First Garden Plan... empty squares?

Hi all!!

I'm brand new to the forum (and to gardening!), though I've been reading and lurking for quite some time . Was hoping you'd take a look at my plan so far? I have quite a bit of squares to fill but am at a loss as to what I should put in them. We are a family of 4 (soon to be 5). I would love to make my own spaghetti sauce and salsa, other than that - we just are veggie lovers

I would love to have garlic and asparagus too but I'm too confused as to when/how I can plant them... Also would love to do some muskmelon and pumpkins for fall. We do have room to do another box next to this one, maybe a 3x3 or 4x4...

In my empty squares I plan to load up on bush green beans, peppers, onions, and companion flowers/ herbs (marigolds, nasturtiums, parsley, etc.). Try putting taller summer veggies just south of lettuce to create some summer shade...lettuce may last longer (not sure if heat is a problem in your area).

I would plant more bush beans, maybe a week or two apart so you aren't overwhelmed with harvest. I might also move the cucumber you have in row 2 down front to a corner. Even "bush" type cukes get frisky and like to invade places you don't want them. That way you could encourage it to spill out the front rather than play footsies with your beans.

Other ideas would include adding summer squash/zucchini (more frisky, space hogs), radishes and marigolds.

You might want some more basil or at least I would; I don't think you can ever have too much. Rosemary is very easy to grow and will taste great with your veggies. As others have said I would stick a few marigolds in there also to help with the nematodes and other pests.

Welcome to the forum. Its always nice to see another new gardener home-growing healthy food for the family.

I agree on the 2nd cuke. Don't put it inside like that. Try for an outside square. I'd also add a thyme plant. The fresh herb goes with so many dishes and can't be beat when it comes to flavor.

Thank you all so much!! I've edited my plan using your suggestions... what do you think?

Lovely!
My 2 cents...
The brussel sprout will squeeze the bush beans. So switch bush beans with marigolds.
Does your family like peas? You could plant sugar sprint snap pea around the squash plant. Give them minimal support (sticks work, they are short))and will be done before the squash needs the space.

Another suggestion; thyme and especially oregano will spread. I don;t put them in my SFG for that reason. My 3 year old oregano patch is 3x1.5 feet. They are both perennial herbs so a permanent home is a good idea. Basil is an annual so should be fine; if it is really happy it will spread too. Rosemary could be either annual or perennial depending on your climate. Just some thoughts; definitely plant them just maybe rethink where.

herblover wrote:Another suggestion; thyme and especially oregano will spread. I don;t put them in my SFG for that reason. My 3 year old oregano patch is 3x1.5 feet. They are both perennial herbs so a permanent home is a good idea. Basil is an annual so should be fine; if it is really happy it will spread too. Rosemary could be either annual or perennial depending on your climate. Just some thoughts; definitely plant them just maybe rethink where.

Oh this is good to know! Could I just plant the Thyme and Oregano in my yard near the box? Or does the soil have to be "specific"?

Turan wrote:Lovely!
My 2 cents...
The brussel sprout will squeeze the bush beans. So switch bush beans with marigolds.
Does your family like peas? You could plant sugar sprint snap pea around the squash plant. Give them minimal support (sticks work, they are short))and will be done before the squash needs the space.

I personally don't like peas but my kids do so that sounds like a good idea... how much space should I give the peas around where the squash will be planted?

jheriot wrote:

Turan wrote:Lovely!
My 2 cents...
The brussel sprout will squeeze the bush beans. So switch bush beans with marigolds.
Does your family like peas? You could plant sugar sprint snap pea around the squash plant. Give them minimal support (sticks work, they are short))and will be done before the squash needs the space.

I personally don't like peas but my kids do so that sounds like a good idea... how much space should I give the peas around where the squash will be planted?

Plant the 2 feet along the edge of the squash area. Plant about 4" from the edge a triple row with seeds 2" apart in all directions 1" deep. To get them going fast plant now. The short types don't need a lot of support. Being along the edge the kids can pick them.

Okay I updated my plan to also include corn (does that look right?). You'll see to the right I have space for another box. I would really love to do potatoes and garlic still... I'd also still like to do some pumpkins for fall. Now I need to start getting my seeds/seedlings figured out. Being in Wisconsin I know there's some things I get plant with seeds already but others have to wait and I'll have to buy seedlings.

It looks great the only suggestions I have would be to switch you pepper that is in between your beans with the basil next to your other pepper, peppers don't like beans and they like to grow together. I would also build a separate herb garden to keep any perennials in check and that would free up some space for your potatoes and garlic!

cheyannarach wrote:It looks great the only suggestions I have would be to switch you pepper that is in between your beans with the basil next to your other pepper, peppers don't like beans and they like to grow together. I would also build a separate herb garden to keep any perennials in check and that would free up some space for your potatoes and garlic!

