Critique my plan

Here is the plan that I made today for my garden. Most of these plants have already been started in another container, but I wan't to move them to a better, semi-permanent location.( Yes, there were some plants that I couldn't find pictures for.)

I am planting a lot of these using information that I got from several different companion planting guides. The bed is made from untreated cedar. My dad built it for me a few months ago when I started my seeds. I know it is big, but my family eats a lot of veggies, so they won't be going to waste. I also have another 2x4 bed planted with corn and squash.

So, what do you guys think? Any comments? Critiques? Planting suggestions?

Thanks for making it big enough that my tired old eyes can see the detail!

Is that one 6x9 box or six 3x3 boxes?

It's one big 6x9 box with reinforcing cross beams built down the middle to form six 3x3 boxes.

Florida Garden Girl,

I love your layout it looks nice. Check the veggie companion guide (someone posted a link to one..i can't remember where). I am not sure about the tomatoes next to the cucumbers.

floridagardengirl wrote:It's one big 6x9 box with reinforcing cross beams built down the middle to form six 3x3 boxes.

How do you plan to harvest and plant without stepping on the soil?

Chopper wrote:

floridagardengirl wrote:It's one big 6x9 box with reinforcing cross beams built down the middle to form six 3x3 boxes.

How do you plan to harvest and plant without stepping on the soil?

+1

Did you know the reason the boxes are 4' or less across is most people can reach 2'? therefore, you can reach everything from a side of the box, and never compress the medium.

I'm guessing you are putting a trellis on the top row...tomatoes, beans, cukes (vertical)...You could move the peppers elsewhere (maybe lose 2 squares of flowers) and put more trellis needy plants in their spot. Squash perhaps?

Are those summer peas? Tell me more...I heard about a southern hot weather pea just this evening!

Why separate the strawberries? 5 plants are not very many, and they do spread. I'm not sure you want them near onions. Personally, I'd dedicate a box to them, and interplant with bush beans (mine are interplanted with peas and bush beans). Then you would have a box of salad materials - lettuce, onion, carrots, etc.

A reasonable source for 'companion plants' is on Wikipedia.org.

Keep us posted!

Chopper wrote:

floridagardengirl wrote:It's one big 6x9 box with reinforcing cross beams built down the middle to form six 3x3 boxes.

How do you plan to harvest and plant without stepping on the soil?

I hope that stepping on the cross beam will work.

fefehanif wrote:Florida Garden Girl,

I love your layout it looks nice. Check the veggie companion guide (someone posted a link to one..i can't remember where). I am not sure about the tomatoes next to the cucumbers.

Were you thinking of Companion Planting?

I am companion planting (used that guide, actually). The reason for separating the strawberries is that I read on one gardening site that you should separate them just in case one or two plants get infected with a fungus or mold. I have one strawberry plant right now growing in a pot that seems to have contracted some sort of fungus, even though I treated it with organic fungicide. I will probably have to give up on it soon. I definitely don't want to invest in more only to lose them all to a similar fate, so I am planting them with things in between. That way my other strawberries are protected from catching it by a space full of other plants. Also, I read on several companion planting guides that you should plant onions by strawberries because it both protects them and enhances the flavor. If the strawberries I plant do well this summer, then I will probably dedicate a special box to them this fall.

As far as the harvesting goes, I have really long arms, and I can easily reach everything. If need be, I also have a board that I can lay over two of the beams and stand on, but I doubt it will come to that.

I am putting a trellis in the top row. The reason why there aren't any squash listed here is because they are already planted with some corn in a smaller box.

Thanks for all of the suggestions and comments!

I was going to put strawberries in my SFG, but when I read how much room they can try and take up I changed my mind and made up some quick 3-tiered planters instead. I can get 26 plants in each of these and not take up precious room in my SFG. (My SFG is only 2 beds @ 4 x 6 squares right now...

WOW! I bet that the multi-level strawberry containers are going to look super pretty once they grow in and drop runners down. Also having them a little off the ground is going to make it easier to pick. Inspired

Hmmm...I might just have to make one of those.

Thanks! It was super easy to use a peony ring, too, inserted and wrapped with bird netting to keep the birds out... To pick fruit or tend the plants, I just need to lift the netting out of the way like lifting a wedding veil. I always lose a bunch of blueberries to the birds, too - so I'll do the same thing for them with a peony ring and some bird netting.

This was the contraption that inspired my going vertical with the strawberries. I couldn't afford the AgroTower, but I had the pots to make the 3-tiered one just hanging around.. .

http://www.agrotower.com/default.aspx

kittykat wrote:My SFG is only 2 beds @ 4 x 6 squares right now...

KK..how do you reach into your SFG with the netting around it? It's very cool looking! I see the worm tube and the white box?

Hi AvaDGardener! I can lift the whole frame for that bird netting right off the garden. It's easy with 2 people, awkward but do-able with one person. I have to have them, though, as we have wild cats around here, deer, rabbits and a resident peacock that will eat anything that sprouts.. LOL...

Here's a pic that shows "the cage" better...



The box you can see inside the SFG in the other pic is just a 2x2 square box with some poly plastic over the top to make a bit of a cold frame for some peas under there. They probably don't need the cold frame anymore, but it rains a lot here, too, so the top protects them. I'll use the little cold frame when it's time to plant my melons and cukes, too, to get them in early..

I dunno about the worm tubes... I hate to dig one up to see what's going on, but I don't see a lot of action. I think I'll put some composted manure in them on top of the rotting veggies I have in there and see if some worms will come up to feed.

Cool!

Look at your first photo. See the black thing that is in front of your topper box? What's that?

That's what I thought was the worm tube.

Worm tubes are PVC pipe with holes in the part under the mix. You put in compost, worms and food and they come and go through holes. There's a thread about it. Funny thing is, wiggler compost worms are not earthworms, but apparently the mix is apparently light enough for them.

Ava

Yes - that's my worm tube. I have one in each SFG, and 1 more in two regular flower beds that are close by. I did buy red wriggler worms online and put 1/4 lb in each of the tubes. It's just hard to tell what those little guys are doing in there, that's all... makes me want to dig one up... but I won't...

UnderTheBlackWalnut wrote:

fefehanif wrote:Florida Garden Girl,

I love your layout it looks nice. Check the veggie companion guide (someone posted a link to one..i can't remember where). I am not sure about the tomatoes next to the cucumbers.

Were you thinking of Companion Planting?

That is a GREAT link, Black Walnut, thanks!!!