The first step to starting your garden is to do an inventory of what you have and make a list of what you need. You’ll want to list all of your seeds, tools, supplies, and space. Here’s an example…
| Category | Item | Qty | Notes |
| Seeds | Kale | ~400 seeds | saved from last year, can start indoors in Jan. |
| Seeds | Broccoli | ~100 seeds | expires 2022, can start indoors in Jan. |
| Seeds | Turnip | ~50 seeds | expired 2021, start outdoors Feb 15-Mar 10 |
| Seeds | Beans, Pole | ~300 seeds | expires 2023, start outdoors Apr 7 |
| Seeds | Basil | ~1000 seeds | saved from last year, indoors Feb 15, outdoors Apr 7 |
| Seeds | Tomato, Roma | ~50 seeds | expires 2022, indoors Jan 30, outdoors Apr 7 |
| Tools | Shovels | 2 | One regular, one sharp-shooter |
| Tools | Garden hose | 2 | One needs repair |
| Tools | Wheel Barrow | 1 | Flat tire, just needs air |
| Supplies | Drip hose connector | 3 | need more |
| Supplies | Drip hose | 100 ft | plenty |
| Supplies | Starter pots | 50 | 30 small, 20 large |
| Supplies | Starter trays | 10 | most have holes, need solid trays |
| Space | Bed #1 | 100 sq ft | herb garden, could be planted more densely |
| Space | Bed #2 | 200 sq ft | Needs compost and mulch asap |
| Space | Bed #3 | 300 sq ft | Dormant Asparagus, room for interplanting |
| Space | Bed #4 | 400 sq ft | Pea cover crop looks good |
| Space | Hoop House | 200 sq ft | Needs compost and mulch asap |
Next you’ll make a plan for what you’ll plant, where, and when. Try to use up the seeds you already have and see how much room you’ll have to plant other things. You can make a map or just a list. Here’s an example…
| Location | January-February | March-April | September-October |
| Bed #1 | start more herbs indoors | transplant herbs to bed | leave herbs |
| Bed #2 | start kale and broccoli indoors | transplant to bed | leave kale |
| Bed #3 | interplant winter peas | asparagus will come up | interplant winter peas |
| Bed #4 | leave cover crop | plant corn, pole beans, zucchini | plant turnips, butternut squash |
| Hoop House | start basil and tomatoes indoors | transplant basil and tomatoes | plant kale and broccoli |
Then you can make a shopping list for what you need. It can help to estimate the costs so you can prioritize what you need the most. Here’s an example…
| Item | Cost | Priority |
| Compost, two cubic yards | $100 | High |
| Mulch, 6 straw bales | $60 | High |
| Starter trays, 10 pack | $30 | High |
| Garden hose repair kit | $10 | Medium |
| Drip hose connectors 20 pk | $10 | Medium |
| Zucchini Seeds, packet | $6 | Medium |
| Heirloom Corn Seeds, 1 lb bag | $20 | Medium |
| Butternut squash Seeds, packet | $6 | Low |
| Herb seeds (cilantro, parsley, thyme) | $15 | Low |
| Winter Peas, 5 lb bag | $15 | Low |
| Total: | $272 |
Now that’s a plan! Here are some resource to help you get started…
OSU Planting Guides
https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/oklahoma-garden-planning-guide.html
https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/culinary-herbs-for-oklahoma-gardens.html
Cool apps for Garden Planning
https://gardenplanner.almanac.com/
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.perculacreative.peter.gardenplanner
