Spring is only 20 days away, and it’s time to start planning the vegetable garden! The vegetables I prepared for tonight’s stir fry dinner are a terrific inspiration for this year’s planting plan. Since water will probably be more expensive this year, I’m only going to plant what we regularly eat. In Zone 5, Denver, Colorado, the last average annual frost date is around May 15, but many vegetables can be started earlier from seed indoors. Whether you choose to start with your own seeds, or purchase transplants from a nursery, now is a good time to start planning. Here is a shout-out to Gardener’s Supply Company, which has a terrific, easy-to-use online planner for raised bed gardening. So easy, a novice can do it! Click here to try it out. Simply enter the size of your bed, and a square-foot grid appears. You can drag and drop your desired vegetable varieties, and the planner calculates the number of plants for you. Planting instructions for different vegetables are included. Flowers can be incorporated too. Be sure and check with your county extension office to find the specific varieties recommended for your area. To find out about the benefits of square foot gardening developed by Mel Bartholomew, click here. Happy planning!