Winter Garden Prep

Free, Copy & Paste Ready Garden Planting Guide.

Every winter, I do the same thing. I collect all the leftover seeds or collected seeds from the year below, save screenshots, bookmark articles, and tell myself that this year I’m going to be really organized about the garden.

And every spring, I end up standing in my kitchen, surrounded by seed trays with half-written notes, questioning if this one is a flower or a pepper, and wondering why something that brings me so much joy also feels so overwhelming.

This year, I decided to do something different.

Instead of trying to plan the “perfect” garden, I focused on building a system that actually works for our line – one that reduces in-the-moment decisions, supports strong plants, and doesn’t require me to remember a million things off the top of my head.

So, if you’re like me – maybe this post will inspire you – or maybe even be something you outright copy – but regardless, I hope it reminds you that the garden should bring you joy… not stress.

1. Selection of Crops & Varieties

This part is a bit more art than science. Crop & variety selection are largely based off a few factors for me:

1. What does my family typically eat – and what does my current inventory look like?
2. What worked (or maybe didn’t work) last year? And was it a “me problem” or the wrong crop or variety for my garden?
3. What do I already have on hand?
4. What are my goals for the garden this year?

This is where garden planning is incredibly personal. You know your family, your goals, and your bandwidth the best. My biggest changes this year are to increase the amount of cut flowers in the garden. Last year was my first year really diving into that space, and bringing fresh cut bouquets to friends, family and coworkers brought me a ton of joy. Let’s just hope I didn’t overdo it with my plans for the year!

2. Decisions on Planting Methods

This is where your research and some experience comes in. When it comes to planting, one of the biggest decisions you can make is if you will start your seeds indoors OR direct sow them once the weather turns favorable. Some crops and varieties, that decision is already made for you. Others, there is a choice to make. So how do you know what to do?

1. Read the seed packet. A lot of varieties will tell you if there is an option, or will be very direct if there is only one right choice. So start by understanding what the recommendation is for that crop/variety.
2. Research the crops and varieties that you’ll be planting. For example, you’ll learn that crops like broccoli and lettuce and spinach fair much better when their growing season happens in the cooler part of the spring and/or fall. So getting plants established and really ready to grow and produce a crop during that cool period is key. While vine crops like pumpkins, melons, etc. have more sensitive roots, and are difficult to effectively transplant, making them better for direct sowing.
3. When in doubt – experiment! This is where you can learn year over year and try new things! Did it work well last year? If not, try the opposite way this year! There are always going to be crops/varieties you plant that either exceed or fail to meet expectations – but it’s about learning what works, making adjustments, and enjoying the process!

3. Organization

The final step for me this year was to compile a list of all the crops/varieties I want to plant next year, and organize them by start method, start timeframe, and include the important information on instructions for planting, early care and long term care instructions. I plan on printing and laminating this list and keeping it with my garden supplies as my north star for the 2026 garden season.

Final Thoughts: It never hurts to try.

This plan isn’t rigid. It’s not a rulebook. It’s a framework I can return to when life gets busy, weather changes, or something simply doesn’t go quite as planned.

And maybe that is the real takeaway – gardening isn’t about control. It’s about creating systems that support growth while leaving room for grace, curiosity, and joy.

So weather you’re staring at a pile of seed packets, or aren’t even that far down the path yet, start smaller than you think you need to. Make one decision at a time. Build something repeatable, but let it be imperfect. Slow is still progress. And wild, while given the right structure, can be incredibly abundant.

Need help getting started? View my master planting guide HERE. And if you’re curious the crops/varieties I’m using, you can find them in my Amazon storefront HERE.