Planting Tips
Garden Mats make it easy to lay out and plant your garden. Use these tips to make your vegetables as healthy and productive as possible. The Mats are designed to be flexible so you can mix and match what you plant in all of the patterns, but we’ve noted below the optimal mat for each crop. Vegetables are in alphabetical order.
Artichoke
Use
Mat #7
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Arugula
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two or three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Asparagus
We're working on it! In 2014 we plan to experiment with a mat with a 12" or 14" hole. But it takes 3 years before asparagus matures so we won't know for a while.
Basil
Use
Mat #5
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Beans, bush, lima, wax
Use
Mat #3
.
Prepare your soil with compost, manure and whatever else you normally use. Rake a flat surface for your mat. Pin your mat down per the instructions on the packaging sleeve. Plant 1 seed per hole.
Beans, pole
Use
Mat #7
.
Use a post hole digger and dig a hole 12” to 18” deep. Put a 7’ to 8’ pole in the hole and fill in with dirt. Plant 8 – 10 seeds around the pole in a 6” circle.
Beets
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two or three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Bok Choy
Use
Mat #7
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Broccoli
Use
Mat #5
.
This mat has 3 rows of 4” holes, laid out in a grid pattern, 12” on center. Plant one seedling per hole.
Brussels Sprouts
Use
Mat #8
.
This mat has 1 row of 6” holes, 24” on center. Plant one seedling per hole.
Use
Cardoon
Use
Mat #7
.
Plant two seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Carrots
Use
Mat# 2
.
Put 3-5 seeds per hole and once the plants come up, thin to 2-3 plants per hole.
Cauliflower
Use
Mat #7
.
This mat has 1 row of 6” holes, 24” on center. Plant one seedling per hole.
Celeriac
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Celery
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Chayote
Use
Mat #7
.
Plant two seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Chickpeas, garbanzo beans
Use
Mat #4
.
Plant two seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Chicory
Use
Mat #5
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Chinese Cabbage
Use
Mat #7
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Chives
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two or three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Cilantro (coriander)
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Collards
Use
Mat #5
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Corn
Use
Mat #5
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Cress
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Cucumbers
Use
Mat #8
.
Plant 3-5 seeds per hole, and once the plants come up thin to 2-3 plants per hole.
Dill
Use
Mat #1
or
Mat #2
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Eggplant
Use
Mat #5
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Endive
Use
Mat #6
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Fennel
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two or three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Garlic
Use
Mat #9
.
Plant one clove per hole. It is best to plant garlic in the fall to harvest the following year.
Horseradish
Use
Mat #7
.
Plant four to six seeds per hole and thin to 3 to 4 plants per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Jerusalem Artichokes, sunchokes
Use
Mat #5
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Kale
Use
Mat #5
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Kohlrabi
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Leeks
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant three to four seeds per hole and thin to two plants per hole. Or plant two starter plant per hole.
Lemongrass
Use
Mat #7
.
Plant four to six seeds per hole and thin to 3 to 4 plants per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Lettuce
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two or three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Marjoram
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two or three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Melons, watermelons, musk, honeydew, etc.
Use
Mat #8
.
Plant 3-5 seeds per hole, and once the plants come up thin to 2-3 plants per hole.
Mustard
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two or three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Napa Cabbage
Use
Mat #7
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Nasturtium
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one or two plants per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Okra
Use
Mat #5
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Use
Onions, green (scallions)
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant six to eight seeds per hole. Thin to four to six plants.
Oregano
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two or three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Parsley
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two or three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Parsnips
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Peas, black-eyed
Use
Mat #4
.
Plant two seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Peas, snow, snap, & shell
Use
Mat #3
.
Drive a metal stake in the last hole at both ends of each row. Next, stretch 4’ high chicken wire in between the stakes from end to end over each row. If necessary, add one or two more stakes in the middle, depending on the length of the mat you are using, and how heavy-duty your stakes are. You don't want the fencing to droop in the middle. Once the fencing is in place, you're ready to plant. Put in one or two seeds per hole, about 1 to 1 ½ inches deep.
Peppers, bell, chili, etc.
Use
Mat #4
or
Mat #6
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole. Peppers like to be close enough to each other to rub leaves.
Potatoes
Use
Mat #5
.
Till your soil very deep with compost and some manure. Get down a good eight inches or so. This mat has 3 rows of 4” holes, laid out in a grid pattern, 12” on center. Just put a seed potato – callused, of course – in each hole to a depth of about 5 or 6 inches.
Pumpkins
Use
Mat #8
.
Plant 3-5 seeds per hole, and once the plants come up thin to 2-3 plants per hole.
Radicchio
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one or two plants per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Radishes
Use
Mat# 2
.
Put 3-5 seeds per hole and once the plants come up, thin to 2-3 plants per hole.
Rosemary
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two or three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Rutabaga
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Sage
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two or three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Scallions (green onions)
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant six to eight seeds per hole. Thin to four to six plants.
Use
Sorrel
Use
Mat #5
.
Plant two seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Use
Spinach
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two or three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Squash, summer (including zucchini)
Use
Mat #8
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Squash, winter
Use
Mat #8
.
Plant 3-5 seeds per hole, and once the plants come up thin to 2-3 plants per hole.
Sweet Potatoes, yams
Use
Mat #5
.
Till your soil very deep with compost and some manure. Get down a good eight inches or so. This mat has 3 rows of 4” holes, laid out in a grid pattern, 12” on center. Just put a seed potato – callused, of course – in each hole to a depth of about 5 or six inches.
Swiss chard
Use
Mat #5
.
This mat has 3 rows of 4” holes, laid out in a grid pattern, 12” on center. Plant one plant per hole.
Tarragon
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two or three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Thyme
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two or three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Tobacco
Use
Mat #7
.
Plant two seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Tomatillo
Use
Mat #7
.
Plant two seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Tomatoes
Use
Mat #7
.
This mat has two rows of 8” holes that are 24” apart. The 8” holes are large enough for a round or ladder tomato cage or stake. Plant one seedling per hole.
Turnips
Use
Mat #2
.
Plant two or three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
Zucchini (summer squash)
Use
Mat #8
.
Plant two to three seeds per hole and thin to one plant per hole. Or plant one starter plant per hole.
