How to Plan Next Year’s Crops: A Complete Guide for November Garden Prep

As the growing season winds down, November is the perfect time to reflect on your garden’s successes and challenges and start planning for next year’s crops. Proper planning can help maximize yields, improve soil health, and keep pests and diseases at bay. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to plan next year’s crops, ensuring a productive and healthy garden when the new growing season arrives.

Why is Planning Next Year’s Crops Important?

Planning your crops ahead of time allows you to think strategically about what to plant, where to plant it, and how to maintain soil fertility. A well-thought-out garden plan takes into account crop rotation, companion planting, space requirements, and planting schedules. By making these decisions in November, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running in spring, with all your seeds, supplies, and layouts in place.

Steps to Plan Next Year’s Crops in November

1. Review This Year’s Garden Successes and Challenges

Before you start planning next year’s crops, take time to evaluate how this year’s garden performed. Consider which plants thrived, which struggled, and whether any pests or diseases were an issue. Did some crops produce more than you could handle, or were there some vegetables you wished you had planted more of? Write down your observations to guide your decisions for next year.

2. Implement Crop Rotation

Crop rotation is an essential part of maintaining a healthy and productive garden. By changing the location of crops each year, you help prevent the buildup of soil-borne pests and diseases and avoid depleting the soil of the same nutrients year after year.

Root crops like carrots and beets should follow leafy crops like lettuce and spinach.
Legumes like beans and peas add nitrogen to the soil, making them a great precursor to nitrogen-hungry crops like tomatoes and peppers.
Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, kale) should rotate to avoid pests like cabbage root flies and clubroot disease.

Draw a simple map of your garden beds, marking where each type of crop was planted this year, and plan to rotate them to new areas next season.

3. Plan Companion Planting

Companion planting involves grouping plants together that benefit each other. Certain plants can improve the flavor, repel pests, or provide essential nutrients to their neighbors. When planning next year’s crops, consider companion planting strategies:

Basil planted near tomatoes can enhance the flavor of the fruit and repel pests.
Marigolds are great companions for most vegetables, as they deter aphids and other harmful insects.
Corn, beans, and squash (the “Three Sisters”) grow well together, with each plant offering something the others need.

Incorporate companion planting into your crop plan to improve plant health and productivity.

4. Choose Crops Based on Your Climate

When selecting crops for next year, consider your region’s growing season, average temperatures, and frost dates. Some crops, such as tomatoes and peppers, need a long growing season, while others, like radishes and lettuces, can tolerate cooler weather and grow more quickly.

If you’re in a cooler climate, choose cold-hardy varieties of crops like spinach, broccoli, and carrots. Warmer climates can accommodate a wider range of crops, including heat-loving plants like eggplants, melons, and peppers. Make sure to match your crop selections to your growing zone and the length of your growing season.

5. Calculate Space and Planting Density

Assess how much space each crop will need in your garden. Some vegetables, like zucchini or pumpkins, require a lot of space to spread out, while crops like radishes, carrots, and lettuces can be planted closer together. If you’re working with limited garden space, consider using vertical gardening techniques for climbing plants like cucumbers, peas, or beans to maximize space efficiency.

Make sure to leave enough space between plants for airflow, as this helps reduce the risk of fungal diseases. You can also plan for succession planting, where fast-growing crops are replaced by new plantings once they are harvested, to make the most of your available space throughout the season.

6. Order Seeds Early

November is the perfect time to start ordering seeds for next year’s garden. Take stock of any seeds you already have and check expiration dates. Look through seed catalogs or online suppliers and order any new varieties you’d like to try.

Popular varieties and specialty seeds can sell out quickly, so ordering early ensures you get exactly what you need. This also gives you time to plan for seed starting indoors if necessary.

7. Create a Planting Schedule

Create a planting schedule based on the crops you plan to grow, their ideal planting times, and your region’s frost dates. Some seeds, like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants, need to be started indoors several weeks before the last frost. Others, like peas, lettuce, and radishes, can be direct sown outdoors as soon as the soil can be worked.

