🎨 Planning & Design Guide

📑 Table of Contents

• Garden Designer
• Calendar & Timeline
• Succession Planting
• Purchase Lists
• Layout Snapshots

🎨 Garden Designer

Access at Farmers Bounty → Garden Designer

Overview

The Garden Designer is a visual planning tool that helps you:

• Create accurate garden layouts
• Plan plant spacing and arrangement
• Visualize companion planting
• Calculate space requirements
• Export layouts for reference

Creating a New Layout

1. Click New Layout
2. Select location or create new one
3. Choose layout method:
   • Grid Designer: Traditional row/grid planning
   • Free-Form: Flexible placement
   • Square Foot: Intensive square-foot gardening
   • Excel Import: Import from spreadsheet

Grid Designer

Setting Up the Grid:

1. Enter bed dimensions (length × width)
2. Set grid spacing (e.g., 12 inches)
3. Choose orientation (rows, blocks, etc.)
4. System generates grid overlay

Adding Plants:

1. Search for plant in sidebar
2. Drag plant icon to grid
3. System shows:
   • Recommended spacing (green circle)
   • Companion plants (blue highlights)
   • Incompatible plants (red warnings)
   • Mature size preview
4. Adjust placement as needed
5. Add quantity for multiple plants

Smart Suggestions:

The designer provides real-time feedback:

• Spacing Alerts: “Plants too close – recommend 18″ spacing”
• Companion Suggestions: “Add basil nearby – repels tomato pests”
• Sunlight Warnings: “This plant needs full sun – location is partial shade”
• Height Considerations: “Tall plants may shade shorter ones”
• Timing Conflicts: “These plants have different planting dates”

Square Foot Gardening

1. Select Square Foot Method
2. Define bed size (typically 4×4 feet)
3. System divides into 1-foot squares
4. Add plants with recommended quantities per square:
   • 1 per square: Tomatoes, peppers, cabbage
   • 4 per square: Lettuce, chard, marigolds
   • 9 per square: Beets, spinach, onions
   • 16 per square: Carrots, radishes
5. System calculates total plants needed

Excel Import Method

Perfect for detailed planning in spreadsheets:

1. Download Excel template
2. Fill in layout using cell colors/text
3. Upload to Farmers Bounty → Garden Designer
4. System parses layout and creates visual representation
5. Review and adjust
6. Save to garden

Layout Features

Layers:

• Base Layer: Permanent structures (beds, paths)
• Plant Layer: Current plantings
• Planning Layer: Future plantings
• Infrastructure Layer: Irrigation, trellises, etc.
• Annotation Layer: Notes and labels

Tools:

• Ruler: Measure distances
• Area Calculator: Calculate square footage
• Rotation Tool: Rotate plant placement
• Clone: Duplicate sections
• Undo/Redo: Revert changes

Views:

• Top-Down: Bird’s eye view
• 3D Preview: Visualize mature garden
• Timeline: See growth over time
• Sunlight Map: Sun exposure throughout day

Saving and Exporting

1. Click Save Layout
2. Name your design
3. Add notes
4. Export options:
   • PDF: Printable layout with plant list
   • Image: PNG/JPG for sharing
   • Excel: Editable spreadsheet
   • Plant List: Shopping list with quantities

Implementing Your Design

1. Review saved layout
2. Click Implement Design
3. System creates:
   • Plants in “My Plants” (as planned status)
   • Calendar events for planting dates
   • Purchase list for needed items
   • Care schedule for each plant
4. Update status as you plant

📅 Calendar & Timeline

Access at Farmers Bounty → Calendar

Calendar Views

Month View:

• Traditional calendar grid
• Color-coded events by type
• Click date to see details
• Add events directly

Timeline View:

• Horizontal timeline showing plant lifecycles
• See overlapping activities
• Identify gaps in production
• Plan succession plantings

List View:

• Chronological list of events
• Filter by type, plant, location
• Check off completed tasks
• Add notes to events

Event Types

Auto-Generated Events

Farmers Bounty automatically creates calendar events based on:

Plant-Specific Timelines:

• Planting date → Harvest date (based on days to maturity)
• Fertilizer schedule (every X weeks)
• Pruning reminders (for specific plants)
• Succession planting dates

Weather-Based Events:

