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Spring 2023 Garden layout
3 posters
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Spring 2023 Garden layout
I am very new to anything gardening and have 2 4X4 boxes ready. Below are my thoughts for the layout, but admit, I've really struggled in placing plants, trying to use companion planting as best as I can. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm in the West Houston, Texas area. TIA
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sjustman- Posts : 3
Join date : 2023-01-07
Location : Houston, Texas
Re: Spring 2023 Garden layout
The placement of plants looks good for the most part. The only suggestion I would have is to forget about companion planting - it really doesn't make much difference in the scheme of life. We don't know the direction of the sun on the boxes, but one of the considerations you must consider is the larger plants shading other plants.
"In short, the soil food web feeds everything you eat and helps keep your favorite planet from getting too hot. Be nice to it." ~ Diane Miessler, "Grow Your Soil"
sanderson likes this post
Re: Spring 2023 Garden layout
OhioGardener, Thanks for your response. I did forget to mention the box direction. The boxes are side by side with the top rows being on the north side. I've read some conflicting things on growing tomatoes. Mel's book suggests 1 tomato per square, but then some of the gardening apps suggest 1 plant per 4 squares...and I've read not to place them together. I agree about the taller plants shading the smaller ones so I'm open to ideas for what works well with tomatoes that has a similar height. There is so much information to take in and decipher that it can be quite paralyzing, which is one of the reasons I've had such trouble coming up with a layout. 

sjustman- Posts : 3
Join date : 2023-01-07
Location : Houston, Texas
Re: Spring 2023 Garden layout
Sjustman, I would forgo the flowers this first year and concentrate on just growing 32 sq. ft. of veggies. If you end up with an empty square
, then stick a marigold in it.
Merlin hybrid cucumber is a vining plant so it should be planted on the north trellis.
Spacemaster cucumber is a 2-3' bush variety and may be fine with just a tomato cage to climb..
Homemade Pickles is also a bush variety.
Bodacious tomato appears to be a shorter, bush type.
4th of July tomato is a bush variety.
Napa Grape Hybrid large bush so front row 4 squares
Brandywine Pink is an indeterminate and should be planted on the north trellis.
.
Sunflower and okra are both 1 per sq ft. I'm guessing you are still deciding which to plant. I have read that sunflowers are competitive (don't know if that's a myth). Maybe this year you could go with okra in a veggie bed. They both are tall and need the north side or west side, but do not need a trellis. But, by putting a trellis on both beds opens up options for the next planting season.
The zucchini are bed hogs and need 9 square feet or 4 front corner squares each.
In summary, plants that need the north trellis are Brandywine, Merlin hybrid cucumber, and beans, if they are a vining (tall) variety.
Plants that need the north end or west side are okra and sunflowers.
Peppers can be on the south side or west side.
I didn't include the oregano and basil but when you are firmed up, you can figure out where to stick them. If oregano is an annual in your area, no problem. If it is a perennial, you may want to put it in a separate pot so it doesn't invade other squares. It's part of the invasive mint family.
I scratched out this plot plan so you can get a visual of how 4 of the selected plants take up 16 squares, or half of the beds. I gave you 2 trellised squares for the Brandywine for your first year to learn about growing to just the main stem, and maybe one daughter/sucker.



Merlin hybrid cucumber is a vining plant so it should be planted on the north trellis.
Spacemaster cucumber is a 2-3' bush variety and may be fine with just a tomato cage to climb..
Homemade Pickles is also a bush variety.
Bodacious tomato appears to be a shorter, bush type.
4th of July tomato is a bush variety.
Napa Grape Hybrid large bush so front row 4 squares
Brandywine Pink is an indeterminate and should be planted on the north trellis.
.
Sunflower and okra are both 1 per sq ft. I'm guessing you are still deciding which to plant. I have read that sunflowers are competitive (don't know if that's a myth). Maybe this year you could go with okra in a veggie bed. They both are tall and need the north side or west side, but do not need a trellis. But, by putting a trellis on both beds opens up options for the next planting season.
The zucchini are bed hogs and need 9 square feet or 4 front corner squares each.
In summary, plants that need the north trellis are Brandywine, Merlin hybrid cucumber, and beans, if they are a vining (tall) variety.
Plants that need the north end or west side are okra and sunflowers.
Peppers can be on the south side or west side.
I didn't include the oregano and basil but when you are firmed up, you can figure out where to stick them. If oregano is an annual in your area, no problem. If it is a perennial, you may want to put it in a separate pot so it doesn't invade other squares. It's part of the invasive mint family.
I scratched out this plot plan so you can get a visual of how 4 of the selected plants take up 16 squares, or half of the beds. I gave you 2 trellised squares for the Brandywine for your first year to learn about growing to just the main stem, and maybe one daughter/sucker.


» Layout of first time garden
» New to SFG Layout Review
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» TD's 2023 Garden
» Thoughts On My New SFG Layout
» New to SFG Layout Review
» Spring 2023 in the UK
» TD's 2023 Garden
» Thoughts On My New SFG Layout
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