Garden Layout Planner

Design your garden with smart planning tools for companion planting, spacing, and sun requirements.

Quick Start

Add a garden bed to your layout

garden_layout.py add-bed "<bed_name>" --width <feet> --length <feet> --sun "full/partial/shade"

Add plants to a bed

garden_layout.py add-plant "<bed_name>" "<plant>" --row <row> --col <col>

Get companion planting suggestions

garden_layout.py companions "<plant>"

Get spacing requirements

garden_layout.py spacing "<plant>"

Show complete garden layout

garden_layout.py layout

Export layout to markdown

garden_layout.py export "<output_file>"

Usage Patterns

For new garden setup

# Define your beds
garden_layout.py add-bed "Bed 1" --width 4 --length 8 --sun "full"
garden_layout.py add-bed "Bed 2" --width 3 --length 6 --sun "partial"

# Check companion planting
garden_layout.py companions "tomato"  # Best with basil, carrots, onions
garden_layout.py companions "cucumber"   # Best with beans, corn, peas

# Add plants with proper spacing
garden_layout.py add-plant "Bed 1" "tomato" --row 1 --col 1
garden_layout.py add-plant "Bed 1" "basil" --row 1 --col 3  # Companion!
garden_layout.py add-plant "Bed 2" "beans" --row 1 --col 1
garden_layout.py add-plant "Bed 2" "corn" --row 2 --col 1  # Companion!

# Review your layout
garden_layout.py layout

For companion planting optimization

# Check what grows well together
garden_layout.py companions "carrots"  # Good with tomatoes, onions, lettuce
garden_layout.py companions "onions"   # Good with carrots, tomatoes, beets

# Avoid bad combinations
garden_layout.py incompatible "potatoes"  # Avoid with tomatoes, cucumbers

For small space maximization

# Use vertical growing for space efficiency
garden_layout.py add-bed "Trellis" --width 1 --length 6 --sun "full"
garden_layout.py add-plant "Trellis" "cucumber" --row 1 --col 1
garden_layout.py add-plant "Trellis" "peas" --row 2 --col 1

# Intensive planting with succession
garden_layout.py add-bed "Intensive Bed" --width 3 --length 4 --sun "full"
garden_layout.py add-plant "Intensive Bed" "lettuce" --row 1 --col 1
garden_layout.py add-plant "Intensive Bed" "radishes" --row 1 --col 2  # Fast harvest

For crop rotation planning

# Track what you planted each year
garden_layout.py add-season "2026"  # Starts fresh layout
garden_layout.py add-plant "Bed 1" "tomatoes" --row 1 --col 1
garden_layout.py add-plant "Bed 2" "beans" --row 1 --col 1

# Next year, change families
garden_layout.py add-season "2027"  # New layout
garden_layout.py add-plant "Bed 1" "carrots" --row 1 --col 1  # Different family
garden_layout.py add-plant "Bed 2" "corn" --row 1 --col 1      # Different family

Companion Planting Guide

Best Combinations (Good Together)

| Plant | Good With | Why |

|-------|-----------|------|

| Tomatoes | Basil, carrots, onions, marigolds | Basil enhances flavor, carrots repel pests |

| Cucumbers | Beans, corn, peas, radishes | Beans fix nitrogen, corn provides support |

| Lettuce | Carrots, radishes, onions | Radishes mark rows, carrots break soil |

| Peppers | Basil, onions, carrots | Basil repels aphids |

| Beans | Corn, potatoes, cucumbers | Nitrogen fixation benefits neighbors |

| Carrots | Tomatoes, onions, lettuce | Onions repel carrot fly |

| Corn | Beans, squash, cucumbers | Three Sisters method |

| Squash | Corn, beans, radishes | Beans repel squash beetles |

Incompatible Plants (Avoid Together)

| Plant | Avoid With | Why |

|-------|-----------|------|

| Tomatoes | Potatoes, cucumbers, fennel | Same pests/diseases |

| Beans | Onions, garlic | Inhibit growth |

| Carrots | Dill, parsnips | Dill attracts carrot fly |

| Cucumbers | Potatoes, sage | Potatoes compete for space |

| Onions | Beans, peas | Inhibit bean growth |

Spacing Requirements

Small Plants (6-12 inches apart)