• Frost warnings (protect tender plants)
• Heat alerts (extra watering needed)
• Rain forecasts (skip watering)
• Optimal planting windows

Seasonal Events:

• Last frost date
• First frost date
• Season start/end for crops
• Soil preparation windows

Manual Event Creation

1. Click date on calendar
2. Select event type
3. Choose plants affected (or “All Plants”)
4. Set recurrence if needed:
   • Daily
   • Weekly (specific days)
   • Monthly (specific date)
   • Custom interval
5. Add notes
6. Set reminder notification
7. Click Save Event

Event Management

Completing Events:

1. Click event
2. Mark as Complete
3. Add completion notes
4. Upload photos (optional)
5. System logs to plant history

Rescheduling:

1. Drag event to new date
2. Or click event → Reschedule
3. Add reason (optional)
4. System adjusts dependent events

Calendar Filters

Customize your view:

• By Event Type: Show only specific activities
• By Plant: See timeline for one plant
• By Location: Focus on specific garden area
• By Status: Upcoming, completed, overdue
• By Season: Spring, summer, fall, winter

Calendar Export

Share your calendar:

1. Click Export Calendar
2. Choose format:
   • iCal (.ics): Import to Apple Calendar, Google Calendar
   • Google Calendar: Direct integration
   • Todoist: Task management integration
   • PDF: Printable calendar
3. Select date range
4. Choose which event types to include
5. Export

🔄 Succession Planting

Access at Farmers Bounty → Succession Planting

What is Succession Planting?

Succession planting is the practice of planting crops at intervals to ensure continuous harvests rather than one large harvest. This is especially useful for:

• Salad greens (lettuce, spinach, arugula)
• Radishes and carrots
• Beans and peas
• Corn
• Cucumbers and zucchini

Creating a Succession Plan

1. Click New Succession Plan
2. Select plant/crop
3. Choose succession method:
   

   Time-Based:

   • Plant every X days/weeks
   • Example: “Plant lettuce every 2 weeks”
   • Set start and end dates
   • System calculates planting dates

   Harvest-Based:

   • Plant when previous crop is harvested
   • Example: “Plant new beans when first harvest begins”
   • Ensures continuous production
   • Adapts to actual growth rates

   Variety-Based:

   • Plant different varieties with staggered maturity
   • Example: “Early, mid, and late-season tomatoes”
   • Extends harvest window
   • Reduces risk
4. Set quantity per planting
5. Assign to location(s)
6. Click Generate Plan

Succession Plan Dashboard

View all active succession plans:

• Timeline View: See all plantings on timeline
• Next Planting: Upcoming succession dates
• Active Plantings: Currently growing successions
• Harvest Schedule: Expected harvest dates
• Completion Rate: Track adherence to plan

Succession Notifications

Receive reminders:

• 7 days before planting date
• On planting day
• If planting is overdue
• When harvest begins (trigger for next planting)

Adjusting Plans

Plans adapt to reality:

• Weather Delays: System suggests new dates
• Slow Growth: Adjusts future plantings
• Early Harvest: Accelerates next planting
• Crop Failure: Replanting recommendations

Succession Templates

Use pre-built plans:

Spring Greens Succession:

• Lettuce every 2 weeks (March-May)
• Spinach every 3 weeks (March-April)
• Arugula every 2 weeks (March-May)

Summer Squash Succession:

• Zucchini every 3 weeks (May-July)
• Yellow squash every 3 weeks (May-July)
• Ensures production without overwhelming harvest

Fall Planting Succession:

• Kale every 4 weeks (July-August)
• Broccoli every 3 weeks (July-August)
• Carrots every 2 weeks (August-September)

🛒 Purchase Lists

Access at Farmers Bounty → Purchase Lists

Creating Purchase Lists

Manual Creation:

1. Click New Purchase List
2. Name the list (e.g., “Spring 2026 Seeds”)
3. Add items:
   • Seeds
   • Plants/transplants
   • Soil amendments
   • Fertilizers
   • Tools
   • Infrastructure (stakes, trellises, etc.)
4. For each item:
   • Name
   • Quantity
   • Preferred supplier
   • Estimated cost
   • Priority (high/medium/low)
   • Notes
5. Click Save List

Auto-Generate from Garden Plan:

