Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Inspiration

HappySprout may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

7 garden planning apps that will simplify your growing season schedule

Apps that will help your vegetable garden thrive

Niko Vercelletto
By

With spring already here and summer quickly approaching, you may have big plans for your garden in the coming months. However, you may not know how to make your dream garden a reality. If that’s the case, then a garden planning app may be the solution. There are a multitude of apps available covering topics ranging from what to plant to how to lay out a garden.

The best part? Many have low upfront costs while most are outright free. You may encounter a few that require a subscription fee, but we promise that the convenience and help they provide is worth the cost. With just a swipe on a touchscreen, you can have a garden planning app guide to help you when summer hits.

Child watering plants

Armitage’s Great Garden Plants

Platforms: Google Play and App Store

Cost: $4.99

If you want advice from one of the best authorities on gardening, then you have to get this app. For $5, you’ll have knowledge right at your fingertips from Allan Armitage, a professor of horticulture at the University of Georgia. The app provides the exact landscape and ornamental plants you should choose for every garden setting. You can also learn how to control pests, what to do if hungry animals wander into your garden, and how to grow native plants.

Related
Person harvesting summer crops

Kitchen Garden Planner at Gardener’s Supply

Platforms: Online Tool

Cost: Free

For a free online tool, this garden planner is one of the best options out there. It can help you create a new vegetable garden or update an old bed. You can save, share, email, and print out your design for future use. The planner will also let you know what plants to buy for your garden and provide planting tips for how to properly grow them. This is an incredible tool for anyone who wants to start growing their own vegetables.

Garden Manager

Platforms: Online Tool

Cost: Subscription plan (Free, $6 per month, or $7.50 per month)

If you’re the type of person who could kill a cactus — but don’t want to give up growing your own vegetables and plants — then this subscription service is worth the cost. This is a virtual gardening coach that guides you through a list of questions so you know how, what, when, and where to plant. There are three levels of the subscription service, unlocking more features the higher you go. The free plan lets you create a basic gardening plan while the highest tier has cool features such as sending you reminders about the weather so you know when to cover your plants or expose them to the sun.

small yard with well designed landscaping

Garden Planner

Platforms: Windows and Mac

Cost: $38 with free trial

Sometimes you need to get down on paper (well, screen) your ideas and goals. This program, available for both Windows and Mac, lets you design your garden and the surrounding landscape by choosing where to locate different items — trees, fences, decking, paths, and anything else — with an interface that allows you to easily drag, drop, and remove whatever you want. There is also a feature that lets you plan out a vegetable garden so you know exactly how much space you need. The best part? It comes with a free trial so you can decide if the program is worth the $38 fee.

Child in garden

Garden Planner at Territorial Seed

Platforms: Mac/iOS

Cost: Subscription plan ($40 for 1 year or $70 for 2 years)

One of the more powerful online garden planners out there, this website tool and mobile app let’s you draw plans for a vegetable garden of any size, get emails or notifications reminding you about your plants needs, and allows you to interact with other gardeners using the service. The tool also contains a disease and pest database so you can quickly identify and eliminate any annoying critters. Lastly, it will also check the forecast in your area and give you tips and reminders about how to protect your plants from the day’s weather.

Tomato plant preparing for harvest

Smart Gardener

Platforms: Online Tool, Google Play, and Apple App Store

Cost: Subscription plan ($10 for 90-day access or $30 for 1 year)

If you have a tough time deciding what to plant in your vegetable garden then, for a small fee, this online planner and app will become your best friend. You can take your garden from the dreams inside your head to harvest day. The planner will track the daily garden tasks and send you reminders about when to do them so you never forget again. The app also lets you record your own notes and photos so you can accurately keep track of your progress.

Recommended Videos

Cabbage crop with mulch

Gardena My Garden Planner

Platforms: Online Tool

Cost: Free

One of the more basic planners on this list, this web-based tool from a garden company located in the U.K. lets you draw and plan out your landscaping and garden by using a drag-and-drop interface to place items like grass, paving, furniture, fountains, and many other things. It also shows you the rough size of your mature plants so you can plan for the future. While this planner does not have many in-depth features, you can’t beat free.

