Need opinions on my first SF garden layout

16 years ago

This is my first year planting a vegetable garden and I was hoping to get some feedback on my layout. I built three 4x4 ft square foot gardens just like in the book and each one has a 5 foot high trellis on the north side made out of electrical conduit and nylon trellis netting. Do the plant layouts make sense?

(I have a picture but I can't figure out how to get it posted here)

garden one (row 1 is against the trellis and the -- represents a new square)

(row 1) Tomato--spaghetti squash--sugar baby watermelon--tomato

(row 2) Broccoli--bell pepper--bell pepper--bush beans

(row 3) carrots--bell pepper--bell pepper--chinese cabbage

(row 4) mint--sage--radishes--beets

garden two(row 1 is against the trellis)

(row 1) tomato--:peas Zucchini peas--tomato

(row 2) spinach--eggplant--eggplant--spinach

(row 3) butterhead lettuce--bibb lettuce--baby romaine--spring mix lettuce

(row 4) mesculin mix--little gem lettuce--loose leaf lettuce--mesculin mix

garden three (row 1 is against the trellis)

(row 1) tomato--canteloupe--cucumbers--tomato

(row 2) leeks--cilantro--dill--basil

(row 3) parsley--scallions--chives--oregano

(row 4) All strawberries

PS- for anyone in the Western NY area, Menne's Nursery in Amherst has the 4 cu ft bags of vermiculite.

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Comments (12)

bdobs
16 years ago
Sounds really nice. Quite adventageous for sure.
I planted many different types of Veggis last year too.
This year I decided to just stick to the basics
Tomatoes, Bells, hot peppers, carrotts, cuccumbers, melons
coreenm
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks! Do you think the locations I put the plants in are okay?
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Two comments: First, only indeterminate (vining) tomatoes can be grown in 1 sq. ft. I think that Roma tomatoes are determinate (bush) and cannot be trained up a trellis. You can replace it with an indeterminate paste tomato such as San Marzano or sausage. Second. I don't know the orientation of your garden, but consider that a wall of tomato plants casts a substantial shadow. For this reason it is generally reccomended that the trellis be placed along the north side of your bed. As you've laid it out, the tomatoes will shade either your herbs or your peas (which won't be bad if your peas are spent by the time the tomatoes reach a good size). Also, cukes and tomatoes sharing a trellis can work (it has for me), but the cukes might not get as much light as they need to be super productive.
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I understand your feelings about the inside "view" and the window. So, let's assume the window, sink, refrigerator, and range stay where they are... How much space would you gain changing the door to a single door or moving it down? I'd aim for 24" to the right of the range and if you have at least 9" of "extra" space, put it b/w the corner & range for tray or cutting board storage. If it's less than 6", then combine it with the 24" on the right. If it's 6", you could either put in a 6" filler pullout b/w the corner & range (I have two flanking my cooktop and they are useful) or you could combine it with the 24" on the right. If you leave the refrigerator & range where they are, they I would definitely move the DW to the other side of the sink and put a trash pullout where the DW is now. If you add a Ref Drawer, I would put it in the Prep Zone for prep perishables like eggs, butter, etc. This way, you won't have to cross the Cleanup Zone to get to the refrigerator. You will probably end up prepping on the counter b/w the sink and range b/c that's where your water source is. If you would like a Beverage/Snack Center, consider utilizing the counter to the left of the sink for that purpose. It will keep snackers out of the working part of the kitchen (Prep/Cooking/Cleanup Zones) and add function to that stretch of counter that, right now, isn't very useful. "...Might be nice to have that expanse of windows look toward the kids in the backyard..." Which way is the backyard? Out the "top" or off to the "left" in the layout above?
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paulinct
16 years ago
I think that sounds great (especially all of the peppers, not much yield there so great to see a number of plants.

