Printable Garden Planning Kit

Bed measurements worksheet

Start with the bed itself. Record inside dimensions rather than frame outside dimensions, because the growing area is what the plan describes. Note bed width and how you reach the middle from each side, since access affects how the bed is laid out. Also record what is underneath: an open-bottom bed over soil is different from a bed over a hard surface, and roots in an open-bottom bed may continue into the soil below.

Frame height is not the same as total root depth. The raised-bed guidance gives different depth advice for beds over hard surfaces, so write down the surface and the frame height separately. If you plan a compost and topsoil blend, the guide describes 1:2 or 1:1 options; record which blend you intend to use and assess the actual materials rather than treating the ratio as a guarantee.

1. Measure inside length and width and write them on the worksheet.
2. Note reach distance from each accessible side and any sides you cannot reach.
3. Record the surface under the bed and the frame height as separate entries.
4. Write the fill depth you intend to use and the blend option you are considering.

Source context: University of Maryland Extension

Planting notes worksheet

Use the planting notes sheet to connect each crop to a date and a reason. A planning date must match the crop, the variety, frost risk and your location, so record all four rather than a bare date. Note whether the days-to-maturity figure on the packet starts at sowing or at transplanting, because that differs by crop.

Keep the notes as a working record: crop, variety, intended sowing or transplanting date, and the frost or location assumption behind it. When a date changes, write the change and the reason instead of erasing the original entry.

1. List each crop and variety on its own row.
2. Record the intended date and whether it refers to sowing or transplanting.
3. Note the frost risk and location assumption behind the date.
4. Mark whether the days-to-maturity label counts from sowing or transplanting.

Source context: University of Maryland Extension

Material shopping list worksheet

The shopping list turns your measurements into quantities you can check before buying. The supplied example is geometrical only: inside dimensions 8 ft by 4 ft with a level fill depth of 12 in gives 32 cubic feet, which is about 1.185 cubic yards, and 2 cubic foot bags give 16 whole bags with no allowance. That example shows how the arithmetic works; it is not a recommendation for any particular bed or crop.

Package label units govern volume conversions, so read the bag or bulk listing before converting. Decide and record your own allowance for settling, uneven fill or rounding, and note it on the sheet so the total is reproducible. If your bed is open-bottom over soil, the fill depth you record is the depth you intend to place, not a claim about total root depth.

1. Enter inside length, width and intended fill depth.
2. Calculate volume and convert using the units printed on the package label.
3. Record any allowance you choose and show it as a separate line.
4. Round bag counts up to whole bags and write the final order quantity.

Source context: University of Maryland Extension

Printing and using the worksheets

Print the worksheets from the browser, or download the SVG versions to print or fill in as you prefer. There is no cloud account and nothing is saved for you, so keep completed sheets with your garden records and print a new set when you start the next plan. Check each sheet against your measurements before you buy materials or commit to dates.

1. Print or download the SVG worksheets you need.
2. Fill in measurements and notes, then review them against the bed and the seed packets.
3. File the completed set with your garden records.

Source context: University of Maryland Extension · University of Maryland Extension