My First SFG ~ 8 Squares~ Need Advice

So this is my first attempt! I have a 2'x4'x2' redwood box already divided into 8 squares and filled with really good organic potting soil I mixed with pearlite. I was wondering if my plan sounds ok or if it's too much for a small box. I was also wondering about squares 2&3. . . could i do artichoke in one or two squares? how about cucumber or another zuccini?

Im wondering if i should just experiment, if less is more, or if it's ok to try and grow a bunch of different things in a small space.



[TRELLIS]

[1][2][3][4]

[5][6][7][8]

1-Snow Peas (how many each square?)

2-

3-

4-Snow Peas

5-Zuccini (1)

6-Spinach (9)

7-Strawberry (3)

8-Carrots (16)


I'm in San Francisco where the climate is really mild and very rarely does it freeze~ like once every few years for a couple hours. It also doesn't get very hot like rarely over 78°. My garden is a brick patio and I have several very large ceramic planter pots that I'm using for lettuce, kale, potatoes & herbs. I have flowers growing scattered in places around the garden and just put some seeds to grow sunflowers in 2 planters.

Peas are suggested 8/square. Last year, I tied 4 bamboo poles tied together for a trellis. One seed went in each corner. Visualize a + in the square and pretend that is a map compass. The other 4 seeds went in the north, south, east, and west positions.

Zucchini takes 2 squares according to the book. Consider moving it to squares 1-4 to take advantage of the trellis.

You'd have one square free. Perhaps radishes, beets, broccoli, carrots, or Swiss chard? What about more strawberries (the book suggests 4/square).

I'm not familiar with growing artichokes. Like the zucchini, then cucumber would need 2 squares.

Kale will get a spot in my garden this year. I just bought seeds today.

I plant Sugar snap peas 15 to a square. Artichoke would be best set aside all by itself. It has a tap root and needs about 9 square feet of space above the ground. It is quite a large plant. Zucchini is also rather large and sprawling and not particularly easy to trellis, in my experience, plant it at the end so it can trail out away from the box. Smaller veggies or easily trellised veggies like the cukes, are your friends. A bush type tomato, like a cherry tomato may do quite well in the back empty squares.

Remember, strawberries aren't annuals. You won't get max production until next year and you need to cut the runners. I would consider a separate bed devoted to strawberries.

Welcome miss415 to the forum. You've been given good advice. I could never grow zukes in 2 feet myself so I don't even try. The leaves alone are huge. But if you must, make sure its in corner squares so it can spread outward over the box.

A trellis is ideal for the snow peas. Then next year you can use that same space for either tomatoes or cukes or a combo of both.

Good luck and enjoy your new garden.