Summer Gardening Starts Now: Tips for Early Preparation
Why is preparing a summer garden in winter important?
It might be hard to imagine what you want to grow in summer when it’s still months away—especially if you’re a beginner gardener. Believe me, I’ve been there. I face the same question every season. But this year, I decided to try something different: I sat down and wrote out the plants I’m interested in growing.
You might be thinking, “Wow, she’s really making strides!” I know, I know—doing the hard work over here! But seriously, this small step can save you a lot of heartache and complications later in the growing season. In How to Prepare Garden Beds for Spring Planting, we touched on garden planning, but now let’s dive deeper and focus on what it takes to prepare for a successful summer harvest.
The tips I’m about to share aren’t just for summer gardening—they’re strategies you can use when planning for any season to set yourself up for success!
Why Plan for Summer Now?
2023 was the year I fully committed to gardening. I built my own raised bed, purchased two additional ones, added a vertical planter, and filled multiple patio containers. Gardening fever hit hard in March and April, but by then, I had already missed much of the early spring planting window and any proper preparation for summer. Many of the crops I dreamed of growing from seed—like eggplants, tomatoes, and peppers—were already past their recommended indoor sowing dates for my growing zone. That didn’t stop me from trying, but the results weren’t as fruitful as they could have been.
Looking back, if I had thought ahead and worked backwards from my summer goals starting in late January (Zone 7a), I could have had a more successful garden with better yields and healthier, stronger plants.
For this upcoming growing season, I’ve taken the time to list out all the plants I want to grow—right down to their specific varieties—and planned exactly where each one will be planted in my garden. I’m excited to share my top recommendations in a future post to help inspire your gardening journey!
Starting Summer Crops Indoors
As explained in 5 Seed Starting Mistakes to Avoid, we want to put our best foot forward each time we start seeds.
After outlining each variety you want to add to your garden this year, make sure the plants are well-suited for the summer season and will transition smoothly as spring crops phase out. You can plan this using simple tools like pen and paper, an online document, or a spreadsheet. Additionally, there are plenty of resources and tools available to help you design and organize your garden, making it easier to create the garden of your dreams.
I just recently discovered Epic Gardening’s new app—Garden Planner—and it’s been a game-changer! This app allows you to create a customized garden layout, plan each plant’s spacing, sowing dates, and care recommendations. I’ve used it to map out both my spring and summer gardens, ensuring I have an accurate timeline and plan to meet all my gardening goals. It offers a 7-day free trial, which I’m currently using, as well as a subscription option for ongoing access. As a fan of Epic Gardening, if this whole process seems daunting to you, their planner will be a great resource.
I am wanting to harvest Black Beauty Eggplant this summer for a variety of recipes. For zone 7a, I need to start seeds indoors at least 10-12 weeks before my last frost date, on April 20th. At the time of writing this, I could potentially start eggplant seedlings indoors now among other plants with similar start requirements. If I didn’t take the time to properly plan each vegetable, flower, herb, fruit, etc. I would miss out on a crucial growing period. Look at each crop on your list and gather all the necessary information on how to start them from seed. Don’t stress over every little detail or feel pressured to grow more than you can handle—remember, there’s always next year to try new things!
Use code ORGANICGARDENING for 10% off your seed order at Gardeners Basic.
Seed Starting Tools -
Humidity Domes - please only utilize these until your seedlings have fully germinated, then remove.
Once you have your list of varieties—when and where to plant them for your zone, depth, care, indoor versus outdoor sowing—you are ready to get started indoors. You can reference 5 Seed Starting Mistakes to Avoid, for further tips on getting started.
Preparing Garden Beds
When gardening in a more enclosed space, like a balcony, patio, or with just a few raised beds, it can be challenging to meet all your goals for each season. I’ve often found it hard to organize my garden for spring, let alone plan for summer crops at the same time. However, it’s essential to approach your space by first focusing on your early spring goals and then envision how you’ll begin incorporating your summer plants.
My plan for 2025 might seem a bit chaotic at first glance, but I’m focusing on the square-foot gardening method—we’ll cover this soon!— to maximize my small space. With just 3 raised beds and a few patio containers, every inch counts to meet the needs of my plants and reach my gardening goals. My plan was created using Epic Gardening’s Garden Planner where I can view and edit each individual plant. Creating this visual has helped me arrange each plant variety in a way that, when one finishes producing in my spring garden, I can seamlessly plant the summer crop that will take its place.
Once you’ve decided where to plant everything, it’s time to assess the current state of your garden. You can start amending your garden soil when temperatures warm up, about 4-6 weeks before your last frost date. Whether you’re starting fresh or topping off last season’s beds, it’s crucial to fill your beds and containers with nutrient-rich soil. I’ll be adding high-quality compost to level off the soil in my beds to set my garden up for success.
This is also the perfect time to clean up any debris around your garden. If you haven’t already, consider testing your soil to ensure it has all the nutrients your plants will need to thrive in the upcoming season.
Your Garden Schedule
Once you’ve compiled your list of spring and summer crops, along with their seed starting guidelines, it's time to organize everything into a schedule. Start by noting when to begin seeds and when to transplant them into your garden.
You can use the Garden Planner, a spreadsheet, or even paper – whichever works best for you. I personally recommend keeping things organized digitally with software like Google Sheets or Excel, as it allows you to easily sort by dates or growing season. However, for now, you can simply jot down your planting schedule in a notebook.
Here’s what you should include for each plant:
Plant Name
When to Sow (indoor/outdoor, specific weeks or dates)
Where to Sow (direct sow or start indoors)
Season (spring, summer, etc.)
Sowing Recommendations (depth, spacing, temperature, etc.)
Sticking to your schedule will help you stay on track and ensure that you don’t miss any seed starting windows or key care steps for your plants. With everything mapped out, you’ll be well on your way to a successful garden season!
The Garden Planner has created a customized schedule for me based on the plant varieties I've added to my garden. I’m leaning toward sticking with the app because it’s so convenient and saves me a lot of time when planning my garden.
That said, I also love the idea of keeping a personal journal. There's something special about writing everything out by hand, so I may continue doing that for my own records.
Preparing for summer gardening now not only sets you up for a successful harvest but also gives you peace of mind knowing you’re ready for the busy season ahead. By starting early and keeping track of your seed starting and transplanting schedules, you’ll be one step ahead of the game. Whether you’re using a garden planner app or jotting things down in a journal, the key is to stay organized and committed to your plan.
So, get ready to enjoy the fruits (and veggies) of your labor this summer—your garden will thank you!
