How to Start a Victory Garden (Beginner’s Guide + Planting Plan)
- Lisa
- Oct 10
- 5 min read
Want more groceries you can grow at home—without overthinking it? This guide walks you through how to start a victory garden from zero: where to put it, what to plant, and how to keep it productive all season long. It’s practical, frugal, and very WW2-era “make do and grow food,” only updated for today’s yards and schedules.
Quick start: Grab the Victory Garden Organic Vegetable Seed Kit and follow the 7 steps below.
Table of Contents
1) What Is a Victory Garden (and Why Now)?
A victory garden is a small, home-grown food plot designed to reliably produce kitchen staples—salad greens, tomatoes, beans, squash, herbs—using ordinary tools and a weekly rhythm you can actually keep. It’s budget-friendly, resilient, and very satisfying (especially when grocery prices yo-yo).
Good news: You don’t need acres. A sunny 10′×10′ space or a few raised beds can feed a family lots of fresh meals.
2) Best Spot for Your Garden (Sun, Soil, Water)
Sun: Aim for 6–8+ hours of direct sun (east/south exposure is great).
Soil: Dark, crumbly, drains after rain. Avoid low, soggy patches.
Water: Choose a spot within hose reach. Consistent watering wins harvests.
Wind: If you’re in a breezy spot, use a fence or shrub line as a windbreak.
Tip: If your native soil is poor or compacted clay, start with raised beds and bagged compost to jump-start year 1.
3) Simple Bed Layout (Pick One)
Option A: 10′×10′ In-Ground Plot
3 rows, ~30″ wide beds, 12″ paths.
Bed 1: Tomatoes + basil + marigolds (companion planting).
Bed 2: Beans (bush/trellis) + carrots/lettuce at edges.
Bed 3: Zucchini/summer squash + onions around the perimeter.
Option B: Raised Beds (Two 4′×8′ + One 2′×8′)
Bed 1 (4′×8′): Tomatoes (2–3 plants), basil, marigolds.
Bed 2 (4′×8′): Bush beans, lettuce succession, carrots.
Bed 3 (2′×8′): Zucchini or cucumbers on a trellis.
Grab the organic seeds here: Victory Garden Organic Vegetable Seed Kit
4) Beginner Victory Garden Crop List (Zones 4–8 Friendly)
Tomatoes: Reliable slicers/cherry types for steady harvest.
Bush Beans: Fast, heavy producers; easy to can or freeze.
Zucchini or Cucumbers: Pick small and often; prolific.
Lettuce Mix: Sow every 2–3 weeks for a continuous bowl-cut.
Carrots: Sow shallowly; keep damp until germination.
Onions/Green Onions: Edge plant to maximize space.
Herbs: Basil, parsley—high value, minimal fuss.
Marigolds: Pest-deterring companions and cheerful borders.
The Victory Garden Seed Kit includes classic, productive varieties for exactly this mix:👉 Shop the Victory Garden Organic Vegetable Seed Kit
5) Month-by-Month Tasks (USDA Zones 4–8)
Use your exact frost dates, then follow the month windows below. For precise sow/plant dates, open the matching calendar for your zone.
Zone 4 – Short season, cool nights - Full calendar: Seed Sowing Schedule for Zone 4
March: Start tomatoes indoors; start onions/leeks; pre-sprout peas.
April: Direct-sow cool crops as soil thaws (lettuce, carrots); harden off seedlings late month.
May (after last frost): Transplant tomatoes; direct-sow beans and squash/cukes when soil warms.
June–July: Mulch 2–3″; side-dress compost; succession sow lettuce after heat breaks.
August–September: Harvest heavy; re-sow fast lettuce if nights cool; tidy beds and add compost.
Zone 5 – Classic temperate rhythm - Full calendar: Seed Sowing Schedule for Zone 5
March: Start tomatoes indoors; start basil toward month’s end.
April: Direct-sow lettuce/carrots; onions/green onions; prep trellis for beans/cukes.
