Building Your 2026 Garden Plan - Ep. 282

Building Your 2026 Garden Plan - Ep. 282

Author: Karin Velez January 6, 2026 Duration: 33:30
If you’ve ever stared at a seed catalog in January and thought, “I want all of it,” and then somehow ended up with a garden that felt chaotic by mid-summer, today’s episode is for you.Because most “garden planning” advice starts with the fun part—varieties, colors, wish lists—and then we wonder why the plan falls apart when real life shows up.So today on Just Grow Something, we’re going to flip the order.I’m going to give you four questions that can lead you to an actual usable plan. These questions help you decide what to grow, where it goes, when it happens, and how to keep the plan realistic for the space and time you actually have.And the best part is you can use these four questions whether you garden in a single planter, a few raised beds, or a bigger in-ground plot.Let's dig in!References and Resources:My Plan Like A Pro Course is Open for Registration: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/proHow to Plan Your Raised Bed Garden, Ep. 269: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/how-to-plan-a-raised-bed-garden-ep-269Seven Steps to Planning Your Entire Garden Year - Ep. 234: https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/episode/7-steps-to-planning-your-entire-garden-year-ep-234Virginia Cooperative Extension (2025). “Planning the Vegetable Garden.” VCE Publications: https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-312/426-312.htmlWashington State University Extension (2015). “Crop Rotation in Home Gardens” (PDF): https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2070/2015/08/Crop-Rotation-in-Home-Gardens.pdfPenn State Extension (2023). “Keeping a Garden Journal.”: https://extension.psu.edu/keeping-a-garden-journal/Just Grow Something: https://justgrowsomething.comJust Grow Something Merch and Downloads: https://justgrowsomething.com/shopJust Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/18YgHveF5P/ Check out how you can become a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JustGrowSomethingBonus content for supporters of the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/justgrowsomethingAmazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justgrowsomething

Ever find yourself staring at a seed packet or a struggling tomato plant, wondering what it really needs to thrive? Just Grow Something | Evidence-Based Home Gardening digs into those questions, moving beyond folklore and guesswork. Host Karin Velez believes that understanding the science behind gardening-the "why" as much as the "how"-empowers you to become a more confident and successful grower. Each episode feels like a conversation with a knowledgeable friend, one who sifts through research and practical experience to offer clear, actionable advice. You’ll hear detailed discussions on everything from soil health and specific plant varieties to managing pests and planning your garden layout effectively. This podcast is designed for anyone with a patch of dirt or a few containers, whether you’ve been cultivating for decades or are just planting your first herb. Karin’s approach demystifies the process of growing your own food, making it accessible and deeply rewarding. The ultimate aim is simple but profound: to equip you with the reliable knowledge needed to harvest something delicious from your own space, season after season. Tune in for a grounded, thoughtful take on home gardening that celebrates both the triumphs and the learning moments inherent in getting your hands dirty.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Just Grow Something | Evidence-Based Home Gardening
Podcast Episodes
Essential Seed Starting Supplies (and one scam) - Ep. 236 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:24
FIRST TEN ORDERS IN FEBRUARY: Save 40% on your Magic Mind subscription! https://magicmind.com/GROWSOMETHING40 with code GROWSOMETHING40 We talked last week about how to time our seed starting so we can get a jump on the…
How to Time Indoor Seed Starting - Ep. 235 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:03
Once those seed orders are rolling in, your garden plan is shaping up, and the days slowly get a little bit longer, we start to get restless. We want to get our hands in the dirt! This leads to the temptation to get star…
7 Steps to Planning Your Entire Garden Year - Ep. 234 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:50
Get 45% off the Magic Mind Mental and Sleep Performance bundle with my link:https://www.magicmind.com/GROWSOMETHINGJAN All this month we’ve been talking about garden planning because it’s that time. The slower month of J…
How Many Plants Do You Need? - Ep. 232 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:37
Last week we defined our “why” for gardening as a way to help determine our goals. Part of that goal requires us to think about the types of things we want to grow in our garden and the number of people we’re feeding in…
Setting Goals and Budgets for the Garden - Ep. 231 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:51
Okay, my gardening friend, tell me this: why are you gardening? Did you start gardening during the pandemic because everything was locked down and you were at home all the time and needed some sort of contact with anothe…
Top 5 Episodes, an Honorable Mention, and an All-Time Favorite [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:53
I went back through the episodes for this season and looked at the statistics to find which episodes really stood out for you guys this year and thought I would share those so, if you really need a garden podcast fix thi…
Attracting Pollinators and Predators to the Garden - Ep. 229 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:40
If you’ve ever had shrunken ends on your zucchini or curled ends on your cucumbers, then you have seen the results of a lack of pollination. This doesn’t always mean we don’t have enough pollinators, sometimes it means t…
Integrated Pest Management in the Home Garden - Ep. 228 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:35
Save up to 48% on your Magic Mind subscription! https://magicmind.com/GROWSOMETHING20 with code GROWSOMETHING20 What is your biggest problem in the garden? If you’re like most gardeners, this can be any number of things…