What to put where? Need help.

This is where I get pretty clueless. Can you guys help me figure where to put what?

I have:
12'x4' bed (by itself)
12'x3' kidney bean shaped bed (near the house)
2- 3'x3' beds (are near eachother)
2'x4'x12" -carrots!

Plants: Tomatoes: Purple Cherokee, Big Boy, Sweet 100 Cherry, & Roma (determinate); Peppers: Cayenne, Serrano, Cal. Wonder, Banana, & Jalepeno; Broccoli; 4 diff. varieties of lettuce; 2 diff. varieties of spinach; Eggplant-these seeds dont seem to be growing well indoors; Zucchini; Crookneck squash; 2 varieties of Cucumbers; Cantaloupe; Onions- White, bunching, & chives; & variety of herbs. I'd like to add some strawberries and get them going if I can.

I think I have too many plants that need trellised. I was thinking of doing the 12x3 as an herb bed since it runs along our house. I have no idea where to put anything else.

A couple of questions I have. Would the cattle panel be tall enough if I stake it horizontally? Im thinking no, right? I think Mel said atleast 5 ft tall if I remember correctly? I wanted to arch the 2 cattle panels I have, but dont have another bed to arch them against if I arch them against the 12x4. I have a TON of scrap wood in the barn & garage that I could build wood trellises.

Do plants like the tomatoes and peppers need to be a certain distance from eachother so they dont cross-pollinate?

I can take pictures of the areas where the beds are/ going to be if it will help.

My tomatoes and peppers are right next to each other and there have not been any problems. I do remember hearing stories about peppers next to tomatoes making the tomatoes spicy but I think those are just stories and doesn't really happen.

You could save a little space by placing some tomatoes in the back row of the bed near the house where you are planning on planting the herbs. The tomatoes (vine) will grow upward and the herbs will fill in under the plant. To support the tomato plants you can use a Florida weave so you don't have to build a trellis for that bed.

H_TX_2 wrote:My tomatoes and peppers are right next to each other and there have not been any problems. I do remember hearing stories about peppers next to tomatoes making the tomatoes spicy but I think those are just stories and doesn't really happen.

You could save a little space by placing some tomatoes in the back row of the bed near the house where you are planning on planting the herbs. The tomatoes (vine) will grow upward and the herbs will fill in under the plant. To support the tomato plants you can use a Florida weave so you don't have to build a trellis for that bed.

Love that idea. The tomatoes would provide shade for our patio as well!

Another question. If the romas are trellised up do they still need 9 squares like Mel suggests?

If the romas are determinates then I don't know. This is my first year growing determinates and I didn't want to give up that many squares so I planted them in buckets so they will have plenty of room. Indeterminate tomatoes I plant 1 per square.

H_TX_2 wrote:If the romas are determinates then I don't know. This is my first year growing determinates and I didn't want to give up that many squares so I planted them in buckets so they will have plenty of room. Indeterminate tomatoes I plant 1 per square.

They are determinates. I thought about putting them in buckets, but I dont think Ill have enough Mels mix to fill the buckets and my beds. If push comes to shove, I could just plant 1 in a bucket of MM and put the rest of the Roma's in the ground along the fence in the fenced in garden area. Originally, I planned on just doing 1 roma in one of my 3x3 beds, but now hate the idea of 1 roma taking up all that space. And of course, all 6 of the roma seeds I started are growing great.

Just wondering what you are planning on doing with the roma tomatoes? Are you planning on doing some canning or making sauce?

camprn wrote:Just wondering what you are planning on doing with the roma tomatoes? Are you planning on doing some canning or making sauce?

Both! I should add since this is my first year Im not expecting all plants to make it.

R&R 1011 wrote:

camprn wrote:Just wondering what you are planning on doing with the roma tomatoes? Are you planning on doing some canning or making sauce?

Both! I should add since this is my first year Im not expecting all plants to make it.

If you want to put up some canned tomatoes or sauce, I suggest you plant more than one roma type plant.

camprn wrote:

R&R 1011 wrote:

camprn wrote:Just wondering what you are planning on doing with the roma tomatoes? Are you planning on doing some canning or making sauce?

Both! I should add since this is my first year Im not expecting all plants to make it.

If you want to put up some canned tomatoes or sauce, I suggest you plant more than one roma type plant.

Ive got big boys and purple cherokees going too.

R&R 1011 wrote:

camprn wrote:

R&R 1011 wrote:

camprn wrote:Just wondering what you are planning on doing with the roma tomatoes? Are you planning on doing some canning or making sauce?

Both! I should add since this is my first year Im not expecting all plants to make it.

If you want to put up some canned tomatoes or sauce, I suggest you plant more than one roma type plant.

Ive got big boys and purple cherokees going too.

Nice table fruits, those tomatoes. The difference with 'roma' or plum types is that there is more tomato flesh with less water and seeds, suitable for making sauces and such. The varieties of tomatoes I am growing for preserving are gilbertie (indeterminate) and san marzano (determinate).
http://masdudiable.com/2010/01/14/best-conserving-tomatoes/
Just for planning purposes, it takes about 3 lbs of fresh to fill a quart jar of canned tomatoes.

growveg.com/freetrial.aspx

You might take a peek at this program. It has a SFG tool. Also comes with ton's of info about your plants. I just tried the 30 day trial and then signed up it will be well worth the membership, to help me get started with my vegy garden.