1. Go to saved garden layout
2. Click Generate Purchase List
3. System calculates needed items:
   • Seed quantities (with extras)
   • Transplant counts
   • Soil volume needed
   • Support structures
   • Estimated costs
4. Review and adjust
5. Save list

Generate from Succession Plan:

1. View succession plan
2. Click Create Purchase List
3. System lists all seeds/plants needed for entire succession
4. Includes timing recommendations

Managing Purchase Lists

List Features:

• Checkbox Items: Mark as purchased
• Add Notes: Record where purchased, actual cost
• Attach Receipts: Upload photos of receipts
• Track Spending: Compare estimated vs actual costs
• Priority Sorting: Focus on high-priority items

Supplier Integration:

Link items to suppliers:

• Seed companies
• Local nurseries
• Online retailers
• System remembers preferences
• Quick reorder for next season

Sharing Purchase Lists

1. Click Share List
2. Choose method:
   • Email: Send to yourself or others
   • Print: PDF for shopping trip
   • AnyList: Export to shopping app
   • Link: Shareable URL
3. Select format:
   • Simple list
   • Detailed with notes
   • By supplier
   • By priority

Budget Tracking

Monitor spending:

• List Budget: Set budget for each list
• Category Budgets: Allocate by type (seeds, tools, etc.)
• Running Total: See total as you add items
• Actual Costs: Record what you actually spent
• Budget Alerts: Warnings when approaching limit
• Season Summary: Total spending for season

Historical Lists

Learn from past purchases:

• View previous season lists
• See what worked/didn’t work
• Clone list for new season
• Compare costs year-over-year
• Identify spending patterns

📸 Layout Snapshots

Access at Farmers Bounty → Layout Snapshots

What are Layout Snapshots?

Snapshots capture your garden layout at a specific point in time, allowing you to:

• Document seasonal changes
• Track garden evolution
• Compare layouts year-over-year
• Learn what works best
• Share successful designs

Creating Snapshots

Automatic Snapshots:

System automatically creates snapshots:

• At season start (spring, summer, fall, winter)
• When you implement a garden design
• After major changes (10+ plants added/removed)
• On demand via “Save Snapshot” button

Manual Snapshots:

1. Go to Layout Snapshots
2. Click Create Snapshot
3. Select location(s) to capture
4. Add title and description
5. Upload photos (optional but recommended)
6. Tag snapshot:
   • Season
   • Year
   • Success level
   • Custom tags
7. Click Save Snapshot

Snapshot Contents

Each snapshot includes:

• Plant List: All plants in location at that time
• Layout Map: Visual representation
• Plant Status: Health and growth stage
• Photos: Visual documentation
• Weather Data: Conditions at that time
• Notes: Your observations
• Performance Metrics: Yield, problems, successes

Comparing Snapshots

1. Select two or more snapshots
2. Click Compare
3. View side-by-side comparison:
   

   Visual Comparison:

   • Layout differences highlighted
   • Plant changes color-coded:
     • Green: Added plants
     • Red: Removed plants
     • Yellow: Moved plants
     • Blue: Same location

   Data Comparison:

   • Plant count changes
   • Variety diversity
   • Space utilization
   • Crop family rotation

   Performance Comparison:

   • Yield differences
   • Problem frequency
   • Success rates
   • Cost efficiency

Snapshot Analysis

Learn from your snapshots:

Seasonal Patterns:

• What grows best in each season
• Optimal planting times
• Succession timing
• Space usage efficiency

Year-Over-Year Trends:

• Garden expansion/contraction
• Variety experimentation
• Crop rotation patterns
• Infrastructure improvements

Success Factors:

• Which layouts produced best
• Companion planting effectiveness
• Spacing optimization
• Problem area identification

Snapshot Actions

Restore Layout:

1. Select successful snapshot
2. Click Restore Layout
3. Choose target season/year
4. System recreates:
   • Garden design
   • Plant list
   • Planting schedule
   • Purchase list
5. Adjust for current year
6. Implement

Share Snapshot:

• Export: PDF with photos and plant list
• Social: Share image with plant overlay
• Community: Share with other gardeners (if enabled)

Annotate:

• Add notes to specific plants
• Mark problem areas
• Highlight successes
• Draw on layout
• Link to journal entries

🔗 Related Guides

• Plant Management: Add plants from your designs
• Growing Guides: Optimize care based on plans
• Analytics: Measure success of designs
• Season Learnings: Document what worked