Table of contents
How to Use the Allotment Planner
Not sure where to start with our free allotment planner UK?
Watch this quick tutorial to see how to set up your grid, drag and drop plants, and check companion planting combinations. Simple and free – perfect for beginners and experienced gardeners alike.
Plan the Perfect UK Plot – For Free
Fed up with clunky garden planner software that doesn’t suit UK growers? This tool was built specifically for allotments, raised beds, and square foot gardening in the UK. Whether you’re just starting out or have years of experience, it helps you plan smarter, save space, and grow healthier crops.
Unlike many tools that lock features behind subscriptions, this is a free allotment planner UK gardeners can rely on. It’s tailored to real UK veg varieties, common allotment layouts, and proven companion planting guidance.
What You Can Do with This Free Garden Planner
- Create custom layouts with the square foot garden planner UK approach
- Get instant companion planting feedback with the built-in companion planting app
- Plan anywhere — works on desktop, tablet, or mobile
- Start immediately — no sign-up, no tracking, no hidden catches
This isn’t just another generic garden app. It’s a GrowVeg alternative that combines the ease of square foot gardening with allotment-focused features — built by and for real UK growers.
Vote for the Next Features
We’re shaping the future of the Square Foot Allotment Planner together. Have your say by joining our Facebook group poll and voting on which features should be built next. Your feedback directly guides development!
For a deeper look at lunar phases, zodiac signs, and the best planting days, explore our Biodynamic Planting Calendar for UK and US growers.
Walkthrough: How to Use the Allotment Planner
Getting started is straightforward. This step‑by‑step guide explains how to set up your first layout, place vegetables, and make the most of the square foot gardening planner UK features built into the tool.
1: Select Your Plot Size
Use the width and height controls to match your growing space. Each square equals one square foot. Whether you’re working with a compact raised bed or a full 10×10 metre allotment, the grid adapts easily.
Tip: To reset, use Clear Veg to wipe your plot or Generate Grid to rebuild it.
2: Choose Your Vegetables
Browse the dropdown menu to explore categories from leafy greens to root crops. Drag an icon onto the grid to place it into your allotment plan.
- Desktop: Click, hold, and drag the veg icon into position.
- Mobile/tablet: Tap, hold, then drag to place.
To duplicate a crop, hold shift and drag a crop. To remove one, right‑click (desktop) or double‑tap (mobile).
3: Use Built‑In Companion Planting Feedback
As you design your layout, the companion planting app checks your grid automatically:
- Green border = good neighbours (work well together)
- Red border = poor companions (avoid planting together)
- Yellow border = mixed results (some benefits, some drawbacks)
Hover on desktop or tap on mobile for detailed companion planting guide UK tips, which also export with your PDF plan.
4: Adjust and Arrange
Refine your design as you go:
- Hold shift and drag to copy once placed
- Drop a new veg over an existing one to replace it
- Right‑click or double‑tap to delete
This flexibility makes it simple to test layouts, try crop rotations, and fine‑tune your allotment planning tool setup.
5: Tool Controls (Desktop & Mobile)
- Right‑click: remove a crop (desktop only)
- Double‑tap: remove a crop (mobile/tablet)
- Shift to copy: hold shift and drag a placed crop to copy
- Eraser tool: Press clear to remove all crops
- Hover for tooltips: Hover over icons for more info
By following these steps, you’ll be able to create a productive, well‑organised plot using the best free vegetable garden planner UK growers can access today. If you’re new to growing and want to get started with your own plot, you can apply for an allotment through Gov.uk.
More FREE Interactive Gardening Tools
Why Use This Planner?
With so many garden planner software options out there, it’s natural to ask why you should choose this one. Here’s why it stands out as the best free allotment planner app UK growers can trust:
Key Benefits
- Always free — no trials, upsells, or hidden costs
- Designed for allotments — built for raised beds and real UK veg varieties
- Square foot gardening planner built-in for simple, efficient layouts
- Companion planting guide UK included automatically
- Works seamlessly on all devices — desktop, tablet, and mobile
- No login, no tracking, no data collection — ever
Built by Gardeners, Improved Continuously
This isn’t a corporate tool with long release cycles. It’s built in-house by a grower (with a little AI support), which means updates and new features roll out quickly, often directly in response to user feedback. With no big budgets or long waits, the allotment planning tool improves season after season.
A Retro-Inspired Look
The planner uses a pixel art design, lightly inspired by cozy games like Stardew Valley. This style makes planning approachable and fun while still delivering accurate layouts and reliable growing advice. It’s a small detail, but it helps the companion planting app feel distinctive, memorable, and enjoyable to use.
What Is Companion Planting?
Companion planting is the practice of growing certain crops side by side so they support each other. It’s a proven method that boosts growth, improves yields, and reduces the need for chemicals. For UK allotments, raised beds, and square foot gardens, it’s one of the most effective ways to grow healthier plants while making the best use of space.
How Companion Planting Works
Some plants naturally benefit their neighbours:
- Marigolds help deter pests such as aphids
- Nasturtiums attract pollinators to courgettes and squash
- Peas and beans fix nitrogen to enrich the soil
- Tall corn provides shade for tender crops like lettuce
Not every pairing works. Some vegetables compete for nutrients, attract the same pests, or simply don’t grow well together.
