Beginner looking for advice on layout

TheCaretaker 3/27/2020, 11:40 am

Hi,

Not sure how well used this is, but I'm struggling to find anything else SFG based.

Just wondering if there was anyone out there that could share some advice on this potential layout that I'm thinking about. Any issues? anythng I've got completely wrong?

For reference I'm in the South East and the marigolds at the front are facing SSW.

Beginner looking for advice on layout Image_10

OhioGardener 3/27/2020, 12:18 pm

Welcome to the forum TC, from Ohio!

The layout looks pretty good, looks like you've done a lot of research and planning. The taller plants to the north and successively shorter plants towards the south ensures all the plants get adequate sunlight. A couple thoughts that I might add are on the cucumbers and strawberries. We get very hot and humid summers here, so I put the cucumber on trellis so they grow vertical, and then plant leaf lettuce in the shade of them so the lettuce will continue producing through the summer. For strawberries, I keep mine in their own small bed so that the runners don't take over everything else.

I use 20" diameter tomato cages, so my tomatoes each take most of 4 squares.

TheCaretaker 3/27/2020, 1:08 pm

Yes, I've been doing a bit of reading Smile

I attempted it last year on a much smaller scale last year, as the kids wanted to grow something. Thought we'd expand it a little this year.

Got an 8ft fence/trellis at the back, so everything in that back row will be going up that, as I was probably going to fill any suitable gaps with the lettuce and any other left over bits I have.

My main concerns are whether the leafy bits at the front might get a bit too much sun? They will be in it for pretty much most of the day.

Strawberries we're left there from last year and have wintered really well, so I don't want to move them, I'll have to just work around them.

**sanderson** 3/27/2020, 4:37 pm

Welcome CareTaker. $glad you\'re here$

Can you erect a sun shade in the front row when it gets too hot and intense? Something simple like stakes in the ground in front (SSW) with some shade material or old sheer curtains, or even a 3' tall strip of old sheet.

Beginner looking for advice on layout Shade_11

TheCaretaker 3/27/2020, 6:31 pm

I've been moving things around on paper, thinking maybe put the beans and peas at the front and put the leafy stuff behind, but then I guess they might not get enough sun. The summer is very unpredictable here. But I guess something as simple as a shade would do it! Nice bit of lateral thinking.

I'm also a little concerned about space for the Cucumbers bers and Tomatoes, 1 per sq ft for the toms is doable, but 2 per sq ft for the Cucumbers seems way too tight - is the really possible?

**Scorpio Rising** 3/27/2020, 6:40 pm

Hi! Glad you found us!

So I would literally trellis everything I can, so include the Sugar Snap Peas. They like a nice trellis...mine live it, place on the North edge.

And yes, my cukes on trellis are actually 4/SF! Maybe more they do very well.

The proof is in the compost to be honest.

Lots if info on the SEARCH box in the upper left-hand box!

Welcome! $glad you\'re here$

OhioGardener 3/27/2020, 7:01 pm

TheCaretaker wrote:I'm also a little concerned about space for the Cucumbers bers and Tomatoes, 1 per sq ft for the toms is doable, but 2 per sq ft for the Cucumbers seems way too tight - is the really possible?

All of my cucumbers are completely trellised, and only grow vertically - actually it isn't completely vertical since the trellis leans outward at the top at about 60° from vertical. I have 6 squares of them, but they only use about 6" of the outside of each square, and other vegetables, such as lettuce or swiss chard, are planted in the inside 6" of each of those squares. The only problem we had was that the cucumbers matured faster than we could use them! Very Happy

Here are a few pictures of last year's cucumbers in one of the beds. Note that the trellis is a 8' piece of a cattle panel which was left over from the days of raising beef cattle.

Beginner looking for advice on layout Cucumb21

Beginner looking for advice on layout Cucumb19

Beginner looking for advice on layout Cucumb20

Beginner looking for advice on layout Maxon_10

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