But not knowing how many people you plan to feed I wonder if you will have too many tomatoes? If you think you might, I personally would give up a tomato plant or two in order to let the sugar baby spread. I did them one year (albeit on the ground), and they spread like crazy, but the fruits were really excellent, even though we had to wait until late Sept/early Oct to harvest some of them here is coastal Connecticut. I'm sorry if you posted this and I missed it, but where in NY are you? Those watermelons take some time, and the most important time is at the end of the season, apparently (though I am no expert) since that is when most of the sugar is developed. Kinda like grapes I guess.

Anyway, this is just a nit, good luck, sounds great!

Paul
paulinct
16 years ago
Sorry, just to clarify my previous post, I don't know whether those locations could be improved, I was just commenting on your choice of plants.

Also, I think you'll really want to cradle those watermelons in something, they get surprisingly heavy and take a long time to mature. If the vines weaken before the fruit is ready you'll suffer needless losses. But when they work out they are truly wonderful.

Best,
Paul
coreenm
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for the input! I live in the western NY area. I probably do have too many tomatoes, but I'm afraid they won't do well so I am over-compensating I think. I do have a lot of family that would be happy to take them off my hands should I be blessed with such a problem :)
paulinct
16 years ago
Hey Coreenm

Just a thought: if your tomatoes don't do well, I would think that your watermelons would do even worse. I mean, if your problem is sunlight, you will get SOME ripe tomatoes, and they will be wonderful, but you could get zero ripe melons. They might get big with good watering, but without good sun for a long enough time they won't sweeten. They really need the best sun you can give them, and for as long as you can.

Again, I don't mean to discourage you! But that is a challenging crop for us northern gardeners. And if you are worried about your tomatoes, to repeat myself, you should be at least as worried about your melons. So take good care of them!

All my best,
Paul
coreenm
Original Author
16 years ago
I actually have a ton of sun. My tomato concern is that I am starting heirloom tomatoes from seed and I know I waited to long to start them inside (should have probably started 2-3 weeks ago I think). I am going purchase one regular transplant just in caase the seeds don't work well this season.
paulinct
16 years ago
Oh, I see. I'm no expert but I think I would do something similar. Have fun!
joytosew
16 years ago
Hi,
This is my first year for sqft. gardening also. I can't wait to put my beds out.
I really like the looks of your plant lineup and it really is quite similar to my plan. The only thing I see that you might have a problem with is the mint. Mint is very invasive and is apt to take over your bed. I have mint started, but will be planting it in a 1ftx1ft box I made and placing it just on the outside of my herb bed.

Have lots of fun!
cristi
timewind
16 years ago
Cristi is definitely right about the mint. I missed that when I looked at your layout earlier. I never considered planting mint in my SFG because the little patch of mint my ex planted, long before the SFG was there, has more or less taken over a huge amount of space (at least a 4 x 8 area, of fairly poor soil to boot, and it would have gone further except that there are cement and paved walkways) and every time I walk around my SFG my feet end up smelling minty fresh. (I don't try to get rid of the mint, but I do mow it where it has gotten out into the lawn...) Now if I can just get creeping thyme to take over my front lawn, as it is starting to do to my father's lawn, life will be good.
medontdo
16 years ago
LOL hmmmm life would be great if we could get our spices/herbs to take over our lawns!! LOL
this is my first year to, so i have been looking over peoples plans, i'm no good at making plans, so i'm hoping to see something that will catch my eye!! LOL i do know that mint has to be kept in a container of its own!! LOL i brought my grapefruit mint in over the winter and OMGoodness!! geez it just took over one whole space, so i put it in a bigger pot, and it grew even bigger!!! WHEW!!! LOL its funny, it started out as a little bitty starter plant. LOL now its in a 12" pot, in 4months. LOL
laurenlulu
16 years ago
That looks good, I'm jealous of your efficient planning. I've drawn and scribbled out too many layouts to count.

I have a yard full of jutting rocks, and the mint grows nicely in the soily crevices of my rocks- I also grow oregano there too.

Need opinions on my first SF garden layout

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