http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/ this is plant hardiness zone map. Find the number the coordinates with your zone and never forget it. Plants that only live one season, are call ANNUALS, they are number higher than your zone. Plants the come back eyery year are called PERENNIALS, they are your zone number or lower. Look around your area and see what is already growing there that you like. ASK what it is. Write it down. Look it up. Most plants come in more than one size/color/shape. You may like another one better. Check its zone before you buy. Plants in pots do not usually survive the winter unless you do something to insure their survival (look up overwintering container plants). Resist the urge to buy at garage sales. 'I have plenty" often means 'its invasive' and thats never good. Honeysuckle is an easy choice for a fence, however they can have issues, 'Major Wheeler' is nearly carefree and a good choice, hummingbirds adore it. Check your municipality for free compost. Do not use free mulch, it may contained the wood from diseased trees. Do not use Cypress Mulch it may contain insects not native to your area. I moved to Wisc. from Calif and had to relearn gardening for the Northern climates. Buy a good book, expect happy mistakes. Look for seeds that sprout fast, and engage your child.

Of the things I have grown, grapes would be one of the things I would not grow the SFG way. They are big and spread aggressively both above and below ground. Also, as a perennial they don't allow for the normal rotation of "pull up the old plant, add compost, replant with another crop or put the garden to "bed" for the winter" which is a big part of SFG. As I think about it, planting grapes has more in common with planting a tree than with planting tomatoes... I would say that unless you have a truly compelling reason to grow them in a container (like no actual access to soil at your site) they should be planted in the actual ground, amended appropriately with compost, and perhaps some vermiculite to improve drainage/water retention. Wherever you put them, put them there with the knowledge that they will be there for a long time if you decide you like them, they will need a fairly substantial support, yearly pruning once they are established to get a good crop, and they will be BIG and LEAFY. After past experience with grapes, I have put my grape trellis in front of one of my house's two south facing windows. This year I plan to add some screw-eyes to my window frame and string them with heavy twine. By the hottest part of summer my window should be amply shaded by big, green, leaves, which I plan to prune away in the fall. SFG is a wonderful way to garden, but your regular garden are, regardless of type, is probably not the place to experiment with grapes, as I learned the first time I planted them years ago at my parent's house.

Yes corn should be planted in blocks, the NW corner would work well. The remaining tall plants should be on the north side too, including those you will trellis (cukes or other vines). The 3 sisters scheme referred to a vining (usu. winter) squash to climb the corn. My summer (yellow) squash, has huge leaves and takes up a 4x4ft box when its happy. I have squeezed 2 plants (6in. apart) in a 4x4. I wouldn't put squash on the N side, tho I have had it get 3ft high. Certainly it would provide shade for a smaller plant, but usu. stifles anything under it. You might try radishes, lettuce, or spinach will would be done before the squash shades everything. Read up on the Squash Vine Borer (SVB) so you know what is happening when the squash suddenly dies.

Kristi I had a similar problem, the only thing that was growing was the potatoes. This is my first yr doing SFG too, and I planted almost everything Mothers Day weekend. I finally decided to use some miracle grow on it. Used one package 2 wks ago and noticed a definite growth, then used another package this week and I finally have flowers on the zuchinni, cantaloupe, tomatoes, beans, and my lettuce has really gotten much bigger. I am guessing my compost didn't have enough of something in it, and I also thought it may have been from the transplant since I didn't grow any of these from seed. Next year, I'll definitely spend more on the compost and try to get some good stuff. Hope yours takes off soon!!