You could try to create your dream garden by yourself, but why work harder then you have to? There are many resources out there beyond the seven apps and guides we listed here. Test them all out and see which one you like the best for your space and your goals. No matter which approach you choose, you will accomplish your dream garden with a little time and effort.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Niko Vercelletto
Niko Vercelletto
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Niko Vercelletto lives in Lansing, Michigan. He is passionate about going into depressive spirals thanks to the Detroit Lions…
Grow your indoor or outdoor garden and support these Black-owned plant shops for Black History Month
Get your next leafy friend from one of these Black-owned companies
Various plants on different stands

If you're a plant parent, you buy your supplies and new baby plants from somewhere. So, instead of the chain stores, consider supporting Black-owned plant shops to get your leafy friends everything they need to thrive. Check out any of these Black-owned companies to find your next plant addition no matter where you are, because every one of these businesses ships all over the U.S.

Grounded
Mignon Hemsley and Danuelle Doswell started this beautiful plant company in 2020 to help create a calmer space in homes through the addition of greenery. If you have no idea where to start, Grounded offers complimentary 15-minute consultations to get you going. It has a subscription option for the more adventurous plant parent, and if you have fur babies at home, look at their pet-safe options so you won't have to worry about a curious nose.
Crazy Plant Bae
From plants to planters to a subscription box, Crazy Plant Bae has a little of everything. No matter how green your thumb is, you'll find something to fit your budget and space. Get the kids involved in gardening and sign them up for one of the workshops, or have them visit your child in their classroom. But the best part about this company is that it's a Black women-run business with its third generation of family members, and it has over 40 years of service at your disposal.
deVINE Plantery
If you want easy-to-care-for plants without a lot of fuss, or more unique plants, check out deVINE Plantery. This Black woman-owned company has adorable plants, fun accessories, stunning art pieces, and a few other gift ideas. Need help styling the plants in your home, want a consultation about what plants to get, or want to take a gardening class? This business offers all of that and more.
De La Fleur Designs
If you want only flowers for your space with a lot of color and beauty, then De La Fleur Designs is where you should look. It doesn't just put together any ordinary bouquet. Owner Daphne oozes the sophistication and elegance you'll see in whichever arrangement you choose. Whether you need a sympathy arrangement, wedding flowers, or want to sign yourself up for a monthly bouquet delivery subscription, De La Fleur will take care of it all.
The Plant Project
The first Black woman-owned plant company in Texas, The Plant Project opened its doors in 2020 to bring the joy of all things leafy to the area. Plants with a pop of color, herbs, plant accessories, and even a plant self-care set are all on the menu. Or visit one of its four locations to get the full in-person experience of a plant shop and see how amazingly beautiful the inside of its stores are.

Read more
Gardening 101: 7 easy seeds to grow in cups for a tiny, adorable, and low-maintenance indoor garden
How to choose seeds to start inside of cups
Seed starting in cups

Many gardeners start seeds indoors during the last weeks of winter or early spring to get a head start on the growing season. When it's too cold to plant anything outside, you can start seeds indoors and transplant them in the ground once the weather warms up.

So what can you use for your seeds without spending a fortune on seed-starting trays? Plastic cups left over from parties or camping trips are ideal. Recycling these cups provides the perfect temporary (or even permanent) homes for your plants, and you'll get the cutest container garden in the process!

Read more
Focus on color: Red plants that will bring a festive vibe to any home or garden
Plants that feature joyful red foliage and flowers
Cyclamen

During the transitional period between fall and winter, there’s nothing like a vibrant red plant to infuse your garden with festive cheer. As the weather becomes grayer, brighten up your landscape with a splash of scarlet or burgundy. There are plenty of plants with delicate red blooms as well as those with striking red foliage. From the low-maintenance burning bush to the ubiquitous poinsettia, here are seven festive red plants to grow for the holiday season.

Cyclamen
Cyclamens often hit your local garden centers during the holiday season. This delicate tuberous plant features marbled or matte green leaves with butterfly-shaped white, purple, pink, or of course, red flowers. It blooms during the fall and winter, then goes through dormancy in the summer, during which its foliage dies down. It's hardy down to 23 degrees Fahrenheit, but it does best around 50 to 65 degrees — consider bringing it indoors during the winter. With this plant, you’ll want to provide adequate bright indirect light for blooms. It also appreciates being watered deeply once its soil dries out, but be careful with overwatering during winter.

Read more