• Lettuce: 6-8 inches
• Spinach: 4-6 inches
• Radishes: 2-3 inches
• Onions: 4-6 inches
• Carrots: 2-3 inches

Medium Plants (12-24 inches apart)

• Peppers: 18-24 inches
• Eggplant: 18-24 inches
• Beans (bush): 12-18 inches
• Cabbage: 18-24 inches

Large Plants (24+ inches apart)

• Tomatoes: 24-36 inches
• Squash: 24-48 inches (or trellis)
• Corn: 12-18 inches (in blocks for pollination)
• Potatoes: 12-15 inches

Sun Requirements

Full Sun (6-8+ hours daily)

• Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, corn, beans, cucumbers

Partial Sun (4-6 hours daily)

• Lettuce, spinach, kale, peas, carrots, beets

Shade (<4 hours daily)

• Some leafy greens, herbs like mint, chives

Examples

Three Sisters Garden (Traditional)

# Classic Native American companion planting
garden_layout.py add-bed "Three Sisters" --width 8 --length 8 --sun "full"

# Plant corn in center (support)
garden_layout.py add-plant "Three Sisters" "corn" --row 4 --col 4

# Plant beans around corn (nitrogen)
garden_layout.py add-plant "Three Sisters" "beans" --row 4 --col 2
garden_layout.py add-plant "Three Sisters" "beans" --row 4 --col 6

# Plant squash at edges (ground cover)
garden_layout.py add-plant "Three Sisters" "squash" --row 1 --col 1
garden_layout.py add-plant "Three Sisters" "squash" --row 1 --col 8
garden_layout.py add-plant "Three Sisters" "squash" --row 8 --col 1
garden_layout.py add-plant "Three Sisters" "squash" --row 8 --col 8

Tomato-Basil Garden

# Simple companion planting
garden_layout.py add-bed "Tomato Patch" --width 4 --length 6 --sun "full"

garden_layout.py add-plant "Tomato Patch" "tomato" --row 1 --col 1
garden_layout.py add-plant "Tomato Patch" "basil" --row 1 --col 3  # Companion!
garden_layout.py add-plant "Tomato Patch" "carrots" --row 2 --col 1  # Under tomatoes
garden_layout.py add-plant "Tomato Patch" "carrots" --row 2 --col 3

Mixed Bed for Small Spaces

# Intensive planting
garden_layout.py add-bed "Small Space" --width 3 --length 4 --sun "partial"

garden_layout.py add-plant "Small Space" "lettuce" --row 1 --col 1
garden_layout.py add-plant "Small Space" "radishes" --row 1 --col 2  # Fast, marks row
garden_layout.py add-plant "Small Space" "lettuce" --row 1 --col 3

garden_layout.py add-plant "Small Space" "spinach" --row 2 --col 1
garden_layout.py add-plant "Small Space" "onions" --row 2 --col 2
garden_layout.py add-plant "Small Space" "spinach" --row 2 --col 3

Search Features

• Find compatible plants for companion planting
• Get spacing requirements for any plant
• Search layouts by plant name
• Filter by sun requirements

Security

Path Validation

The export function validates output paths to prevent malicious writes:

• ✅ Allowed: ~/.openclaw/workspace/, /tmp/, and home directory
• ❌ Blocked: System paths (/etc/, /usr/, /var/, etc.)
• ❌ Blocked: Sensitive dotfiles (~/.bashrc, ~/.ssh, etc.)

Data Storage

• Garden layouts stored in: ~/.openclaw/workspace/garden_layout_db.json
• Each bed tracks: dimensions, sun exposure, plants with positions
• Companion database built-in with 50+ plant relationships
• JSON format makes it easy to backup or migrate

Best Practices

1. Plan before planting - Use layout planner to visualize before putting seeds in ground
2. Use companion planting - Plant compatible species together
3. Check spacing - Don't overcrowd, plants need room to grow
4. Track sun exposure - Different beds have different sun requirements
5. Plan for rotation - Track what you plant where each year
6. Export for reference - Keep a backup of your garden plan

Related Skills

• plant-tracker - Track individual plants with care schedules and harvests
• seasonal-planting-guide - What to plant when in your growing zone

Use together for complete garden management!