This is great advice, thank you!! Do people really have success growing potatoes in just 6"? I know a lot of people seem to grow them in deeper soil... I will do the changes you mentioned and repost

Yes you can but it's a good idea to build a riser for them, just dig the hole out and start the taters in straight compost, then as they start to grow up keep covering, when they get to the top of the 6 inches put your riser on and continue to cover until that is full, that will give you 12 inches for the spuds! You can go higher if you want, it is up to you!

You could also through a few radishes around your corn if your family likes radishes because they will be done quick!

Hmmm, garlic takes up little room and gets along with everyone I think.
Why not plant it along the grid lines? It won't be crowding anyone and
might make a cool bionic grid
You could the same with the potatoes in the corn batch. Corn needs less water and handles wind better if mulched deep. So don't fill the bed all the way and give the mix extra bonemeal, plant the potatoes now. When it is time to plant corn fill the bed more covering the new potato growth and plant the corn (check your variety some need more room than others). Later when the corn is maybe knee high mulch the bed or hill it with more mix. Caveat.... I have not done this but am trying it this spring with the little area I just planted potatoes in.

Turan wrote:Hmmm, garlic takes up little room and gets along with everyone I think.
Why not plant it along the grid lines? It won't be crowding anyone and
might make a cool bionic grid
You could the same with the potatoes in the corn batch. Corn needs less water and handles wind better if mulched deep. So don't fill the bed all the way and give the mix extra bonemeal, plant the potatoes now. When it is time to plant corn fill the bed more covering the new potato growth and plant the corn (check your variety some need more room than others). Later when the corn is maybe knee high mulch the bed or hill it with more mix. Caveat.... I have not done this but am trying it this spring with the little area I just planted potatoes in.

Okay this sounds a little confusing so I read it a few times over haha I actually think I might try this... (I still am not sure WHEN I'm supposed to plant the corn but I'm assuming by what you said I can do the potatoes now). I like this plan too because I was starting to doubt if I wanted to plant potatoes in its own box being that you usually don't yield a lot from each plant (right?). So, I think I will make that separate box with carrots on a riser (12") and below that my perennial herbs. I'll upload the new picture in a bit to see if it looks right.

Okay updated version attached... you'll see I have some empty squares again... hmmm?? What should I do with them? We don't eat enough carrots to warrant 4 sqft of them, the 2 empty squares below the 2sqft of carrots is also going to be 12" deep. My husband does like jalapeno peppers, should I add one of those in the main bed (but where)?

Any other ideas?

jheriot wrote:

Turan wrote:Hmmm, garlic takes up little room and gets along with everyone I think.
Why not plant it along the grid lines? It won't be crowding anyone and
might make a cool bionic grid
You could the same with the potatoes in the corn batch. Corn needs less water and handles wind better if mulched deep. So don't fill the bed all the way and give the mix extra bonemeal, plant the potatoes now. When it is time to plant corn fill the bed more covering the new potato growth and plant the corn (check your variety some need more room than others). Later when the corn is maybe knee high mulch the bed or hill it with more mix. Caveat.... I have not done this but am trying it this spring with the little area I just planted potatoes in.

Okay this sounds a little confusing so I read it a few times over haha I actually think I might try this... (I still am not sure WHEN I'm supposed to plant the corn but I'm assuming by what you said I can do the potatoes now). I like this plan too because I was starting to doubt if I wanted to plant potatoes in its own box being that you usually don't yield a lot from each plant (right?). So, I think I will make that separate box with carrots on a riser (12") and below that my perennial herbs. I'll upload the new picture in a bit to see if it looks right.

Its called squeezing in a few more plants,

Carrots need their room because they are not very aggressive and are easily overwhlemed by neighbors. Though they can do quite well sharing a square with radishes (see the carrot week thread) and they can share with garlic too.

Corn is a warm weather crop, I am guessing you would plant it in a month. Potatoes should be planted now or even earlier. This way they will get some top growth started when it is time to plant corn. Potatoes need to be hilled to get higher production from them (there is a thread on Potato methods). So by adding more mix to the bed you are doing that and making a nice bed for the corn. Depending on the size of the corn you can plant 1-4 per square, but if squeezing a potato in there make it 1-3. For me potatoes are much high yield than corn, but my area is marginal for corn and excellent for potatoes anyways.

That's a good idea, planting the potatoes with the corn, plus that keeps you tomatoes and potatoes apart which is good. If you aren't sure what to plant in the extra squares you should plant more carrots or whatever you want for a continual harvest (what ever you family likes)!

Okay I added spinach, but is the location okay?? I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner - I love spinach in my salads.

Still unsure of what to do with the two 12" deep squares below the carrots...

Parsnips or beets or chard?

Turan wrote:Parsnips or beets or chard?

I've never even tried Parsnips or Chard - what do they taste like? I don't like beets

Thinking a little outside of the box here but could you do a pumpkin and give it all 4 squares when the carrots are done? I am not sure how much room it will need but you mentioned maybe doing pumpkins... Might be something to look into!