Garden Planning UK
How to plan a productive UK vegetable garden — layout, companion planting, succession sowing, soil, and regional timing guides.
Growing advice verified against RHS guidance by the SoilCommander Growing Team.
🤝 Companion Planting
Which crops help each other grow — and which to keep apart. Includes a full companion planting chart for UK vegetables.
Companion Planting Guide →🗂️ Succession Sowing
How to stagger sowings for a continuous harvest instead of a single glut. Which crops respond best and how to schedule them.
Succession Planting Guide →🗳️ Garden Layout
Bed widths, path widths, tall-crop positioning, and the six most common layout mistakes UK gardeners make.
Layout Mistakes to Avoid →🪨 Best Soil for Vegetables
What ideal vegetable garden soil looks like, how to improve what you have, and which compost to use for sowing vs growing.
Best Soil Guide →🗺️ Regional Gardening
How timing, crop choice, and strategy differ across the UK — from Cornwall to the Scottish Highlands.
UK Regional Guide →📖 Glossary & FAQ
Gardening terms explained in plain English, plus answers to the questions UK gardeners ask most.
Gardening Glossary →🧰 Tools & Prep
Essential kit for starting seeds and preparing beds before you sow.
Key Principles for Planning a UK Vegetable Garden
- Rotate every year — never grow the same plant family in the same bed two years running
- Beds no wider than 1.2m — so you can reach the centre without compacting the soil
- Tall crops on the north side — so they don't shade shorter crops from the southern sun
- Succession sow fast crops — lettuce, radishes, and rocket every 2–3 weeks to avoid a glut
- Plan for regional timing — south England can be 4–6 weeks ahead of Scotland
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I start when planning a UK vegetable garden?
Start with your layout and crop rotation plan before choosing individual crops -- see our garden layout guide for bed sizing and family zones, then use the UK vegetable planting calendar to slot in sowing dates.
Do I need to rotate crops in a small garden?
Yes -- the trick in a small footprint is scheduling, not space. Group your beds (or even just sections of one bed) by crop family, then rotate which section each family occupies on a 3-4 year cycle -- write the plan down, since a small plot makes it easy to lose track from year to year. See our companion planting guide for which families to group together.
How do I keep vegetables cropping all season instead of gluts?
Succession sow fast crops like lettuce, radishes and rocket every 2-3 weeks rather than all at once -- see our succession sowing guide for a full schedule.
Does my region affect how I should plan my garden?
Yes -- southern England can be 4-6 weeks ahead of Scotland for sowing and harvest windows. See our regional and seasonal gardening guide to adjust dates for your area.
The UK Vegetable Garden Planner PDF
Crop rotation charts, bed layouts, sowing schedules, and spacing tables for every crop in the planner — all in one printable PDF.
Get the UK Garden Planner →