Why It Matters for Your Plot
By using companion planting in square foot gardening, you can:
- Encourage stronger growth without relying on chemicals
- Maximise every square foot of space in allotment beds
- Simplify crop rotation planning season after season
Built-In Guidance for Gardeners
You don’t need to memorise lists or shuffle through charts. The built-in companion planting guide UK keeps it simple:
- Green border = good neighbours
- Red border = poor companions
- Yellow border = mixed results
Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to see why crops work together — or don’t. These notes are also included when you export your design as a printable allotment plan PDF.
With this companion planting app, you can design beds with confidence. Your layouts will be healthier, more productive, and tailored to the needs of UK allotment growers.
GrowVeg Alternative: How This Planner Compares
Not all garden planner software is built the same. Many tools hide features behind subscriptions, require logins, or simply aren’t designed with UK allotments in mind. This planner was developed as a true GrowVeg alternative — free, simple to use, and created for UK growers who want a better allotment planning tool.
Key Differences
- Free to use — no subscriptions, upsells, or hidden charges
- No login required — start planning instantly
- UK allotment layouts supported — designed to match real UK plots
- Companion planting app built-in — always included, never an add-on
- Privacy-first design — no tracking and no data collection
- Export to PDF — create a clean, printable allotment plan PDF in seconds
Feature Comparison Table
| Feature | This Planner | GrowVeg | Other Tools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free to use | ✅ | ❌ | ⚠️ |
| UK allotment layouts | ✅ | ⚠️ | ❌ |
| Requires login | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Works on all devices | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ |
| Built-in companion planting | ✅ | ⚠️ | ❌ |
| Privacy-respecting | ✅ | ⚠️ | ⚠️ |
| Export to PDF | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ |
Transparency: How It’s Funded
So how does a free allotment planner UK keep running? The answer is simple: like a roadside billboard, the site earns a little passive income from the adverts displayed alongside the tool. That’s it. No data selling, no hidden costs, and no surprise subscriptions.
Because it’s developed lean and managed in-house, this square foot gardening planner stays simple, effective, and accessible — without the barriers that often come with big-budget garden software.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most common queries about the free allotment planner UK and how to make the most of it. This section also works as a quick companion planting guide UK for growers looking for clear answers.
Yes — completely free. There are no subscriptions, hidden extras, or sign-ups. Just open the allotment planning tool and start designing your plot.
Absolutely. The grid is flexible, so you can set it up for small raised beds or scale it right up to a full UK allotment. It’s ideal for both beginners and experienced growers.
The planner includes a built-in companion planting app feature. As you drop crops onto the grid you’ll see:
– Green = good neighbours
– Red = poor companions
– Yellow = mixed results
This works as an instant companion planting guide UK, so you don’t need to memorise charts or second-guess pairings.
Not really. They compete for nutrients and attract similar pests, so they’re best kept apart. The planner highlights this automatically, helping you plan better combinations.
Parsley grows well with tomatoes, carrots, and chives. The built-in feedback shows exactly where it works best in your square foot gardening planner UK layout.
With the square foot gardening method, you can usually plant nine bush beans per square foot. The planner makes spacing clear as you build your printable allotment plan PDF.
Yes. Your layout saves automatically in your browser, so you can return to it later on the same device. You can also export a clean, printable allotment plan PDF to take to your plot or share with friends.
Definitely. This allotment planner app is responsive and works smoothly on desktop, tablet, and mobile, so you can plan wherever you are.
Ready to Plan Your Allotment?
There’s no better time to get started. Open the tool above and design your plot with the free allotment planner UK gardeners trust. It combines the ease of the square foot gardening planner method with built-in companion planting app features — giving you everything you need in one simple tool.
If winter is coming up and your not sure what veg to plant, check out my guide on what you can plant this autumn and winter here.
Next Steps
- Bookmark this allotment planner app so it’s always ready during the season
- Export your layout as a clean, printable allotment plan PDF to bring to the plot
- Share your plan with friends, neighbours, or your local gardening group
- Send us your ideas and feedback so the allotment planning tool can keep improving
Changelog and Roadmap
This square foot gardening planner UK continues to evolve thanks to feedback from growers like you. Here’s how the planner has grown over time and what’s planned next.
(Jan 2024) Rev 1.0
- Launched the first version with core grid planning
- Included a small set of initial vegetable options
(May 2024) Rev 1.2
- Added export to PDF for printable layouts
- Introduced fullscreen mode for larger screens
- Brought in basic mobile optimisation
- Improved usability across desktop and mobile
- Added refinements to controls and layout handling
- Expanded the written guide with clearer instructions
(Current — Jan 2025) Rev 2.0
- New retro pixel-art style inspired by cozy games
- Expanded veg library with built-in companion planting guide UK details
- Export to PDF (with companion planting info included)
- Mobile-friendly drag-and-drop support
- Added fruit tree layout options
Planned for Rev 3.0 (Coming Soon)
- Fruit tree and greenhouse layout options
- Crop rotation overlays
- Bed-specific notes and reminders
- Improved local saving options for your allotment plans
Spotted a bug or got an idea? Drop us a note at planner@backyard-farmer.com — we’d love to hear from you.
