---

name: garden-layout-planner description: Garden design and layout planning for gardeners. Plan your garden with companion planting, spacing, and sun requirements. Use when designing a new garden, planning crop rotation, or optimizing space. Security: file exports restricted to safe directories. Perfect for home gardeners, small farmers, and anyone maximizing their growing space.

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!