Map out your schedule so you know when to start seeds indoors, when to transplant, and when to direct sow each crop. By having a schedule in place, you’ll stay on track and make the most of your growing season.

8. Incorporate Perennial Crops

Perennial crops, like asparagus, rhubarb, and certain herbs, can provide harvests for many years once established. If you’re planning to add perennials to your garden, consider where they will go, as these plants will remain in the same spot year after year. Choose a dedicated area for perennials to avoid disrupting annual crop rotation plans.

9. Plan for Soil Fertility

Healthy soil is key to a productive garden. After reviewing your crop rotation plan, consider how you’ll maintain soil fertility. Adding organic matter like compost, well-rotted manure, or green manure helps replenish nutrients. Some crops, such as beans and peas, also improve soil health by fixing nitrogen, which benefits future crops.

Plan to test your soil pH in early spring and amend the soil with fertilizers or soil conditioners if necessary to optimize the growing conditions for your chosen crops.

10. Make Adjustments for Pest and Disease Control

If you struggled with pests or diseases this year, now is the time to adjust your garden plan to minimize future issues. Crop rotation helps, but you can also plan to plant pest-resistant varieties or use natural pest control methods like floating row covers or companion planting with pest-repelling plants like garlic, onions, or marigolds.

Most Common Questions and Answers About Planning Next Year’s Crops

Q1: Why is crop rotation important?
A: Crop rotation helps prevent the buildup of soil-borne pests and diseases, improves soil health, and balances nutrient use by rotating crops that have different nutrient needs. It’s an essential part of sustainable gardening.

Q2: When should I start planning my garden for next year?
A: November is the perfect time to start planning next year’s crops. By evaluating the current year’s successes and challenges, you can create a well-thought-out garden plan, order seeds early, and ensure your soil is prepared for the next growing season.

Q3: What is companion planting, and how does it work?
A: Companion planting is the practice of growing certain plants together that benefit each other. For example, basil planted near tomatoes can improve flavor and repel pests, while marigolds deter harmful insects. Companion planting improves plant health, reduces pest problems, and increases productivity.

Q4: How can I ensure my garden soil stays healthy?
A: To maintain healthy soil, add organic matter like compost or well-rotted manure each season, practice crop rotation, and grow cover crops or green manure during the off-season. Soil testing can help you identify nutrient deficiencies and correct them with the right amendments.

Q5: How do I know what crops will grow best in my climate?
A: Research your growing zone and frost dates to determine the crops best suited to your climate. Cold-hardy vegetables like spinach and carrots are great for cooler climates, while heat-loving crops like tomatoes and peppers thrive in warmer regions.

Q6: What is succession planting, and how can it help me?
A: Succession planting involves planting new crops in the same space after harvesting earlier crops. This maximizes the use of your garden space and extends the harvest season. For example, you could plant peas in early spring and follow with a second crop of beans in the same space once the peas are harvested.

Q7: How do I create a planting schedule for my crops?
A: Start by researching the ideal planting times for each crop, based on your region’s frost dates. Create a calendar that includes when to start seeds indoors, when to transplant, and when to direct sow. This schedule ensures you plant at the right time for optimal growth.

Q8: Should I order seeds early?
A: Yes, ordering seeds early (in November or December) ensures you get the varieties you want before they sell out. It also gives you plenty of time to plan your garden layout and start seeds indoors if needed.

Q9: How do I choose the best crops for my garden?
A: Choose crops that you enjoy eating, grow well in your climate, and fit the space available in your garden. Consider plant growth habits, such as whether they need a lot of room to spread out or can be grown vertically, to make the most of your garden space.

Q10: What are the benefits of adding perennial crops to my garden?
A: Perennial crops, like asparagus or rhubarb, provide harvests year after year without needing to be replanted. They require less maintenance once established and can help balance your garden’s

workload, giving you reliable yields every season.

By taking the time to plan next year’s crops in November, you set your garden up for success. From crop rotation and companion planting to seed selection and planting schedules, these strategies will help you maximize your garden’s productivity and ensure a healthy, abundant harvest next year.