Planning a Fruit Garden

Planning a fruit garden, while not an inordinately difficult task, is something that many people have a tendency to make more difficult than necessary. When you are sitting down and thinking about the types of garden that you want to have, take the time to begin planning ahead. With proper planning, even the most difficult task can be an easy one. Here are some simple guidelines that you can use to get started on planning a fruit garden that you can be proud of.

• Draw up a blue print. Before you actually sit down and begin to do any planting or digging, draw up a blue print. It doesn't need to be painstakingly exact or to scale, though the more exact that it is, then the easier it will be for you to decide where everything should go. As you fill out your blue print, take the time to consider things like where your home is, the slope of the ground, any trees in the area, bushes, and so on. Remember that the better you make your blue print, the better you can make your eventual garden. In fact, this blue print could be seen as the key element in planning a fruit garden that is truly wondrous.
• Choose your plants. Part of planning a fruit garden is choosing your plants carefully. Don't just grab some fruit that looks pretty, and that you think will taste great. Take time to do your homework and learn what kinds of fruit will grow best in your particular hardiness zone, and in the average climate that you experience. Choose your plants accordingly, plant them properly, and you will be well on the way to a successful fruit garden.
• Over crowding is bad. One of the biggest mistakes that people make when planning a fruit garden is that they overcrowd it. By trying to cram in as many plants as possible, into a relatively small place, you are virtually guaranteeing that your garden will not succeed. Simply put, leave some space between each of the plants, but only as much as that specific plant type needs.
• Group your plants according to type. Not all fruit plants are going to require the same types of feeding, or watering. As much as you are able to, group the plants according to type so that you can make the feeding and watering routine as easy as possible. On the plus side, this will also help with pollination and propagation of the plants as well.