My Garden Plans For 2026
Well, we’ve made it through the first month of the new year. If you missed it, I talked about my goals for 2026 here.
Four years ago we bought a property, and I started creating my garden spaces. I didn’t start with a clean slate, there was already a strawberry bed and an orchard started. So, I just continued creating. I’ve been working on turning that orchard into a food forest, added a few more garden spaces, and plants throughout the property.
This year I really do want to expand our food production, for us and the pollinators. But I don’t really want to add anymore spaces, just want to focus on improving the ones I already have.
My Garden Plans For 2026
Here’s what I have planned for the garden this year.
front Garden Beds/Rows
When we bought the property, this raised bed full of strawberries was already well established. Over the past couple years I’ve been working on smothering the grass around the bed and building the soil. I’ve got three good rows going and will continue adding compost and mulch to the soil.
This year I will work on putting wood chips down for a path, and putting the fence up to keep out animals. I also want to purchase more hoops/cover to expand the growing season. I can’t grow anything too tall here, that would block the solar panels.
Here’s the plants I plan on growing in this area;
- Strawberries – will replant the runners. Did you know strawberry plants typically only produce for about 4 years?
- I’ve already got snapdragons, calendula, borage and hollyhocks growing in the area
- Cool season crops – carrots, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, bok choy, leeks, onions, kohlrabi, beets, salad greens, radish
- Celery
- Basil
- Squash
Container Area On Back Slope
Most of our property is on slopes, we will eventually terrace this area. But for now, I put in a raised bed, and containers. Of course I also have to fence it in, if we want to eat any of the produce.
What I’ll be growing here this year;
- All my peppers and tomatoes grown in containers. I’ve found these plants work great for containers and this area gets a lot of sun.
- Tomatillos
- Okra
- Sunflowers
- Melon
- A basil plant or two
Small Raised Bed & shed area
The solar panels are to the left of this area, and I wanted to prevent eroding here, so my dad put in this wall and raised bed last year. I was able to put in a few flowers here for the pollinators, and that’s my plan again this year.
I’ve also got my Greenstalk planter here, and a few containers that I grow a ton of herbs in. In this area I grow; thyme, oregano, chives, mint, tarragon, and marjoram.
Food Forest
My food forest has been a fun project; the previous owners did plant most of the fruit trees, grapes, and some berries. I’ve been working on turning it into a food forest the past four years. My main goal is to grow lots of perennials here, and so far I’ve got;
- Fruit trees – cherry, apple, plum, pear
- Berries – raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, currant
- Grapes
- Elderberries
- Rhubarb
- Asparagus
- Herbs, Flowers & Medicinals – mint, rosemary, lavender, thyme, oregano, sage, anise hyssop, lemon balm, mullein, stinging nettle, queen annes lace, lilies, honeysuckle, dahlias, borage, calendula, bleeding hearts, daffodils, peonies, foxglove
My goal for this area, is to just clean up all the weeds and lay woodchips down. Get more familiar with my bees. This year I’ll probably plant a few more herbs, artichokes, and I’ve got 2 garden beds that I’m going to put down there to grow some annuals. I know I want to grow some pole beans and squash down there. Although I do welcome the wildlife into my garden/yard, I also don’t want them eating all my food, so protection is a must.
memorial garden 
I was gifted a few of my mom’s favorite plants after she unexpectedly passed away this summer. So, I decided to turn this little area into my memorial garden for her with a few of her favorite plants. A dogwood tree is the center, with some flowers around and then I’ll add some kind of sculpture and any heart rocks we find.