May (post-frost): Transplant tomatoes; sow beans and zucchini/cukes; tuck marigolds/basil.
June–July: Mulch; deep water weekly; side-dress compost midseason.
August–September: Re-sow lettuce; steady harvests; clean up and top with leaves/compost.
Zone 6 – Longer warm window - Full calendar: Seed Sowing Schedule for Zone 6
February–March: Start tomatoes indoors; early greens in protected beds.
April: Transplant hardy starts late month; direct-sow carrots/lettuce; onions go in.
May: Transplant tomatoes; sow beans and squash/cukes after soil warms.
June–August: Mulch; consistent irrigation; succession lettuce after heat breaks.
September–October: Re-sow quick greens; harvest heavy; add compost/leaf cover.
Zone 7 – Long season, heat management - Full calendar: Seed Sowing Schedule for Zone 7
February–March: Start tomatoes indoors; direct-sow early greens.
April: Transplant tomatoes mid-to-late month; direct-sow beans; set squash/cukes after soil hits ~65°F.
May–June: Mulch generously; consider a soaker hose + timer; side-dress compost.
July–August: Harvest daily; re-sow heat-tolerant lettuces if shaded; plan fall greens.
September–October: Peak harvest; succession carrots/lettuce; bed cleanup and compost.
Zone 8 – Early spring starts, summer heat - Full calendar: Seed Sowing Schedule for Zone 8
January–February: Start tomatoes indoors; direct-sow cool crops early.
March: Transplant tomatoes; sow beans and zucchini/cukes; plant basil and marigolds.
April–June: Mulch thick (2–3″); water deeply 1–2×/week; side-dress compost midseason.
July–August: Harvest steadily; shade cloth helps lettuce; consider a second bean sowing.
September–October: Re-sow cool crops; pull spent vines; top beds with compost/leaves.
Quick link to seeds: Start confidently with the Victory Garden Organic Vegetable Seed Kit
6) Watering, Feeding, and Pests - Keep It Alive
Water: Deep, infrequent—about 1″ per week (use a rain gauge/tuna can).
Feeding: Mix compost at planting; side-dress midseason around heavy feeders.
Mulch: 2–3″ shredded leaves or clean straw = cooler roots, fewer weeds, happier soil.
Natural Pest Control (Organic):
Start with companion planting to draw beneficial insects and confuse pests—marigolds, basil, dill, and yarrow are MVPs.
Use row cover on young cucurbits to block cucumber beetles; hand-pick squash bug egg clusters.
Keep a tight spacing plan to maintain airflow (less disease).
Your shortcut: the Garden Companion Planting Guide shows which plants thrive together (and which don’t), plus quick pest-solution pairings.
Need seeds too? Grab the Victory Garden Organic Vegetable Seed Kit and plant the layout from Section 3.
7) Harvest & Replant: Stay in the Food
Pick beans every 1–2 days; tomatoes as they blush; zucchini small (6–8″).
After pulling a crop, re-sow quick wins (lettuce, bush beans if time allows).
Preserve extras: quick-pickle cukes, freeze beans, can tomatoes (see our canning guide!)
Need an all-in-one seed jumpstart? Grab the Victory Garden Organic Vegetable Seed Kit
FAQs - How to Start a Victory Garden
How big should my first victory garden be?
Start with 1–2 raised beds (4′×8′) or a 10′×10′ plot. Keep it manageable so you actually keep up.
Can I grow a victory garden in partial shade?
Leafy greens and herbs tolerate partial shade; fruiting crops (tomatoes/beans) really need full sun.
When do I plant?
Work backward from your last frost date. In Zones 4–8, tomatoes go in after all danger of frost; beans/zucchini after soil warms. See our printable seed calendars with exact dates for your zone HERE.
Do I need special soil?
Nope. Compost + decent drainage + mulch beats fancy formulas for most home gardens.
What’s the easiest watering setup?
A simple soaker hose with a timer. Set it and go live your life.
