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Garden Planning, Succession & Crop RotationGarden Mapping Calendar
A garden map is the cheapest planning tool you can own. Drawn in winter, checked in spring and updated in fall, it keeps rotation, spacing and succession from living only in your head.
Key points
- Draw a base map with north, a scale and fixed features before planning crops.
- Check sun and shade at several times of day and in different seasons.
- Mark drainage, soil test areas and water sources, and call 811 before digging in the United States.
- Keep a map for each year and use it to rotate plant families.
- Update the map after planting and again in fall.
Why map your garden?
A map shows how much space you really have, which beds got which crops and where problems appeared. Without one, rotation becomes guesswork, because few people remember where tomatoes grew two years ago.
A map also lets you plan on paper before you dig. Moving a bed on a drawing costs nothing, and moving it in the ground costs a weekend.
Even a rough sketch is better than nothing. Start with a pencil drawing on a clipboard, and redraw it neatly in winter when you have time to think about the whole garden at once.
What do you need to measure first?
Measure the outer edges of the garden, each bed, the paths and any fixed features such as fences, faucets, sheds, trees and downspouts. Record measurements in the same unit throughout and mark north on the sheet.
Graph paper helps. Pick a scale such as one square for a set number of inches or feet, and write it on the page so you can read it later.
A long tape measure and a helper make the job faster. Stakes and string mark bed edges outdoors while you check the proportions on paper, and a phone photo of the layout is a handy backup.
- Outer edges and bed sizes
- Paths, gates and water sources
- Trees, buildings and fences that cast shade
- Slope and places where water collects
When should you map sun and shade?
Sun changes with the seasons, so one look is not enough. Check the garden in the morning, midday and afternoon, and again in early spring, midsummer and fall if you can. Mark the areas that get full sun, partial sun and shade on the map.
This matters for crop choice and placement. Tall crops can shade shorter ones, and trees leaf out later than you expect, so a bed that is sunny in April may be shaded in June.
How do you mark soil, water and drainage?
Note where water pools after heavy rain, where soil dries first and where your soil test samples came from. Label results by area, because soil can vary over short distances.
Add the location of irrigation lines and faucets. Follow local water rules, and call your local utility locating service, reached by dialing 811 in the United States, before digging anywhere new.
Walk the garden after a heavy rain with your map in hand. Mark every puddle, every muddy path and every spot that stays dry, since those notes guide bed placement and crop choice better than any guess.
How do you use the map for crop rotation?
Make a copy of the base map for each year and write the crop family in each bed. Rotating plant families helps reduce the build-up of pests and diseases that favor a particular group. Keep a minimum of several years of maps so you can look back.
A simple color code for plant families makes patterns visible at a glance. Your extension office can explain which crops belong to each family and suggest rotation schedules that suit your space.
When should you update the map?
Update it at three points: in spring after planting, when you write what actually went in; in summer if you change something; and in fall, when you note what grew well and what failed. A map that is only drawn once becomes wrong quickly.
Store it with your journal or seed inventory so everything for the season lives in one place. Take a photo of the finished version as a backup.
If you grow with others, share a copy so everyone writes on the same plan. Clear labels and dates prevent arguments about what grew where last year.
What mapping mistakes cause trouble later?
Common mistakes include forgetting to mark north, skipping the scale, leaving out paths, drawing beds at their ideal rather than real size and not dating the sheet. Another is mapping only what you planned, not what you planted.
Fix these by keeping a clean base map and a working copy for notes. When in doubt, go outside and re-measure.
Digital tools such as free drawing programs or a spreadsheet grid work well too, as long as you save a dated copy each season.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 2026. Educational information, ranges only. Confirm timing with your county extension office.