of paper together and use a larger scale.

 •  Make three maps for spring, summer, and fall plantings, or use one map with color codes for each of the succession plantings.

 •  Allocate space for each vegetable based on its yield and the amount you can use.

Check the planting and maturing time for early and late vegetables to see if you can make a second planting after the first is harvested.

 •  Draw space for each vegetable in rows (narrow or wide) or in blocks.

 •  Draw space for paths between rows or every other row.

Be sure you and your children can comfortably reach all the plants from the paths.

 •  Mark your rows to run east and west, with the taller vegetables on the north side.

 •  Group vegetables together according to similar need.

Some plants do well with overhead watering; others do not.

Read Companion Planting: Basic Concept and Resources.

Planning a Garden discusses all aspects of this topic.

How-To Info's Planning a Garden lists many articles on different types of gardens.

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 •  Rototill or shovel your garden plot to a depth of 6-12".

 •  Fertilize.

Learn about the basic nutrients in all plant fertilizers (N - nitrogen; P - phosphorus, and K - potassium), as well as calcium, sulfur, and magnesium, and what mix is best for which vegetables and your health.

Balancing Soil Nutrition explains the functions of each nutrient, and Nutrient Deficiency Problem Solver lists symptoms and solutions.

 •  Ask a garden expert or your local Cooperative Extension System about testing the pH level of your soil and the necessity of adding lime to reduce the acidity.

 •  Add humus (decayed or decaying plant matter) to improve your soil texture if necessary.

Buy humus or make your own by composting.  Read Making Compost or free e-book Composting for Kids, a clear explanation of the process.

 •  When soil is fine and crumbly, rake smooth.

 •  Following your plan, stake out your garden using 12"-18" stakes and string to mark off rows.

Use a wide permanent marker to write the names of the vegetables on the stakes.

 •  Assemble, clean, and sharpen tools.

A handy, designated place for each tool will help your children to put them away after each use.  See Care of Gardening Tools.

 •  It might be worthwhile to fence your garden to protect it from pets, children, and wildlife.

 •  Buy quality seeds for varieties that will grow well in your area.

 •  You may need to start some plants indoors.

Read Tomato Seed Starting Tips and Which Plants Should Be Started Indoors?

 •  Some vegetables, such as tomatoes, grow better if started from a plant.

 •  Be sure to check directions for planting each vegetable— how deep and how far apart the seeds should be sown and thinned.

 •  Make your own seed tapes for effective planting of tiny seeds.

See instructions from Youth Gardening and Organic Gardening.

 •  Space your plantings two weeks apart for vegetables you want to eat fresh throughout the growing season.

Organic Gardening's How-to Soil Techniques.

Growing Zone Finder

Zone Maps of the World

 •  Water your plants regularly to keep them growing.

 •  Spread a layer of grass clippings or other mulch around your vegetable plants to reduce weeds and conserve moisture.

Easy Gardening: Mulching provides four pages of simple and practical information.

 •  Add fertilizer to crops as needed.

 •  Pull or hoe weeds while they are small so they will not compete with your vegetables for water, nutrients, and sunlight.

See Weeding Tips and Weeds: An Organic Strategy.

 •  Thin seedlings as soon as possible to provide room for your plants to grow.

 •  Control pests, without harmful pesticides if possible:

Order ladybugs and lacewings.

Attract toads and birds to your garden.

Plant marigolds, nasturtiums, and mint.

Shake large beetles onto a sheet of plastic.

Pick off snails by hand.

The Pest Control Library identifies pest problems such as bugs, diseases, animals, and ways to control them.

The following websites contain a wealth of information that will help you maintain your garden.

Maintaining a Vegetable Garden

Easy Gardening Series

Better Homes and Gardens Vegetable & Fruit Gardening

Organic Gardening Articles on Growing Techniques

Food Gardening Guide: Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs

National Gardening's Biweekly Regional Reports

Keep a notebook, scrapbook, or journal to record details of your garden. Items to include:

 •  Your garden plans.

 •  Packets that contained the seeds you planted.

 •  Photos or drawings of plants as they grow.

 •  Schedule of plantings.

 •  Notes about everything you did in your garden.

 •  Inventory of supplies, where they were bought, and the price.

Cindy Rushton shares her wisdom and experience concerning the whys and hows of Scrapbooking, Notebooking and Nature Notebooks.